地暖 became standard in newly built northern Chinese apartments in the 2000s, replacing the old radiator-only system (
暖气片). Two flavors:
水地暖 (hydronic — hot water pipes, cheaper to run for big areas) and
电地暖 (electric heating cables — quicker install, expensive to run). Southern China traditionally has no central heating, so
地暖 is a major selling point.
