'Low-Tech': Tate Offers In-Floor Energy-Efficient Perimeter Heating and Cooling

Here’s a way to get cold feet without the expense of an engagement ring: Tate, a Jessup, Maryland-based flooring company, is offering In-floor Active Chilled Beams—an energy-efficient perimeter heating and cooling solution that combines the benefits of under-floor air distribution with the efficiencies of water heating and cooling.

In a chilled beam, water pipes pass hot and cold water through a heat exchanger or "beam," which is then capable of heating or cooling air delivered to a space. The in-floor beams bring chilled water under the floor to cool air directly at the perimeter of a building, where heat loss and heat gain can significantly impact energy use.

Tate's new In-floor Active Chilled Beams provide the energy savings and capacity of an overhead chilled beam, while avoiding many of the inherent concerns, including damage from leaking water lines or from the condensation of latent loads.

In-floor Active Chilled Beams eliminate the need for spider ducting to deliver air to the perimeter and replace perimeter fan-powered boxes under the raised floor, allowing furniture and partitions to be placed freely in the building without concern for maintenance access to equipment.

Aesthetically, In-floor Active Chilled Beams reduce the quantity of visible diffusers within the perimeter zone and create a cleaner appearance. By using segmented or continuous linear grilles along the building perimeter, in-floor chilled beams seamlessly integrate into the design of the space, while ensuring expanded daylight and access to views typically associated with under-floor air distribution.

Tate offers three product options for customers seeking the advantages of In-floor Active Chilled Beams:

• The 2-Pipe model includes supply-and-return water connections located on opposite ends of the chilled beam, allowing hot and chilled water to alternately pass through, depending on building demands and operator controls.
• The 4-Pipe model features two supply and two return water connections, simultaneously passing hot and chilled water through separate coils to meet diverse building demands at any time.
• The 2-Pipe with electric heat model uses electric heat at the perimeter, when hot water is unavailable or too expensive. Chilled water can pass through the coils to meet any cooling demand, while the electric heating coil can be activated to meet any heating demand.

Tate also offers a line of grille accessories that complement In-floor Active Chilled Beams, including continuous blanking grilles, continuous corner grille kits and continuous end cap kits.

For more information about Tate's new In-floor Active Chilled Beams, please visit the website.