Taronga Zoo is one of the world’s most famous zoo’s, showcasing a vast array of animals and world class views. However, with more than 1,000,000 visitors last year it was often a scramble to get everyone in and queues often stretch to the car park on weekends.
Taronga Zoo is investing in a new entrance to drastically reduce queue waiting times and give visitors a more interesting place to enter the zoo. The new entrance will feature a Hydronic floor heating system supplied and installed by ComfortHeat Floor Heating Systems. This system will keep the concrete floor slab at a constant temperature year round, minimising the need for alternative heating and cooling systems. It will also help to keep running costs at a minimum.
Hydronic floor heating systems provide an efficient way to heat large open spaces for extended periods of time, but heat from the system constantly leaks into the ground. This means that the heating system has to work harder to maintain the heat.
Foamular extruded polystyrene insulation from Austech External Building Products was placed below the heating system, minimising the heat transfer into the ground. Foamular extruded polystyrene insulation can also be placed on the side edge of the slab, effectively wrapping the entire slab in insulation and creating a continuous thermal barrier.
Underfloor heating also offers strong safety value in public places as any spills or wet floors dry much quicker.
Because the Foamular extruded polystyrene insulation is placed in the new entrance, all visitors to the zoo will now be walking on Foamular. Even though it can’t be seen, Foamular extruded polystyrene is assisting Taronga Zoo in reducing its running costs, and contributing to its ongoing push for increased sustainability.
