REHAU underpitch heating systems for Euro 2012 Football
REHAUcontact supplier
Underpitch heating systems
REHAU pipework installed beneath the playing surfaceof stadiums in Warsaw, Poznan, Wroclaw, Gdansk, Kiev, Lviv and Kharkiv ensure year-round playable football pitches.
REHAU products used in more than 180 stadiums and training grounds worldwide.
REHAU systems guarantee a constantly playable football pitch throughout the year:
- keeping the ground from freezing during the winter
- providing the drainage routes which maintain the permeability of the surface so that the pitch does not become waterlogged during periods of heavy rain
The technology behind underpitch heating is very similar to that for underfloor heating and cooling and REHAU’s expertise in the sector has enabled it to become a world player in the sports market.
REHAU underpitch heating systems, exclusively uses PE-Xa pipes made from the same polyethylene used in its underfloor heating systems because they offer the durability which is required.
- typically installed at a depth of 25 cm below the grass root level and is clamped to REHAU fixing rails at precisely pre-defined intervals.
- ensures, for example, that the turf in the penalty area will remain free from ice, while the grass roots on the penalty spot do not suffer from excessive heat
Systems controlled by a weather dependent regulating facility which maintains the turf surface temperature at a maximum of 2ºC, with the temperature limited at root level to prevent damage to the grass itself:
- mixture of glycol and water circulates through the pipes in a closed loop, with the glycol acting as an antifreeze agent allowing the heating to be completely turned off, for example, during the Christmas playing break
Ground staff can maintain the turf using standard machinery with virtually no risk of damaging the heating pipework but, if an accident should occur, then the Everloc compression sleeve jointing system which is used on all REHAU’s pipework enables rapid access for repairs without the need to remove large quantities of earth.
REHAU’s design team works throughout the world, adapting the structure and operation of each system to provide the optimum playing conditions whatever the outside temperature and also taking account whether the surface is natural or artificial turf.
TABS (Thermally Activated Building Structures) and the new national stadium in Warsaw
- turf is heated by a concrete slab beneath the playing surface
- TABS (Thermally Activated Building Structures) uses the mass of solid building components to create a giant thermal energy store with pipework embedded within the concrete and the temperature regulated by the flow of cold or hot water
- stadium is a multi-functional arena which will not only be used for matches but is also intended as a venue for concerts so the concrete slab allows the turf to be laid or removed as needed
There is growing international acceptance of the concept of underpitch heating to avoid the costs and disruption associated with the postponement of matches.
- German Football Association (DFB) has already made it a standard requirement that stadiums in the first and second German Bundesliga install turf heating
- In Ukraine, turf heating is mandatory for all stadiums that hold Champions League and Europa League matches
REHAU sports sector showcase at www.rehau.com/sports includes case studies on the underpitch heating at many of the stadiums at the European Championships, interviews with the design teams, videos showing how the system works and even links to more unusual sports applications from ski jumps to American football pitches.
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