SAN RAFAEL, Calif. - Bay Area radiant heating company Reid Heating & Energy Inc. has completed an in-floor radiant heating and cooling system for Hall St. Helena Winery in Napa Valley. The energy efficient installation has allowed for Hall to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The theory behind Reid Heating & Energy’s installation was to provide consistent temperatures for heating and cooling of the state-of-the-art facility. The two production areas, the winery and the barrel cellar, require consistent temperatures as a crucial element for successful winemaking.

“Although we do hundreds of commercial in-floor radiant installations, very few involve cooling,” said Bob Reid, owner of Reid Heating & Energy. “Hall St. Helena was unique for its unconventional ‘cool’ temperature, thick foundation and sheer size of the warehouse buildings.”

According to the company, the Hall St. Helena Winery’s 20,000-square-foot facility offered a perfect application for radiant cooling as well as heating. The 83,000 feet of PEX tubing installed in a 20-inch concrete slab takes a long time to heat and cool, but the increased mass is ideal for maintaining the desired temperature.

The energy efficient design allows for the winery to maintain the ideal 55-degree temperature. In addition to energy efficient radiant heating and cooling, the winery incorporated a number of other green features into its design, contributing to its LEED Gold certification.

Solar provides more than 35 percent of the energy requirements for the facility and more than 10 percent of the materials used were recycled materials. Drought-tolerant landscaping and low-flow plumbing fixtures conserve water usage.

Reid Heating & Energy Inc. is a radiant and hydronic heating company serving the San Francisco Bay area. For more information, visit www.reidheatingandenergy.com.

Publication date:04/04/2011