Frequently asked questions about our engineering services

UFH Design focuses specifically on engineering for underfloor heating. The engineering organisation behind it is Fabricon, where technical capacity, processes and digital collaboration are centrally managed.

We work with installers, underfloor heating companies, system suppliers and other construction professionals who require additional engineering capacity for their projects.

Yes. For a first project, we align our work with your methods, technical design criteria and required deliverables. This allows us to tailor the collaboration and engineering process to your organisation in practice.

No. We support both individual assignments and ongoing project collaborations. The scope of our services is tailored to the size and technical requirements of the project.

Only if the preliminary calculation needs to be matched to the actual heat demand per room. If no transmission or heat loss calculation is available yet, Fabricon can provide this as an additional service.

The lead time depends on the project size, the required level of detail and the completeness of the information provided. We agree the schedule with you in advance when the request is submitted.

Yes. System configuration, material choices, pipe spacing, maximum circuit lengths, manifolds and other design rules can be defined as a fixed customer standard.

Yes. Our capacity is scalable for individual projects, repetitive residential developments and larger projects with multiple floors, dwelling types and manifolds.

We agree the applicable standards, national requirements and design conditions for each project in advance. EN 12831-1 provides the framework for calculating the design heat load for space heating. For Dutch projects, the relevant guidance includes ISSO 51 for homes and residential buildings, ISSO 53 for non-residential rooms up to 4 metres high, and ISSO 57 for non-residential rooms higher than 4 metres. The selected method depends on the project location and building type.

You receive a technical report containing the applied design criteria and calculated results. For each room, the design capacity and relevant heat loss components are shown, making the information directly usable for further engineering.

We convert the supplied drawings into a technical 3D calculation model in Vabi or liNear. Construction data, U-values and design conditions are linked to this model. The required heating capacity per room is then calculated from the model.

No. The heat loss calculation determines the heating capacity a room requires. The heat output calculation then determines how much capacity the selected underfloor heating system can actually provide and how the system should be configured accordingly.

Yes. We can define and apply your fixed design rules as a customer standard. This may include pipe spacing, maximum circuit lengths, manifold positions, system choices, CAD conventions and other project-specific design criteria. The applicable national requirements and relevant parts of EN 1264 for water-based surface heating and cooling are agreed in advance. For Dutch projects, ISSO 49 provides additional guidance on floor and wall heating and cooling. Customer standards are applied within the applicable technical requirements.

We determine circuit layouts, pipe spacing and laying patterns based on the available floor areas, system configuration and technical design criteria. We also take into account pipe lengths, manifold positions and the required or available heat output.

Not for every level of detail. A basic UFH layout or maximum output calculation can be based on pre-agreed technical design criteria. When the UFH layout needs to be matched to the actual heat demand per room, a heat loss calculation is required.

You receive a technically developed UFH layout showing circuits, pipe routing, pipe spacing, circuit numbers and pipe lengths. Depending on the selected level of detail, additional calculation and design data are included.

Yes. The BIM engineering can be aligned with project-specific requirements for model structure, information content, naming, level of detail and exchange formats. These requirements are defined before modelling starts. ISSO 109 (Starten met BIM) can be used as supporting guidance for Dutch projects; the agreed BIM protocol and information delivery specification determine the required model information and deliverables.

Within a BIM coordination process, the building services model can be coordinated with models from other disciplines. Spatial clashes can be identified and handled as coordination points before the technical design progresses.

Yes. When included in the project requirements, the model can be exchanged via IFC. IFC enables geometry, location, relationships and relevant object information to be transferred between different software environments.

You receive the agreed BIM deliverable containing the relevant building services geometry and model information. Depending on the scope, this can be supplemented with IFC output and project-specific information for further coordination and engineering.

Recurring technical design criteria, drawing conventions and delivery requirements can be documented as a customer or project standard. This allows follow-up projects to be carried out from the same agreed basis.

Before the project starts, we agree who the contact persons are and how questions, revisions and deliverables will be coordinated. During execution, we keep communication lines short between your team and our engineering team.

Changes are managed within the same project and processed as a new version. We first assess which parts are affected so it is clear what needs to be re-engineered.

Before a project is delivered, the engineering goes through our technical quality control. You then receive the agreed project files, and any feedback can be incorporated into a subsequent revision.