DEVI Electric heating solution for an Ophthalmology clinic in Kyiv, Ukraine

Client: Ophthalmology Clinic
Design, installation: ARSAN, Kyiv
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
Application: Window condensation prevention
System type: Electric heating
Total installed power: 750 W

Facility configuration:
Total installed power: 750 W
DEVI solution:
DEVIflex™ 18T heating cable
DEVIreg™ 330 thermostat (−10 °C to
+10 °C / +5 to +45 °C)

Project significance: A specialist ophthalmology clinic in Kyiv required an engineering solution to address a specific challenge created by the combination of clinical requirements and architectural preservation. The operating theatre is located within a building where the external architectural appearance had to be retained.
A dedicated DEVI electric heating system was designed to maintain critical surfaces at a sufficient temperature to reduce the risk of condensation.

The project required two fundamentally different objectives to be reconciled. The first was to create an appropriate enclosed environment for the ophthalmology operating theatre. The second was to preserve the external appearance of the existing building, including its original window openings. The architectural solution introduced an insulated false wall between the clinical space and the original façade. However, separating the windows from the conditioned interior changed the thermal behaviour of the façade zone.

The condensation mechanism
Condensation occurs when the temperature of a surface falls below the dew-point temperature of the surrounding air. For glazing located adjacent to a cold external environment, the internal glass surface can cool substantially. If moisturecontaining air reaches this surface and its temperature is below the local dew point, water vapour can condense on the glazing.

Within a concealed or difficult-to-access façade cavity, persistent condensation can create several undesirable effects:

• Moisture accumulation on glazing and surrounding surfaces
• Deterioration of finishes and construction materials
• Increased maintenance requirements
• Potential moisture-related degradation within the enclosed façade zone

The engineering task was therefore not simply to 'heat the window', but to provide sufficient controlled thermal input to compensate for local heat losses and keep critical surface temperatures above the condensation threshold under the defined design conditions.

1. Condensation risk mitigation
   By adding controlled heat at the critical façade zone, the system helps maintain surface temperatures above the calculated dew-point threshold, thereby reducing the conditions under which condensation can form.
   
   
2. Preservation of the historic façade
   The solution enabled the project team to address the condensation issue without altering the external appearance of the building. The original façade and window configuration could therefore remain intact while the operating theatre was separated internally by the new insulated construction.
   
   
3. Targeted thermal management
   Instead of conditioning a larger volume solely to protect the windows, the 750 W electric heating system applies heat locally where it is technically required. This demonstrates one of the principal advantages of electric heating in specialized applications: thermal energy can be positioned precisely at the point of risk. 
   
   
4. Automated operation
   Thermostatic control minimizes the need for manual intervention and prevents unnecessary continuous operation. The heating system becomes an integrated building-protection function rather than an additional task for clinical personnel.
   
   
5. Low-complexity infrastructure
   The solution requires no hydronic distribution circuit, pumps or local pipework. For a relatively small and highly specific heating requirement, electric heating provides a compact engineering approach with limited additional mechanical infrastructure.