Radiant Heat
. . . to complete Wall Membrane, Floor-Ceiling Vaults and Duct Space, use a biologically sensible heating system.
Problem:
This pattern is a biologically precise formulation of the intuition that sunlight and a hot blazing fire are the best kinds of heat.
Background & Research: Not Included on the site—Go read the book!
Solution:
Choose a way of heating your space—especially those rooms where people are going to gather when it is cold—that is essentially a radiative process, where the heat comes more from radiation than convection.
Usage:
If you have followed earlier patterns, you may have rooms which have a vaulted ceiling, with a steeply sloping surface close to the wall, and with the major ducts behind that surface—Floor-Ceiling Vaults, Duct Space. In this case, it is natural to put the radiant heating panels on that sloping surface.
But it is also very wonderful to make at least some part of the radiant surfaces low enough so that seats can be built round them and against them; on a cold day there is nothing better than a seat against a warm stove—Built-In Seats . . .
pg. 1078