[GBlist] Radiant floor question

[Gavin Bowie <gbowie@GGA.com>]

Title: Radiant floor question

A perhaps naive question:

Can one (and more importantly, would it be possible, desirable, and prudent to)run chilled water through a radiant flooring system to provide cooling in the summertime in a northeastern US location? (Residential project ~2700 sf)

It seems a waste to install a radiant floor heating system and have to install A/C ducts as well. If good natural ventilation and appropriate shading is provided, why not use the thermal inertia of the ground-source heat pump directly rather than running a chiller to cool the air?

I realize that dehumidification is most of the cooling battle and that this would not provide any dehumidification.

Would there be problems with condensation? Any other reasons not to have a chilly floor besides having to wear slippers? I am quite sure I have not thought of all the ramifications.

Thanks for your always constructive advice...

Gavin W. Bowie