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HYDRONIC UNDERSOIL HEATING FOR PREMIUM TURF CONDITIONING

EXPLORE

ENJOY YEAR-ROUND SPORTS FIELD OCCUPANCY

Don’t let adverse weather conditions limit your pitch’s potential — harness hydronic undersoil heating to ensure your turf remains at the highest, playable quality no matter the season.

Compatible with both natural and artificial turf, our proven systems can be completely customized to the dimensions of your field and swiftly rolled out — either as a new construction or a retrofit. Our in-house experts will support you every step of the way, providing insight and guidance from design to installation.

Discover how this one-off investment can ensure your pitch remains in use, competitive and profitable for years to come — while also helping you to comply with FIFA’s latest technical requirements.

Pipelife hydronic undersoil heating stadium visual

Boy playing soccer outdside on football pitch

PIPES

Pipelife PERT II large-diameter heating pipes are flexible while maintaining excellent form stability. Designed to withstand the temperature, pressure and chemical requirements of an outdoor heating solution, they also include an integrated EVOH barrier to prevent oxygen diffusion and subsequent system corrosion. All pipes are produced to the highest quality standards in accordance with EN ISO 21003.

MANIFOLDS

Our long-lasting PPR plastic manifolds boast greater corrosion resistance and easier connections than their metal counterparts. They come pre-insulated to prevent heat loss around the manifold and maintain the solution’s overall energy efficiency.

ACCESSORIES

Our wide range of accessories includes versatile mounting rails, reliable pipe-manifold connections, and manifold bend supports that protect pipes between the manifold and the floor.

BENEFIT FROM EFFICIENT UNDERSOIL HEATING

Discover how our hydronic turf conditioning solution will ensure your pitch remains at peak quality all year round.

top view of empty green soccer field in winter time. drone photography

FIFA COMPLIANT

FIFA technical requirements highlight the need for undersoil heating in cold regions. Harness this hydronic solution and ensure your pitch competes with the best in the world.

ENSURE PREMIUM QUALITY TURF

Stimulate year-round growth and improve pitch recovery with an undersoil heating solution that prevents damage from snow, frost and stagnant water.

YEAR-ROUND USE

Enjoy maximum occupancy in all seasons, avoiding weather-induced travel or game cancellations.

ENERGY-EFFICIENT OPERATION

Compared to electronic alternatives, hydronic undersoil heating is significantly more energy efficient. Relatively low operating temperatures and pre-insulated manifolds ensure pitches can be thawed with minimal energy expenditure.

PLAYER SAFETY

Minimize injuries by avoiding frozen and inconsistent playing surfaces. With pristine and texturally correct turf, athletes can play harder for longer without risking their health.

GREEN ENERGY COMPATIBLE

Thanks to their low operating temperatures, hydronic undersoil heating solutions are ideally matched with renewable energy systems, such as heat pumps — further increasing the sustainability of an already energy-efficient heating solution.

DESIGN SERVICE

Our undersoil heating systems are easily adapted to sports fields of various dimensions and can be seamlessly integrated with existing infrastructure. Take advantage of our in-house design team for a completely bespoke, prefabricated setup to save time and money during installation.

NATURAL OR ARTIFICIAL TURF

Our undersoil heating solution works with both natural and artificial pitches of varying dimensions.

COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION

Embrace an all-encompassing water management solution from Pipelife with undersoil heating, meltwater drainage, underground storage and infiltration, and the potential to reuse collected runoff through efficient irrigation lines.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. WHAT ARE UNDERSOIL HEATING SYSTEMS?

Undersoil heating systems consist of a network of pipes laid beneath the surface of a sports field. Similar to snowmelt systems used on paths and driveways, undersoil heating setups circulate warm fluid to thaw frozen pitches and melt the surface layer of ice left behind after snow removal.

When applied to natural turf, these systems also create ideal grass-growing conditions. By maintaining optimal temperatures in the root zone, undersoil heating prevents roots from going dormant and promotes propagation for fast pitch recovery — whatever the season.

