As part of a £9 million development at St Philips Secure Unit in Plains, Airdrie, Solray Radiant Panels from Comyn Ching & Co have been specified to provide the energy efficient and space saving radiant heating solution.

The project at St Philips Secure Unit involved the construction of a new secure facility to accommodate 24 young people. Covering approximately 4200m2, the new development also features a variety of educational, administrative, staff and recreational facilities. Over 360 Solray in-ceiling and in-wall perimeter Radiant Panels have been installed throughout the building, ensuring a fuel efficient, effective and comfortable heating solution, with heat gently radiated downward into the space.

"Solray panels were chosen to be installed at St Philips Secure Unit, as we had experience with the panels on a previous project for the same client," explains Paul Tognarelli from the project's building services engineers Davie and McCulloch. "The client has had no problems to date with the security and robustness of the units".

The Solray in-ceiling panels specified for the project are surface fitted to the concrete ceilings, with security rods taken through the concrete slab and attached to back plates. Pipework connection are accessed through a cover plate which is fixed to the units using special security screws. Both horizontal and vertical panels feature on this project.

Solray Radiant Panels also maximise the amount of usable space in the new facility. Since the panels are fitted within the ceiling, they will not intrude, unlike ordinary radiators, into the working spaces at ground level. This out of reach location brings other important benefits. Firstly, the heating cannot be easily tampered with or inadvertently damaged, by staff or children and provides an ideal solution to the ligature free environment. In addition, Solray Radiant Panels are extremely hygienic, offering an easy to access, wipe clean surface without any corners, ledges or areas where bacteria, dirt or dust can accumulate.

Panels are modular in construction, making them easy to install, and versatile enough for completely unobtrusive wall, floor or ceiling installation. They can be used with low or medium temperature hot water systems, steam or electricity, and minimise the pipework runs, boxing, controls and other components that are normally required in other types of heating installation. Construction on the new Secure Unit began in June 2004 and was completed in March 2006.

Solray is the market-leading brand in Radiant Panels with its products featuring in a vast number of schools and other public sector projects currently taking place across the country. 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.