Underfloor Heating for Passivhaus Apartments, Oyster Reach

The Goal

Oyster Reach in Whitstable, Kent is a Passivhaus-standard apartment development built with a fabric-first approach. The buildings have very low heat loss and required an efficient electric heating system that could operate as the main heat source without compromising the energy performance.

Masonry Frame Systems, the main contractor, needed a flexible, low-energy underfloor heating solution that would integrate seamlessly with the building design and provide stable comfort for the residents.

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Our Solution

Through our subsidiary Heatmat, Heatcom Group supplied a complete in-screed underfloor heating system using Danish-manufactured cables.

The heating cables were installed using fixing band and covered with 70 mm of screed, allowing the dense screed layer to store heat and release it slowly as the room temperature drops. Output was set to approximately 130 W/m², suitable for the extremely well-insulated Passivhaus interior.

Each apartment uses NGT programmable thermostat timers, providing precise room-by-room control and energy-saving modes.
The homes also use electricity from solar PV panels, further reducing running costs by supplying renewable energy to the heating system.

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The Result

The underfloor heating now provides comfortable, steady warmth during the short periods when these highly insulated homes need heating.
Predicted running costs are as little as £175 per year.

Oyster Reach delivers modern, low-energy living, with Heatmat’s in-screed system contributing to the project’s excellent thermal performance and compliance with sustainable building standards.