In the health sector, many things are in motion, and new challenges are constantly arising. Therefore, improvements in this area are also investments in the future. With the new construction of the health centre in the market town of St. Stefan im Rosental, an important facility for the entire region has now been opened. Almost 1,000 square metres on the ground floor and the first floor are available for the health care of the population; on these two levels there are surgeries, an outpatient clinic, a medical training centre and a doctor's office. In addition, the new building houses the municipal library as well as office, archive and storage rooms of the market town office, so that the town office is also fit for the tasks of the 21st century. When it came to heating and cooling, the planners opted for products from Uponor - the company offers solutions for both areas from a single source: 500 square metres of Thermatop M heating and cooling ceilings for silent cooling, as well as 1,500 square metres of Classic underfloor heating for even heat distribution, ensure a pleasant room temperature at all times of the year.


Barrier-free 2,000 square metres of usable space

The entire project, with a total of 2,000 square metres of floor space, was built barrier-free, especially with regard to public use. The planners also paid attention to the greatest possible comfort when selecting the building services. "With our modern Uponor Thermatop M ceiling cooling and Uponor Classic underfloor heating, the new building offers optimal conditions for high thermal comfort and efficient room cooling," explains Herbert Renner, Uponor sales representative. The silent cooling via the ceiling is perceived as particularly pleasant because it does not cause any disturbing noise or draughts. Due to the flexibility of the system, an almost free design of the ceiling surface is possible through individual architecture.

Minimal hygienic air exchange saves energy

For specialist planner DI (FH) Josef Schweigler from TGA Projekt GmbH in Kirchbach, other factors also played an important role in the decision to use Thermatop M ceiling cooling. "A big advantage is that the surface cooling allowed us to design the ventilation system for minimum hygienic air exchange. This made it possible to install an energy- and space-saving ventilation system," says Schweigler. The concept aims to keep the air exchange as low as possible and still meet the air-hygienic requirements.

Simple installation through click assembly

From the point of view of the craftsmen commissioned, there is another important argument in favour of Thermatop M. "Installation is particularly easy and is extremely quick thanks to the click assembly system," says Michael Reiter from AMT Haustechnik GmbH in Kirchbach. In a joint venture with Leber Installationstechnik from St. Stefan, the company installed the heating and cooling technology in the health centre. Managing director Franz Leber: "This was the first time our company had worked with products from Uponor. But the simple installation of the ceiling cooling with standardised modules convinced us immediately." The prefabricated heating and cooling elements made of multi-layer composite pipe can be hung into the ceiling construction without any additional tools. The specialist tradesman also appreciates the complete separation of the building services and dry construction trades, so that responsibilities are always clearly demarcated in all matters. As a system provider, Uponor also supplied the components for the hydraulic connection of the heating and cooling systems through distribution and riser pipes made of multi-layer composite pipe in the building.

Supporting mat system for any insulation

In combination with the ceiling cooling, the underfloor heating provides comfort in all rooms of the health centre. The installation of underfloor heating means that lower flow temperatures are sufficient, which improves energy efficiency. The new building obtains heat via a connection to a district heating centre with an ecological woodchip boiler. For heat distribution, TGA Projekt GmbH opted for the Uponor Classic floor system. "This tried-and-tested support mat system is very well known among installation companies and is popular because the system is self-supporting, regardless of the insulation provided on site," Josef Schweigler emphasises. In this combination, any desired insulation can be realised.