Irish company Dryzone's Thermodul system is, in essence, a heating system in a skirting board. It is as simple as that. Instead of having a skirting board which does nothing, Thermodul's skirting board heats the room comfortably with dry heat and through radiation, minimising dust and bacteria in the air and using less energy.

"Since we brought the system into Ireland, we have seen huge interest in our product, " said Andrea Splendori, director of Dryzone. "Its simple design and the possibility of retrofitting have struck a chord with architects and interior designers."

The key to Thermodul's efficiency lies in the fact that its heating is based mainly on radiation (80% to 85%).

Heating by convection only makes up about 20% of the system.

Basically, in addition to the heat radiated by the skirting board system itself, it is also absorbed by the walls so thermal inertia radiates gradually and uniformly back into the atmosphere, thereby heating a room evenly and efficiently.

Because of this, a comfortable heat can be achieved at significantly lower temperatures. So your thermostat can be set that bit lower, saving on your heating bills (and because the Thermodul system uses significantly less water than a traditional heating system, it will require less energy to reach this lower heat).

In terms of installation, Dryzone's system is relatively quick and easy to put in place, and, unlike a radiator, it does not take up space in a room. Indeed, at 1.1 inches, it takes up no more space than a typical skirting board, and as the system can be recessed (usually with a new build), it can protrude as little as half an inch from the bottom of the wall. It can hook up to any type of boiler (oil, gas, biomass), but if people do not already have such a system in place, and are constrained by space, there is an electric version available which does not require an external boiler.

Although Dryzone has fitted a number of these systems, it can be installed by any plumber. Already a number of homes and businesses have benefited from its space and energy savings, but this only tells a part of the story - Thermodul is currently under consideration by Sustainable Energy Ireland to become a component in its "House of Tomorrow" scheme, and it was winner of the Best Interior Product award at Plan Expo 2006.

For further information, contact Dryzone on 01 6708922 or visit www. dryzone. ie