Hydronic flow modulation

Control is at the system manifold, not at the beam — the beam itself is just a coil. A 2-port modulating valve at the manifold opens and closes the chilled-water (or warm-water) flow to a group of beams in response to room demand. No setpoints at the beam, no homeowner interface at the room level.

Zone thermostat

A wall-mounted thermostat per zone reads room temperature and sets the manifold valve to its target. One thermostat typically drives multiple beams serving the same open-plan zone. Discreet ambient sensor or feature-style architectural thermostat as preferred.

Heat / cool changeover

Reads the heat pump's heat-or-cool changeover signal automatically. The same manifold valves now control warm-water flow in winter and chilled-water flow in summer. One installer-set parameter, no per-season homeowner intervention.

Dew-point sensor (recommended)

A dew-point sensor in each zone — sometimes integrated into the wall thermostat — monitors room humidity. If conditions approach the beam's surface temperature (rare in a ventilated UK home, more likely in heavily occupied commercial spaces), the chilled-water flow temperature is raised automatically to maintain dry operation.

Schedule programming

Time-of-day temperature programmes per zone. Offices at 21°C from 8am to 6pm, setback to 18°C overnight. Galleries at 22°C and 50% RH 24/7. Holiday mode drops the lot to frost protection. All configured at the heat pump's control app or the building's central controller.

No proprietary interface

Because control is at the manifold rather than the beam, there's no proprietary control layer to integrate. Standard 2-port modulating valves from any plumbing supplier — driven by any building controller, any thermostat, any orchestrator. The beam is hydraulically transparent.

Multi-zone open plan

A 600 m² open-plan office typically uses 3–5 thermal zones. Each zone gets its own modulating valve set at the manifold and its own thermostat. Beams within a zone all see the same flow temperature and modulation — coordinated thermal comfort within each zone.

BMS integration

For commercial buildings with a central building-management system, the manifold valves and zone thermostats integrate via BACnet, KNX, or Modbus at the gateway level. The Astra Beam network reports state to the BMS like any other hydronic emitter circuit.

Integrated lighting (optional)

An optional lighting track integrated into the beam profile carries LED spots or linear LEDs at the same architectural plane as the beam. Lighting controls remain on the lighting circuit, electrically separate from the hydronic side. Useful in galleries and premium retail where the beam doubles as a lighting fixture.

1 · Astra Beam profile

Powder-coated aluminium extrusion housing the heat exchanger and providing the architectural face. Available in 1, 2, 3, and 4 m standard lengths, with custom lengths and bespoke profiles available on request. Finish palette includes RAL colours, brushed aluminium, anodised black, and architectural bronze. Lightweight enough to suspend from a standard ceiling soffit.

2 · Low-XC heat exchanger

Copper-aluminium core running the full length of the beam profile. Same low-water-content DNA as the Strada and Briza ranges. Water content typically 0.4 L per linear metre — heats up fast, cools down fast, modulates cleanly without overshoot. 50-year design life on the body.

3 · Suspension hardware

Adjustable rod hangers in stainless steel or matt-black powder-coat to suit the architectural finish. Suspended from any structural soffit — concrete slab, steel deck, timber-joist exposed ceiling. Drop length is project-specific, typically 200–800 mm below the structural soffit.

4 · Flow & return connections

Standard G½" BSP compression connections at each end of the beam. Flow and return brought across in flexible PEX or copper from the nearest manifold. Connections concealed in the suspension hardware where the architectural detail requires it.

5 · Modulating manifold valves

2-port modulating valves at the system manifold — one per thermal zone. Standard parts from Honeywell, Belimo, or equivalent, driven by 0–10 V or modulating thermostat input. The beam is dumb hydronics; the intelligence lives at the manifold.

6 · Optional lighting integration

An integrated lighting track within the beam profile — DALI or 0–10 V driver compatible. LED spots, linear LEDs, or pendant suspensions hung from the same beam axis. Coordinated with lighting designer at project stage. Adds nothing to the hydronic spec — separate electrical install at first or second fix.

10-year warranty

Jaga warrants the beam body and heat exchanger for ten years from commissioning. Covers the copper-aluminium core, the aluminium profile, and the powder-coat finish. Conditional on treated system water and a magnetic filter on the heating circuit. Both parts and labour covered.

50-year design life

Jaga publishes a 50-year design life on the Astra body. No moving parts means no fatigue failure points. Belgian-built to a long-life specification. The beam outlives the heat pump and the building services that surround it.

Annual visible-surface wipe

The only routine maintenance the building operator does. Wipe the visible aluminium surfaces with a soft cloth once a year to remove dust. No internal access required, no service panels to open. Five minutes per beam, typically combined with general ceiling cleaning.

No moving parts to service

No fans to replace, no condensate pumps to service, no condensate trays to flush. The beam is a static heat exchanger with a controlled flow rate of water in and out. The manifold valves at the plant area are standard parts with their own service schedules — not specific to the Astra Beam.

SYSTEM PROTECTOR

Magnetic filter on heating circuit
A magnetic filter on the heat-pump return catches iron-oxide sludge from the old pipework before it reaches the beam's narrow copper waterways. Mandatory for Jaga's 10-year warranty when retrofitting onto an existing wet system. Fitted in the plant area during the heat-pump install, serviced annually.

SYSTEM PROTECTOR

Corrosion inhibitor
Dosed into the system fill water at commissioning. Stops mixed-metal corrosion between the heat pump's stainless components, the beam's copper-aluminium core, and any remaining steel pipework. Re-dosed every 5 years as part of CleverBloom's commercial service plan.