Yet Another Heat / Cool Design Request - Lowest Cost, Most Effective

[fantasygoat]

I'm going to be building a garage from scratch so I have an opportunity to design everything, and I'm wondering about the heating and cooling.

I live in Toronto, ON and the garage will be in my backyard downtown. 32' x 25' x 14' total space. Zone 5A for those who know such things - it can get down to -30C for a few days a year. I will be parking three cars in it and have a year-round workshop as well, but I'm a weekend warrior so it can be 10-12C in the garage during the week.

I had radiant hydronic in-slab heating in my last garage and it was great, but it's very expensive to install and since I need to go to Committee of Adjustment to build and they frown on heated garages (ie. they don't want you making it living space) I'm wondering about the alternatives - is there a setup that's cheaper to install and relatively cheap to run that doesn't use forced air?

Suggestions welcome!

 

[cannuck]

I have nat gas radiant tube heating the 1000 sq.ft. shop in back yard, but it was designed around that (runs along peak of open rafters in the middle about 12 ft. above slab). Some setups run tubes along side walls and seem to work well, but i have been quite happy with my setup over last 40 years. Yes, much warmer down middle bay when it is on, and as I said needs to be designed to give max available height (if center mount) but works well for me. With 14' walls you might be able to get a pair of small tubes on opposing side walls, just can't leave car on hoist when heaters are running.

 

[fitter30]

Parking three cars in it has a lot of mass post 2 tube heaters are your best bet.