In artificial pitches, undersoil systems not only remove snow and ice during winter but also ensure the turf remains elastic and, therefore, easier and safer to play on.

However, it is also important that any meltwater is efficiently drained. Otherwise, you run the risk of saturating your pitch with stagnant water.

Our in-house designers can align this system with your existing drainage setup or create a comprehensive water management solution with other compatible Pipelife products. From drainage and underground storage to meltwater reuse and irrigation, we can provide everything you need to ensure a premium pitch throughout the year.

2. DO UNDERSOIL HEATING SYSTEMS HAVE A GOOD RETURN ON INVESTMENT?

Absolutely — one of the main advantages of an undersoil heating system is that it ensures your pitch can be used throughout the year. This could result in up to five months of additional revenue in conditions that would otherwise make your field unplayable.

Furthermore, hydronic systems have a particularly good ROI compared to their electronic counterparts. Our solutions are considerably more energy efficient, and therefore economical, to run. These savings will minimize the amount of time it takes for you to recoup your initial investment.

Beyond this, their comparably low operating temperatures make them particularly well-suited for pairing with renewable energy systems, such as heat pumps — further improving the sustainability and cost-effectiveness of your heating solution.

3. WHERE CAN UNDERSOIL HEATING SYSTEMS BE USED?

Undersoil heating systems can be installed beneath any outdoor sports fields as part of a new construction or retrofit. They are compatible with both natural and artificial turf.

4. HOW DOES UNDERSOIL HEATING ENHANCE SPORTS FIELD PERFORMANCE?

Cold weather conditions can have lasting adverse effects on sports fields. Freezing temperatures can weaken or kill grass, while snow and ice hinder its ability to grow. Beyond this, freezing temperatures can lead to soil compaction, which reduces water and nutrient absorption. This results in poor root growth and weaker turf overall.

Undersoil heating systems avoid this by ensuring your pitch is of premium, playable quality throughout the year by gently warming beneath the soil. Not only does this mean the pitch requires less maintenance, but it also improves the evenness and consistency of the playing surface. This facilitates easier and safer use for athletes with even, accurate and predictable ball movements.

5. CAN HYDRONIC UNDERSOIL HEATING SYSTEMS BE CUSTOMIZED TO ANY SPORTS FIELD?

Absolutely — we offer a comprehensive design service to make sure your hydronic setup is perfectly aligned with the dimensions of your field.

Based on the information you provide, we will develop a system layout proposal, detailed heating-capacity calculations, energy-saving estimates, complete product and accessory specifications, technical drawings and installation guidelines — demonstrating a complete picture of your undersoil heating solution.

We can also devise a flexible construction plan taking into account local stock availability, installer capabilities and other limiting factors to ensure you enjoy fast, error-free and unencumbered implementation.

6. ARE HYDRONIC UNDERSOIL HEATING SYSTEMS ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY?

Yes, hydronic systems are the environmentally friendly option for undersoil heating — especially when compared to the electric alternatives.

On average, electric systems operate at an extremely inefficient 1:1 input-to-heating-output ratio. Hydronic systems, on the other hand, can produce 4-5 times as much heating energy from the equivalent input.

Hydronic systems operate at relatively low temperatures and, therefore, have minimal energy requirements. Because of this, they are also well suited to renewable energy systems, such as heat pumps, which can further improve their overall sustainability.

7. HOW LONG DO UNDERSOIL HEATING SYSTEMS LAST?

Pipelife undersoil heating systems are manufactured from high-quality raw materials to last at least 50 years with minimal maintenance.

8. HOW MUCH DO UNDERSOIL HEATING SYSTEMS COST?

Pipelife undersoil heating systems are competitively priced. They are all-encompassing solutions fitted to the custom requirements of your sports field, and the price varies accordingly. Please get in touch with your local Pipelife partner for a detailed offer.

9. WHERE CAN I BUY AN UNDERSOIL HEATING SYSTEM?

Our undersoil heating systems can be bought directly from your local Pipelife partner. We are present in over 20 European countries, all of whom will be happy to field any of your purchasing inquiries. For more details, see the list of our operating countries at the bottom of the page.