I saw this being installed while on a day trip to Turku this week. I can only deduct its piping for underfloor heating so you don’t get a build up of snow and ice in winter? Is this correct? If so, I think I’ve arrived in the future… most houses don’t have in-floor heating where I’m from.
by Efficient-Mud-6181
19 comments
Yes.
Yes.
That is true. Mostly done on busy streets and elevated streets so it wouldnt be dangerously slippery.
I don’t work in construction so I don’t know how those look undone, but yes we do have heated pavements. Not everywhere tho, just in some places
Finnish cities have district heating, so these systems are a part of it.
A single broken hip on an elderly person costs society tens of thousands, potentially hundreds in the long run, so using spare heat like this is considered prudent in certain locations.
That is correct. The market square is heated for instance.
Most houses don’t have heated floor here either. Often times district heating pipes go through downtown pavements. Sometimes uphill pavements are heated to minimise slippery risk.
Yes, some cities have those. For example in Oulu they have installed heating to a large portion of a walking street. I believe it’s partly heated with waste heat, but even if it wasn’t it’s cheaper to pay for the heating than pay for the maintenance and an occasional broken hip.
Most Finnish houses don’t have it either. And it’s not very common to do this
Most of the Turku Market Square and the nearby pedestrian areas have heating. This seems like expanding that existing area.
Thanks for your answers! I love that many answers default to “it seems extravagant but it’s better than the injuries/safety of elderly”. This is the kind of thinking we need more of everywhere!
We rarely have floor heating in our houses either. But we have something called insulated walls and windows to keep our houses warm and cozy even in the harshest winter.
this is so alien to me,heated pavements in the outdoors
is’nt this a waste of resources? would someone explain.
Yes it’s more safe to walk in winter. But Turku comes behind in that, similar system has been in Oulu and Jyväskylä for many years already.
That is correct. Especially if there is industry in the area, their condensation water is diverted for use in heating the streets. This way, the streets do not need to be sanded and the need for street cleaning in the spring is reduced. This also reduces dust during spring cleaning.
To me that tubing looks like the one they use for electric cords. For city lights as example.
No minced meat in the stores but at least the street is heated. Have to love Finland
Are these simply hot water tubes ? They don’t look like electric cables
Not extremely common but slippery graded spots might be heated to comply with accessibility code. There might be a care facility nearby.
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