Underfloor heating and cooling is a form of central heating and cooling that achieves indoor climate control for thermal comfort using hydronic system embedded in a floor. Heating/cooling is achieved by conduction, radiation and convection.

Underfloor cooling / heating can have a positive effect on the quality of indoor air by facilitating the choice of flooring materials such as tile, slate, terrazzo, and concrete. These masonry surfaces typically have very low VOC emissions (volatile organic compounds) in comparison to other flooring options.

By removing the sensible cooling/heating load from the total HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) load, ventilation, filtration and dehumidification of incoming air can be accomplished with dedicated outdoor air systems having less volumetric turnover to mitigate distribution of airborne contaminates.

Under floor radiant systems are evaluated for sustainability through the principles of efficiency, entropy, energy and efficacy. When combined with high-performance buildings, underfloor systems operate with low temperatures in heating and high temperatures in cooling.