As one of the UK’s largest homebuilders, with the infrastructure to deliver more than 20,000 homes annually, Vistry Group continues to explore technologies that can improve building performance while simplifying construction at scale.
Ultra-Fin® was selected for display within the Vistry Innovation Home as an alternative approach to radiant floor heating—one that delivers comfortable, even warmth without concrete or screed, added floor height or significant structural weight.
Conventional radiant floor heating can require a concrete or screed layer, increasing construction time, floor height and structural loading.
Ultra-Fin works differently.
The system is installed within the joist cavity, where tubing and aluminium Ultra-Fin heat emitters warm the cavity and transfer heat evenly through the floor structure. The entire floor becomes a gentle radiant surface.
Because the system remains within the existing floor structure, there is:
This makes Ultra-Fin particularly well suited to modern residential construction, where installation time, material efficiency and flexibility are increasingly important.
Ultra-Fin can be installed from above or below and adapted to solid joists, I-joists and open-web floor trusses. It is also compatible with virtually all common floor finishes, including hardwood, tile, stone, vinyl, laminate and carpet.
Ultra-Fin is designed to operate with both boilers and modern air-to-water heat pumps, giving builders flexibility when selecting the heat source.
Rather than concentrating heat in narrow strips, Ultra-Fin uses natural convection and radiant heat within the joist cavity to spread warmth across the floor. This creates a more consistent floor temperature and gentle, even comfort throughout the room.
Its low-temperature capability makes it particularly relevant as new homes move toward heat pumps and more energy-efficient heating strategies.
Efficient heat delivery is only one part of a modern heating system. Reliable zoning and straightforward control are equally important, particularly across multi-room residential developments.
The Cross™ Manifold provides a complete, pre-assembled zoning solution designed for fast installation and individual room control.
Unlike conventional manifolds that require a separate thermal actuator on every zone, Cross uses one compact actuator assembly to control the entire manifold. One motor positions the mechanism at the required zone, while a second operates the selected valve.
This approach provides:
For builders working at scale, reducing the number of components can make installation faster while simplifying future servicing and maintenance.
Ultra-Fin and Cross are designed to work together as a complete hydronic heating platform.
1. The heat source warms the water
A boiler or heat pump supplies warm water to the system.
2. Cross controls each heating zone
The manifold directs flow to individual rooms according to thermostat demand.
3. Ultra-Fin distributes the heat
Tubing and Ultra-Fin heat emitters transfer warmth throughout the joist cavity.
4. The floor becomes the radiant surface
Heat moves evenly through the floor, creating comfortable radiant warmth across the room.
The result is a complete system designed around simplicity—from heat distribution and zoning to the final delivery of comfort.
For a homebuilder operating at Vistry’s scale, meaningful innovation must do more than demonstrate new technology. It must integrate with real construction methods, support repeatable installation and contribute to better-performing homes.
Ultra-Fin follows a straightforward principle:
Make the heating system work with the building—not require the building to be redesigned around the heating system.
By using the existing joist cavity, Ultra-Fin eliminates unnecessary floor build-up and added structural weight. It can also use less tubing than many conventional radiant systems, reducing the volume of water that must be heated and potentially simplifying manifold and control requirements.
Combined with Cross zoning, the platform provides a practical, scalable approach to radiant heating for modern residential construction.
As residential construction continues to evolve, heating systems must balance comfort, installation speed, energy performance and compatibility with low-temperature heat sources.
Ultra-Fin provides a lightweight, low-profile alternative to conventional radiant floor construction. Cross adds simple and reliable room-by-room control without the number of actuators normally associated with multi-zone systems.
Showcased within the Vistry Innovation Home, the combined platform demonstrates how radiant heating can be integrated into modern construction without unnecessary complexity.
Comfortable radiant heat. Simple installation. Built around the way homes are constructed.
