COMPARATIVE STUDY 2026 — HEATING ELEMENTS

Active BuildingFilm®

GRAPHENATON TECHNOLOGIES SA

Graphene heating film — Positioning of the ABF® heating core vs. market solutions

8 PRODUCTS TESTED
4 TECHNOLOGIES
230V AC — 400–500W
INTERNAL TESTS + LAB
12/1
BACKGROUND
Dec. 2

WHY
THIS COMPARATIVE STUDY
?

Compare the GRAPHENATON ABF® heating element with other heating elements on the market. The comparative study focuses on products with relatively equivalent power ratings (~400–500 W) under real-world conditions.

DATE OF REPORT
March 5, 2026
01
Compare heating core architectures and understand the links between construction and performance
02
Evaluate the integration of the ABF® core into a Heater (safety, thermal performance, costs)
03
Identify our competitive advantages compared to solutions on the market (thermal, electrical, security)
Dec. 3

4 TECHNOLOGIES, 4 WAYS TO HEAT

/ Understand the principles before comparing performance
HOT AIR CIRCULATION
CONVECTOR
An electrical resistance that heats the air around it.
Hot air rises, cold air descends: circular circulation.
Heats the air, not objects or people.
IR WAVES IN FRONT
RADIANT PANEL
Emits infrared rays only from the front.
Heats objects and people in its direct line of sight.
Areas off-axis are less heated.
STORED HEAT
DRY INERTIA
Resistance embedded in a solid ceramic block.
Stores heat and releases it slowly and evenly.
Slow build-up, but long-lasting comfort.
RAY. + OPTIMAL CONV.
★ ABF® GRAPHENE
Graphene film: optimal mix of radiation and convection.
Uniform IR across 100% of the surface, complemented by gentle natural convection.
The best of both heat transfer modes.
TECHNOLOGY
✓ ADVANTAGES
✗ DISADVANTAGES
CONVECTOR Cast iron/aluminum armored heating element
+Affordable price
+Heatsup quickly
+Lightweightand easy to install
+Idealfor spot heating
−Uneven heatdistribution
−Feels likedry air
−Cools downvery quickly when turned off
−Highenergy consumptionduring prolonged use
RADIANT PANEL Heating cables
+More comfortable heatthan a convector heater
+Pleasant direct radiation
+Rapid temperature rise
+Goodcompromise between price and comfort
−Heatsmainly in the center of the panel
−Maycreate cold spots
−Lesseffective in large spaces
DRY INERTIA Resistance + ceramic block
+Gentle, even heat
+Long-term energy savings
−High purchase price
−Slower temperaturerise
−Heavierdevice
−More demandinginstallation
★ ABF® GRAPHENE Graphene film — fits anywhere
+Optimal combination ofradiant and natural convection heating
+100% uniform surface
+Floors, walls, ceilings, radiators
+Ultra-low energy consumption
+Instant temperature rise
+Optimal comfort
MARKET POSITIONING
4 / 12

MARKET POSITIONING

/ X-axis = Heating speed — Y-axis = Energy savings
SLOW + ECONOMICAL FAST + ECONOMICAL ▶ IDEAL SLOW + EXPENSIVE FAST + EXPENSIVE SPEED USAGE ECONOMY CONVEC- TEUR PANEL RADIANT Fast ● good value INERTIA DRY Slow ● long comfort ★ ABF GRAPHENE FAST + ECONOMICAL
MARKET POSITIONING
★ ABF® Graphene
Very fast + ultra-economical
Ideal quadrant leader
Radiant panel
Fast · good value for money
Heats only in the center
Convector heater
Fast but very expensive
Dry heat, not very consistent
Dry inertia
Long-lasting comfort but slow
High purchase cost
HEATING ELEMENTS TESTED — 8 PRODUCTS
12/5

HEATING ELEMENTS TESTED

/ 4 technology families — Dominant heat transfer mechanism
CONVECTORS — 3 PRODUCTS
CONVECTOR 1
500W CAST IRON HEATING ELEMENT
Cast iron resistance — 500W / 230V AC
Predominantly natural convection
CONVECTOR 2
ALUMINUM 500W
Extruded aluminum — 500W / 230V AC
Convection + partial radiation
CONVECTOR 3
ALUMINUM 500W
Aluminum — 500W / 230V AC
Predominantly natural convection
RADIANT PANELS — 3 PRODUCTS
RADIANT 1
370W RADIANT FILM
Laminated film — on metal plate
-Radiation
RADIANT 2
500W ALU CABLES
Aluminum cables — 500W / 230V AC
Radiation + convection
RADIANT 3
350W WOVEN CABLES

