Roman hypocaust
Most apps say
A Roman heating system.
Quinn Labs says
Interested in how a floor stays warm?
Past
Hypocaust
Hot air from a furnace circulated under a raised floor.
Past
Wood and labour
Warmth cost a slave shovelling fuel all day. Heat was a staffing problem.
Present
Underfloor heating
Same physics. Water at 35°C instead of flue gas at 300°C.
Present
Heat pumps
Low-temperature emitters make a heat pump work well. Radiators fight it.
Present
District heating
One heat source, a street of buildings, pipes as infrastructure.
Future
Thermal batteries
Heat is far cheaper to store than electricity. Storage is the missing piece.
Future
Building materials that store heat
Mass, phase-change materials, and floors that hold a day of warmth.
Future question
Could buildings become giant thermal batteries — and could roads store heat too?
Where this went: Can roads become batteries? →