Aug 17 2005
The North American radiant heating markets are facing stiff competition from forced air systems, which offer cost and installation benefits to end users.
For this reason, radiant heating equipment manufacturers need to convince customers of the superiority of their systems in terms of lesser long-term life cycle costs and better quality. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.buildingtechnologies.frost.com ), North American Radiant Heating Markets, reveals that these markets generated revenues of $467.6 million in 2004 and will generate $1,566.8 million in 2011.
"Enterprises should help clients differentiate clearly between installation costs and long-term life cycle costs," points out Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst R. Srivatsan. "Although radiant heating systems are expensive to install, they can have considerably less long-term life cycle cost."
Another obstacle for these manufacturers is the inability of these systems to provide cooling as well as heating in a functionality package. The impact of this challenge will eventually lessen with the development of high velocity and ductless air conditioning systems. Further, the reluctance of high-end homeowners to install excessive ducts in their houses is likely to decrease the competition that air conditioners provide for radiant heating systems. At present, the radiant heating markets -- and especially the hydronic segment -- face a scarcity of trained installation workers. Contractors and designers also seem reluctant to accept hydronics as a viable alternative to conventional heating systems.
"To rectify this, enterprises must provide factory training to installers and convince end users about the diverse advantages of radiant heating equipment such as superior designing and noiseless operation," suggests Srivatsan.
For instance, radiant heating systems are highly useful in sites where superior air quality is imperative. Unlike forced air systems, they do not involve ducts or radiators that contribute to dust collection, thus reducing the diffusion of air-borne particles. Overall, the increase in new home construction coupled with lower interest rates are set to boost demand for radiant heating equipment.
In 2004, the total radiant heating market was worth $467.6 million, of which new construction accounts contributed to 60.0 percent, 72.4 percent of this value coming from the residential sector.