conductive fabric cables Radiation distributed in bands
DRY INERTIA — 1 PRODUCT
INERTIA 1
500W CERAMIC

ceramic resistor 500W / 230V AC
Thermal mass stores and slowly releases heat
★ ABF GRAPHENE — 1 PRODUCT
★ GRAPHENATON
ABF FILM — METAL FRONT PANEL
Film graphène encapsulé polymère
400 / 230V AC — technologie Graphenaton
ΔT bord–centre < 10°C — surface entièrement active
OPTIMAL MIX — RADIATION + CONVECTION
IR RADIATION
IR emitted across 100% of the surface — Wide coverage
NATURAL CONVECTION
Even heat distribution
No cold spots, no dry air, and a small temperature gradient.
DOMINANT MODE:
CONVECTION
RADIATION
THERMAL INERTIA
★ ABF FILM — OPTIMAL MIX
CONSUMPTION TEST — 18°C → 23°C, 10M² ROOM
12/6

ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION

/ kWh consumed to heat an object located 1 meter away from 18°C to 23°C — same room, same initial conditions
TESTED SYSTEM
ENERGY CONSUMED (KWH)
DURATION
COST
Convection heater 1 — 500W
1.00 kWh
1 hour 40 minutes
20.0 cents
Radiant 1 — 520W
0.57 kWh
1 hour
11.4 cents
Convection Heater 2 — 500W
0.47 kWh
1 hour
9.4 cents
Convection Heater 3 — 500W
0.47 kWh
1 hour 13 minutes
9.4 cents
Inertia 1 — 500W
0.47 kWh
2 hours and 20 minutes
> 9.4 cents
Radiant 2 — 350W
0.27 kWh
12:45 a.m.
5.4 cents
Radiant 3 — 400W
0.26 kWh
12:38 a.m.
5.2 cents
ABF®-400 Film (single sheet)
0.17 kWh
12:25 a.m.
3.4 cents
★ ABF®-400 Film @ Metal Front Panel
0.12 kWh
−88% vs. Convection Heater 1 ▲
12:24 a.m.
2.4 cents
Electricity consumption based on a price of €0.20 per kWh
12/7

WHY ABF® WINS

Three simple reasons—backed by statistics—that anyone can verify
1
💰

'S LOWEST CONSUMPTION
To heat the same room to the same temperature, the ABF-380® uses 0.12 kWh, whereas the best competitor uses 0.26 kWh and the worst uses 1.00 kWh. Less energy for the same result.
÷ 8×
LESS THAN A TRADITIONAL CONVECTOR
2
⏱
FASTER HEATING IN THE
ABF® reaches the target temperature in 24 minutes, compared to 1 hour and 40 minutes for the Carrera—and shuts off automatically. No overheating, no waste.
24 MIN
TO REACH 23°C —
3
🌞
HEAT UNIFORMITY
The entire surface heats up to the same temperature. No hot spots, no cold spots. A convector heater has a temperature difference (ΔT) of 30°C between the hottest point and the edges. ABF®: ΔT is only 10°C.
ΔT = 10°C
HOMOGENEOUS SURFACE — NO HOT SPOTS
→
What this means in practice: you pay 8 times less for electricity, you reach the desired temperature 4 times faster, and you enjoy gentle, even warmth without dry air. It is simply the most efficient technology tested in this comparative study.
Savings Achieved — GRAPHENATON
12/8

