Visitors to London's Royal Albert Hall are guaranteed a warm reception thanks to Solray Radiant Panels from Comyn Ching & Co, the market leader in radiant heating. The panels, installed as part of a £70 million restoration, offer a discreet, aesthetically superior heating solution, in keeping with the Hall's impressive interior. Currently undergoing the most comprehensive programme of building development since its opening in 1871, the Royal Albert Hall is one of the world's leading entertainment venues.

The project to restore this distinctive building to its former glory and to develop it to meet the needs of modern audiences includes increasing public access with the addition of a South Porch. The newly constructed porch provides a grand entrance for daytime tours of the Hall as well as housing the Box Office, shop and restaurant, whilst the existing East and West porches have been glazed in to create spaces for the audiences and a bar area.As part of the £14 million mechanical and electrical contract, building services contractor MJN Colston, working closely with architects BDP and project managers Taylor Woodrow, has specified the ceiling mounted panels from Solray for installation in each of the Hall's three main porch areas. "Solray Radiant Panels offered a cost effective, heat and space efficient solution to the Hall's heating requirements," explains Simon Stothard, Senior Projects Engineer, MJN Colston. "Installed in the ceiling they become an integral part of the building and have dramatically increased the usable space in the porches whilst creating an immediately warm and welcoming environment."

The Solray radiant panels run on a low temperature hot water heating circuit to provide optimum heat distribution. As well as remaining virtually invisible, they also deliver energy efficient performance when compared to other heating systems. Solray Radiant Panels are quick and easy to install, minimising the pipework runs, boxing, controls and other components that would normally be required. Their simple, wipe-clean surface ensures that they are also much easier to maintain than ordinary radiators. Solray is the market leading brand in Radiant Panels. Originally developed by Comyn Ching more than 70 years ago, Solray Radiant Panels have evolved through the generations into modern, highly efficient, state of the art designs. They can be tailor-made to the highest standards of quality and manufactured to suit specific project requirements at the company's London-based design and production facility