Configuration and implementation guide for OEM Partners: EPS panels in dry underfloor heating technology

Modern construction trends - such as prefabrication, timber frame structures, and a growing number of building renovations - require the heating industry to provide systems that are lightweight, flexible, and fast to install.

Dry-installation underfloor heating meets these challenges directly. Systems based on EPS boards are now becoming a standard portfolio element for leading suppliers. Understanding the specific operation of these systems will allow OEM Partners to optimize component configuration, precisely select control automation, and provide effective technical and commercial consultancy.

PART 1: market and thermodynamic aspects of dry technology

The essence of screedless technology

Underfloor heating systems based on EPS boards with routed channels for heating pipes represent an advanced alternative to traditional screed-based systems. In conventional solutions, the screed layer is responsible for heat accumulation and transmission. In the screedless variant, these processes are taken over by a prefabricated board structure, which significantly alters the operational characteristics of the entire system.

Thermodynamic analysis: mass vs. system dynamics

From an engineering perspective, shifting from screed technology to a dry-installation system means changing the system behavior from one with high thermal inertia to one with low thermal capacity and low inertia.

• Screed systems: due to the high mass of the screed, thermal energy is accumulated within the floor layer, providing high temperature stability and the capacity for long-term heat release, with limited sensitivity to short-term changes in control parameters. At the same time, the large mass increases heating and cooling times, which limits the dynamics of control and makes it difficult to work effectively with systems that require rapid response.

• Dry installation systems: In solutions based on EPS boards, the system mass is significantly reduced, and the thermal storage capacity is limited. These structures are characterized by a short response time to temperature changes and high operational dynamics. This allows for precise temperature control, but it also means the zone cools down faster once the heat supply is turned off.

OEM Partners need to understand that dry-installation technology doesn’t change how underfloor heating works. it changes its dynamic response.

From the point of view of system configuration, this means the greater importance of properly selected control automation and proper balancing of plant operating parameters.

Selection criteria and structural constraints

In practice, selecting dry technology should not be viewed as a direct design alternative to traditional (screed) systems. Due to their stability and heat accumulation capability, screed systems remain the default and recommended solution wherever technical conditions allow.The application of dry-technology underfloor heating should be driven by specific project constraints. The decision to implement it typically results from three key factors:

• The inability to add weight to the ceiling structure (e.g., in wooden ceilings or building renovations).

• Limited installation height (when there is insufficient space for a standard screed).

• The necessity to completely eliminate wet trades and shorten construction timelines.

Consequently, the dry-installation system serves as a specialized solution to structural challenges, rather than just an alternative variant for managing heating dynamics.

PART 2: Product Configuration Guide in the OEM Model

System design can be organized into five stages:

Geometry (pipe spacing and routing)

The geometry of the system is a fundamental element affecting the way heat is transferred and the dynamics of the system’s operation. In spoutless systems, it is defined already at the stage of EPS panel production through the milling process, which determines the course of heating pipes and their spacing. The milling of EPS panels is carried out mechanically and automatically on the basis of design documentation, and consists in making channels with strictly defined geometry. The most important parameters of this process include:

• The dimensions of the pipe guiding channel – these parameters absolutely must be matched to the dimensions of the pipeline to ensure that it is completely hidden in the profile of the plate and optimal thermal contact conditions. Insufficient channel depth will prevent the pipe from being fully recessed within the panel profile and positioned flush with the panel surface. Conversely, channels that are too narrow or manufactured outside specified tolerances may induce excessive mechanical stresses in the pipe wall, hinder installation, and compromise long-term system reliability.

• Pipe Spacing – derived directly from project documentation or OEM system guidelines, this parameter determines the layout density of the heating coil and is crucial for meeting the heating requirements of the room.

• Precision manufacturing – crucial to maintaining repeatable spacing, eliminating mounting stresses and ensuring perfectly smooth curves that protect the pipe from damage. Consistent channel geometry throughout the EPS panel supports uniform hydraulic conditions and predictable thermal performance, ensuring even heat distribution and stable system operation across the entire heated floor area.

In advanced systems, custom layouts can be produced, tailored individually to a specific building. This optimizes temperature distribution in zones with varying heat demands (e.g., near windows, external walls, or perimeter zones).