SAVINGS ACHIEVED

/ Scaled to annual test conditions, excluding the purchase price of Heater 1,500 hours/year at €0.20/kWh
CAST IRON CONVECTOR — WORST CASE SCENARIO
300 €
Annual energy cost — 1,500 hours × $0.20/kWh
AVERAGE MARKET CONVECTORS
213 €
Atlantic / Welltherm / Carrera — mid-range market
★ ABF-380® — GRAPHENATON
36 €
Estimated annual energy cost
SAVINGS OF UP TO
€264/year
CLICK ON A Heater COMPARE
SYSTEM
KWH/H
PURCHASE
/AN
Atlantic Res. Fonte
1.00 kWh
93€
300€
Atlantic Aluminum
0.80 kWh
247€
240€
Carrera Aluminum
0.90 kWh
50€
270€
Noirot Film 370W
0.65 kWh
830€
195€
Bestherm ARIA 500W
0.70 kWh
60€
210€
Welltherm Aluminum Cables
0.60 kWh
730€
180€
Heat4All 350W
0.54 kWh
699€
162€
★ ABF-380® Graphene
0.12 kWh
140€
36€
* Radiator prices — manufacturer catalogs, February 2026
TOTAL CUMULATIVE COST — PURCHASE + ENERGY OVER 6 YEARS
★ ABF-380® — €140 + €36/year
—
—
YOU SAVE / 6 YEARS
—
←
SELECT A
Heater
COMPARE
— — — — — 0€ purchase 1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years 5 years 6 years ⚡ ROI YOU SAVE / 6 YEARS — — —
HEATING ELEMENT
—
Consumption: —
—
PRICE & PERFORMANCE — HEATING ELEMENTS 12/9 HEART AWARD VS PERFORMANCE / Average price, but much better performance HEATING ELEMENT ONLY PRICE CONVECTORS rad. $50–247 / €15–80* DRY INERTIA €60 / €20–30* RADIANT rad. $121–$830 / €100–400* ★ ABF® GRAPHENE approx. €140 / €70–80* More expensive than a basic convector heater, One-third the price of a traditional radiant heater for superior performance. PERFORMANCE (kWh CONSUMED) VS CORE PRICE IDEAL AREA CHEAP + EFFECTIVE 0€ 100€ 200€ 300€ 400€ 480€ HEART PRICE (€) → 1.00 0.50 0.25 0.10 kWh CONSUMED ↑ = LESS GOOD ★ ABF® 0.12 kWh — best result −88% vs Carrera (€18) 3 times cheaper than the classic Rayonnant * Estimates 12/9
10 / 12
RADAR DIAGRAM
8 4 CONSUMER TEMPERATURE RISE HOMOGENEITY SUSTAINABILITY SAFETY THE COST OF LOVE HEATING
ABF-400 HEATING ELEMENT
RADIANT PANEL
CERAMIC HEART
CONVECTOR HEATER
PHOTOS HEARTS OF HEAT
ABF-400 Core
ABF-400® HEATING ELEMENT
Radiant panel
RADIANT PANEL
Ceramic core
CERAMIC HEATING ELEMENT
Convector heater
CONVECTOR HEATER
2 HOUSING OPTIONS 11 / 12 TWO POWERS, THE SAME TECHNOLOGICAL FOUNDATION / Encapsulated graphene film — zero inertia — uniform surface temperature ±10°C ABF® 380 OPTIMAL FORMAT CONSUMER TEST LONELY HEART Heater 12–15 sq ft 0.12 kWh 70 € 160 € ZERO INERTIA SURFACE ±10°C IR + CONVECTION USES Bedroom · Office · Entryway · Studio ABF 900 OPTIMAL FORMAT CONSUMER TEST LONELY HEART Heater 25–35 sq ft IN TEST 80 € 240 € ZERO INERTIA SURFACE ±10°C IR + CONVECTION USES Large living room · Open-concept layout · Loft ENERGY SAVINGS / Depending on the area to be covered ABF 380® −88% compared to standard convector heaters ABF 900® −Test in progress COMMON TECHNOLOGY GRAPHENE FILM Homogeneous IR emission Zero thermal inertia Instant reaction HOMOGENEOUS SURFACE ΔT bord–centre < 10°C Without localized hot spots Stable thermal comfort INSTALLATION Ultra-thin and discreet film Can be installed on floors, walls, and ceilings Quick and easy installation SUSTAINABILITY 10-year warranty Zero active chemical wear Sustainable performance // Même cœur graphène — deux formats pour couvrir toutes les pièces résidentielles
COMPARISON — SAME PRICE, DIFFERENT PERFORMANCE 12 / 12

THE MARKET LEADER,BEATEN AT ITS OWN PRICE.

/ ABF® 400W vs Atlantic Solius Digital 500W — nearly identical price for Heater — test heating an object in a room from 18°C to 23°C

ATLANTIC SOLIUS 500W DIGITAL RADIANT
Radiant panel — conventional wire resistance
Heater
247 €
HEATING ELEMENT
€75–85*
CONSUMPTION
0.47 kWh
TIME TO REACH 23°C
1 hour 19 minutes
COST PER HEATING CYCLE
0,094 €
TOTAL COST
S OVER 5 YEARS
952 €
€247 purchase price
+ €705 energy costs
1,500 hours/year · €0.20/kWh
VS
→
2.76×
MORE EFFECTIVE
ABF® 400 GRAPHENE 400W GRAPHENE FILM
Graphene film — metal frame — uniform IR emission
Heater
140 €
HEATING ELEMENT
€60–80*
CONSUMPTION
0.17 kWh
TIME TO REACH 23°C
0h 25min
COST PER HEATING CYCLE
0,034 €
TOTAL COST
S OVER 5 YEARS
395€
€140 purchase
+ €255 electricity
1,500 hours/year · €0.20/kWh
* Estimates