Shadow Industrial Heating - Infrared Heating Solutions For Commercial Premises
Heating a large industrial space, such as a manufacturing hub or a commercial warehouse, involves a lot of factors. In recent years, many specifiers have been encouraged and incentivised to work towards Net Zero. Heating large spaces is a big part of that challenge, and the Shadow Industrial range from Heat Outdoors offers a quality solution. Adopting new technology can feel daunting, even for experienced specifiers, so in this article we explore the core differences and benefits to help you move forward with confidence.
So What's The Difference?
Conventional convection heaters warm the air, and in a large building most of that air is never used by anyone, which wastes a great deal of electricity. Take a typical warehouse as an example:
The areas highlighted in red are the ones that actually need heat, such as picking aisles, packing stations, walkways and the loading bay, where staff spend their time. The racking and storage areas shown in grey do not need heating at all. A convection system would have to heat the entire volume of air in the building and keep it circulating, which takes time to warm up and wastes energy heating air that nobody benefits from. Infrared heating takes a simpler approach: it heats only the areas within its line of sight, exactly where warmth is needed. Because an efficient heater is used and only the occupied zones are heated, energy use and running costs can fall significantly. That matters to specifiers working towards green targets, and to any business keeping a close eye on its outgoings.
Okay, Great, But What Is Infrared Heating?
Infrared heating warms the people and objects within its line of sight rather than the air, much like the sun warms the side of the street in sunlight and not the side in shade. Heat Outdoors' Shadow Industrial heaters warm up almost instantly, with minimal wasted energy. The range suits spaces from small workshops to large-scale sites, and we can advise on individual control and heat output for your project. The heaters are low glare and simple to install. For a more detailed comparison, read our guide: Is Infrared Heating More Efficient?
How Big A Heater Do I Need?
As a starting point, Shadow Industrial's own guidance is that 1kW of infrared heat covers roughly 5m² of floor, so an area of 100m² needs around 20kW of heaters. Each heater also has a minimum mounting height: the more powerful the heater, the higher it needs to be fitted.
The table below shows the typical floor area each heater covers and its minimum height from the floor, taken from the Shadow Industrial 2025 brochure. Coverage is a guide only. Ceiling height, draughts from open doors and the quality of insulation all make a difference. Select any model to see its full specification.
| Output | Standard | Vertical | Infinity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3kW | 3kW Standard Covers approx. 13m² Fit at 2.5m or higher |
3kW Vertical Covers approx. 17m² Fit at 2.5m or higher |
- |
| 4kW | 4kW Standard Covers approx. 19m² Fit at 2.5m or higher |
4kW Vertical Covers approx. 14m² Fit at 2.5m or higher |
- |
| 4.5kW | 4.5kW Standard Covers approx. 22m² Fit at 3m or higher |
4.5kW Vertical Covers approx. 21m² Fit at 3m or higher |
4.5kW Infinity Covers approx. 27m² Fit at 2.5m or higher |
| 6kW | 6kW Standard Covers approx. 26m² Fit at 3m or higher |
6kW Vertical Covers approx. 27m² Fit at 3.5m or higher |
6kW Infinity Covers approx. 30m² Fit at 2.5m or higher |
| 9kW | 9kW Standard Covers approx. 44m² Fit at 4m or higher |
- | 9kW Infinity Covers approx. 49m² Fit at 3.5m or higher |
| 12kW | 12kW Standard Covers approx. 58m² Fit at 4.5m or higher |
- | 12kW Infinity Covers approx. 66m² Fit at 3.5m or higher |
| 13.5kW | 13.5kW Standard Covers approx. 66m² Fit at 5m or higher |
- | 13.5kW Infinity Covers approx. 78m² Fit at 5m or higher |
| 18kW | 18kW Standard Covers approx. 85m² Fit at 6m or higher |
- | 18kW Infinity Covers approx. 97m² Fit at 5m or higher |
The Infinity heaters use longer lamps, which is why they cover a larger area than a standard heater of the same output and can often be fitted lower.
Complete Systems And Controllers
For larger spaces, a zoned system lets you set each area to its own heat level, so you only use the energy each zone needs.
- 3 Zone 18kW Infrared Heater Solution: three 6kW heaters with a 3 zone controller
- Infinity 3 Zone 18kW Infrared Heater Solution
- 18kW Infrared Heater with Variable Control System
- 6kW Remote Controlled Heater Solution (903686): heater with a 3 zone RF controller and receiver
- 6kW Remote Controlled Heater Solution (903687): heater with an RF receiver
- 18kW 3 Zone Heater Controller (Standard)
- 18kW 3 Zone Heater Controller, Remote Controlled (Receiver)
- 18kW 3 Zone Heater Controller, Remote Controlled (Receiver and Transmitter)
- 6kW Remote Variable Heater Controller (Receiver)
Not sure which output or layout suits your building? Tell us the floor area, ceiling height and the zones you need to heat, and we will recommend the right combination.
Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you understand the benefits that moving to an infrared heating system can bring. If you have any questions, email us at [email protected] or call 01934 253600. Our team can help at every stage, from planning through to installation.
