How to choose between warm air and radiant heating for your site

Choosing the right commercial heating system is about comfort, efficiency, safety, and long-term operational performance. Warm air and radiant heating are two of the most common options for large sites. Both deliver excellent results when designed correctly, but perform differently depending on your environment and usage.

Here’s how to decide which one best suits your building and operation.

How do warm air and radiant heating systems work?

Warm air heating draws in air, warms it, and distributes it evenly throughout the space. It’s ideal for open areas that need consistent temperatures, like warehouses, manufacturing sites, and sports facilities.

Radiant heating uses infrared energy to heat people and objects directly rather than the air. It’s perfect for large, draughty spaces with more efficient targeted heating, such as workshops, loading bays, or high-ceilinged buildings.

Which system is more energy efficient?

If your site needs constant, even temperatures across large areas, warm air systems are more economical in continuous operation.

However, if you only need to heat specific work zones or experience frequent door openings, radiant systems waste less energy by delivering heat where it’s needed most.

UES tip: Hybrid designs can combine both technologies, radiant for targeted zones and warm air for background temperature control, delivering the best of both worlds.

What should you consider during installation and maintenance?

With simpler ducting and distribution, warm air units are generally faster to install. Radiant systems can require more tailored placement but have fewer moving parts, which means lower maintenance over time.

UES engineers assess building layout, ceiling height, and air movement before recommending a system to ensure maximum efficiency and compliance.

How do the systems compare for comfort and air quality?

Warm air systems improve air circulation and can work with filtration and destratification fans to maintain comfort across large volumes.

Radiant systems, meanwhile, create instant warmth without air movement, a strong advantage for dusty or sensitive production environments.

Which option is better for sustainability?

Modern warm air systems can run on gas, oil, or increasingly on electric alternatives, such as the 40kW Spaceray heater recently installed by UES for Wiper and True Brewery in Bristol.

Radiant systems can also be designed to operate with renewable inputs, such as electricity powered by solar PV. Both support long-term decarbonisation goals when paired with smart controls and efficient insulation.

How do you decide what’s right for your site?

Every building performs differently, so the right system depends on space volume, usage, ceiling height, and energy priorities.

UES has installed warm air and radiant systems across logistics hubs, leisure centres, and commercial facilities throughout the South West and South Wales. Our team designs each system around real-world performance, not assumptions, ensuring your building stays efficient, compliant, and comfortable year-round.

Explore our Warm Air & Radiant Heating services or contact our team to discuss the best solution for your site.