August 21, 2025
Why Komodo Dragons Prefer Radiant Heat (and You Might, Too)
By Brooke Roberts
At the Minnesota Zoo, a massive predator roamed in a custom-built habitat designed to mimic the tropical heat of its native islands in Indonesia. The Komodo dragon is the world’s largest living lizard, and as part of the reptile family relies on its environment to regulate its body temperature.
“One of the defining characteristics of reptiles is that they are Ectothermic, which means they are reliant on their environment to help them heat and cool themselves,” explains Nolan Schlichter, assistant curator for the Tropics and Minnesota Trails at the Minnesota Zoo.
This summer marks Schlichter’s eighth year working at the Minnesota Zoo, and he shares the deep passion for creating the best and most natural habitats for all the animals in their care. “One of our main goals in having animals on display is making sure we do it in a way that raises their level of wellness and welfare to the highest of standards,” he said. “That’s something we are held to by both USDA and AZA, but also by our own personal ethics. We don’t want to throw an animal into an environment where it won’t thrive and be healthy.”
Radiant Heating for Cold-Blooded Kings
Komodo dragons are tropical island dwellers, and their natural habitat is hot; it can reach 126°F during the day. But even when it’s that hot outside, Komodo dragons don’t live at a consistent temperature. “In their natural setting, if they’re cooler than they want to be, they’re going to seek out more sunlight. If they’re warmer than they want to be, they’re going to retreat into the shade, into the water, or into areas without harsh light,” Schlichter explains.
This adds an additional layer of complexity to keep them comfortable and provide a healthy and appropriate living environment at the zoo. The habitat designers and animal experts needed to figure out how to create a slice of Southeast Asia in Minnesota, even in the middle of winter.
As you walk through the Tropics Trail and feel the heat and humidity in the air, it’s easy to feel like you’re on holiday somewhere exotic. These are all detailed and intentional choices by the zoo staff to create a realistic environment for the animals and let visitors have a more immersive experience. This level of care also extends to each individual habitat within the trail.
More Than Three Decades of Reliability
Over 30 years ago, the Minnesota Zoo turned to Uponor for a solution within the Komodo dragon habitat. They decided to install a radiant heating system to meet the unique needs of the space and the animal. The installing company was Wenzel’s Heating and Plumbing, and Dean Wenzel was part of the team that worked on this project.
“In 1994, this was a big deal. This was a unique application for a radiant system. I was so proud to be a part of it,” recalls Wenzel. Wenzel now works as a Midwest Territory Sales Manager for Uponor products and has been with the company for 28 years. His expertise extends from his passion for his family’s business and has grown even stronger over the years.
Radiant heating provides an effective way to create different temperature zones throughout the habitat, giving the Komodo dragon the ability to move around like it would on the island of Komodo. The zoo maintenance staff works with Uponor and HVAC professionals to service the system and extend the system’s life, ensuring that the animal’s habitat remains comfortable.
“A zone is where we take the Uponor Wirsbo hePEX™ tubing and lay it out within the environment to create different loops of pipe. This gives us the opportunity to control the amount of heat being pushed into each section of the area,” explained Tim Botten, heating and cooling category manager at GF Building Flow Solutions Americas, the manufacturer of Uponor products. Botten has been with the company for more than 17 years and is passionate about improving comfort in all spaces.
Schlichter continued, “with radiant heating, I can turn a large rock or a section of the ground into a warmer area. By utilizing the different zones within the habitat, the dragon has pockets of different microclimates it can move around in. So, if it’s too cold in one section of the habitat it can move over to a different section of the habitat that’s going to be warmer. It’s a lot more effective and practical than setting up multiple layers of basking lights in order to create the same effect.”
Heating That Helps the Planet – and Its Wildest Residents
The zoo faces the unique challenge of not only creating the ideal climate for a single species but also thinking beyond each individual habitat and understanding how the different environments interact. Unlike traditional, forced-air HVAC systems, radiant climate control systems are easily designed and installed with different zones and can be hyper-localized and fine-tuned to provide the most comfort in specific areas while remaining conscious of energy consumption.
By delivering heat directly where and when it's needed, the system reduces energy waste and minimizes interference with other environments nearby. This is especially important in places like the Minnesota Zoo where there is a mix of animals all within close proximity to each other, but provides a unique lens to view the benefits of these systems to all.
In July 2025 the Minnesota Zoo announced the passing of their Komodo dragon, affectionately known as Bowser to staff, who was humanely euthanized due to chronic age-related issues. Though his loss leaves a big hole in the zoo’s heart, the habitat he thrived in is now offering a second chance to a very different kind of animal, two rescued male Bennett’s wallabies, named Cisco and Chubbs.
The wallabies arrived after the closure of a nearby aquarium and were in poor health, but thanks to the zoo’s expert Animal Health and Care teams, they have been on the road to recovery and now are able to call the Tropics Trail home. Unlike the cold-blooded Komodo, the wallabies are marsupials native to the temperate climates of Australia and Tasmania. So, their habitat needs are far different than the high temperature zones previously in place.
“What’s great about Uponor radiant technology is its flexibility. It can easily be turned off or adjusted to meet the needs of other animals without major renovation to the habitat,” said Sarah Lennander, Senior Marketing Communications Manager at the Minnesota Zoo Foundation. “We recently also became home to an adolescent Komodo dragon, who is weighing in at just over a pound. He has a lot of growing to do before he can move into the zoo’s public-facing habitat. Adult Komodo dragons weigh between 150-300 pounds and grow to be 6- to 10-feet long. So, while he grows behind the scenes, we are proud to welcome the wallabies into the space.”
This underscores the importance of thoughtful design and long-lasting infrastructure to meet the ever changing needs to make occupants of a space comfortable. While the zoo has a more drastic use case, the same principles can be applied to a home. Even in the winter, different rooms in the house are used at different times and do not require the same levels of heating. During the work week, a family might spend the evenings downstairs in the kitchen and living room, while during the day the work-from-home office is the area used most frequently. Being able to adjust the heat levels to the specific areas or zones of the house that are in-use at that time helps reduce energy consumption and create a more comfortable environment for occupants.
PEX-a Supports Apex Predators
Uponor has been used throughout the Minnesota Zoo for a variety of projects, including a snow-melt system in the sidewalks and other animal habitats. These systems not only enhance guest safety and accessibility for year-round enjoyment but also contribute to the comfort and health of the animals that call the zoo home.
Uponor has also been a long-time supporter and partner of the Minnesota Zoo. Both organizations share a commitment to sustainability, innovation, and education. These values drive continued collaboration in creating efficient and safe environments for both people and wildlife.
A Legacy of Comfort, Built to Last
The quiet Uponor radiant system is doing extraordinary work, designed to mirror nature while minimizing energy use and maximizing comfort. For more than three decades, this system has been beneath the Komodo dragon’s habitat delivering consistent warmth and helping the reptile thrive.
The success of this system is more than a technical achievement, it’s a testament to collaboration between animal experts, local trades, and manufacturers that all believe in building systems that last for the good of the inhabitants, zoo animals and humans alike, and for the planet we all share.
Whether it’s keeping an apex predator comfortable or heating your own home efficiently, the power of radiant heating proves that smart, sustainable design has a place in every environment, even the wild ones.
Brooke Roberts is the content marketing manager at GF Building Flow Solutions, manufacturer of Uponor brand products. She can be reached at brooke.roberts@georgfischer.com