Pipe Spacing Options

The routing channel density is adjusted directly to the building’s heat demand. In market practice, three primary spacing ranges are applied:

• Spacing 125-150 mm: The most widely used, treated as a base for most living spaces. It provides an optimal balance between heating performance, uniform floor surface temperature distribution, and overall system cost-effectiveness.

• Spacing 100-125 mm: Dedicated to zones with increased heat loss (e.g., edge zones with large glazing) and rooms with higher temperature requirements, such as bathrooms. Closer pipe spacing increases the available heat output per unit floor area, making it suitable for zones with higher heating demands.

• Spacing (200–250 mm): Used in buildings with minimal energy demand (passive houses) or in specific design systems for export markets, where high building insulation levels allow for a reduced total length of pipe.

Heat Transmission Layer

In floorless systems, the lack of a solid accumulation layer requires an element responsible for the efficient distribution of heat energy. This function is performed by an aluminum layer, which receives heat from the heating pipe and distributes it in the floor plane, increasing the heat transfer surface. Its presence ensures even temperature distribution and reduces local overheating. In the absence of an adequate conductive layer, the system would operate point-wise, leading to pronounced temperature differences on the floor surface, reduced comfort and a decrease in energy efficiency. Choosing the thickness of the aluminum layer is an important design parameter that affects both the thermal and mechanical properties of the system. Thinner layers (e.g., 100 μm) are sufficient for standard applications and allow for cost optimization, while greater thickness (e.g., 200 μm) improves the ability to distribute heat. From a technical perspective, the aluminium layer compensates for the absence of a screed as a heat-spreading medium, ensuring stable and uniform heat distribution while maintaining low supply water temperatures.

Load-Bearing Parameters – EPS Classes

In addition to thermal parameters, it is worth noting the mechanical properties of EPS panels, which determine the correct load-bearing capacity and safe transmission of imposed loads. In contrast to traditional technology, where the structural and distribution function is performed by a monolithic screed concrete slab, in screedless systems the imposed loads (floor finishes, furniture, fixtures) are taken up directly by the EPS board system and other floor layers. The decisive physical parameter here is the strength class of EPS. It is defined by the compressive stress at a certain strain, which directly translates into the material’s resistance to permanent deformation under pressure. The use of hard expanded polystyrene (EPS) with a higher density ensures full structural stability of the floor system. Such a material eliminates the risk of deflection at the joints of the boards and allows the system to be applied in highly loaded objects. The system is offered in two principal EPS grades, each designed to meet specific structural and installation requirements:

• EPS 400 (20 mm thick): High-density material with high mechanical compressive strength. Recommended for applications with restricted installation height requirements and complex renovation projects.

• EPS 300 (thickness 25-50 mm): Standard for residential and public buildings. It provides an optimal balance between high compressive strength and the thermal insulation performance required for the floor assembly.

OEM Configuration and Product Identification

An underfloor underfloor heating system in an OEM model is created as a result of a conscious configuration of technical parameters and a coherent product concept. The selection of components simultaneously affects the functionality, installation method and market positioning of the finished solution.

Depending on the project requirements, the OEM partner can configure key system parameters, such as pipe spacing, EPS board milling geometry, insulation material grade and thickness, as well as the parameters of the aluminum layer responsible for heat distribution. This allows the system to be tailored to both the specifics of the investment and the expected performance. System configuration in the OEM model also includes the aspect of product identification, which, although it does not directly affect technical parameters, is important from the point of view of commercializing the solution and building brand recognition.

The system can be marked through labels applied to the bottom of EPS boards or direct printing on the aluminum layer. Integration of labeling with system components allows for unambiguous product identification in the supply chain, streamlines logistics processes and strengthens the brand consistency of the OEM partner.

Summary

The design process in the OEM model should be viewed as a holistic engineering approach, based on three interrelated decisions: defining application requirements, configuring technical parameters and defining the product structure with its identification. Each of these stages influences the final properties of the solution, both in the application and market layers.

The result of this approach is that the configuration can be fine-tuned to meet the investment objectives, technical requirements and brand strategy of the OEM partner.

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