Fabric Ducting at Decathlon Glasgow

Projects

The Company

Decathlon is the largest sports goods retailer in the world, with a presence in almost 60 countries. From its establishment in France in 1976, it rapidly became a force to be reckoned with in sport. Decathlon offers products for a wide range of sports, from archery to yoga, fulfilling their mission to make sport accessible to as many people as possible. It also develops its own specialist products, with which it has built a reputation for quality.

Located in Braehead Shopping Centre in Renfrew near Glasgow, Decathlon Braehead is one of Scotland’s premier sports equipment retailers, catering for consumers from casual hobbyists to professional athletes.

The Challenge

When Prihoda was asked to design a fabric duct system for Decathlon in Glasgow, we knew it would be an exciting project. Having designed systems for several other Decathlon locations, we were aware that, despite the unified shopping experience offered by Decathlon, each location is unique and has its own HVAC requirements.

Due to the high ceilings of the retail area, the design would need to direct the supply air into the occupied zone. This requirement presented a challenge. Long-throw applications run the risk of causing draughts or hot spots, and the many overhead signs and notices typically present in a retail space like this one are sensitive to draughts. More importantly, customers are more comfortable with gentle airflow and even temperatures. A bespoke design would be required to ensure that no uncomfortable draughts, areas of stagnant air or unpleasant hot spots would be created.

Our Approach

We designed a system with a long, wide, circular non-permeable duct to transport the incoming air into the retail area. Ten smaller fabric ducts with nozzles branch out from this header duct, with five on each side. We used 20mm premium nozzles on these ducts, arranged into eight rows to ensure even air distribution throughout the space. As is always the case with Prihoda systems, the nozzles are made of the same material as the ducts themselves. Because of this, the nozzles are just as lightfast and fire-retardant. And unlike plastic nozzles, our fabric nozzles don’t abrade the ducts during laundering, and never fall off. The branches were also fitted with removable equalisers, which reduce air turbulence and ensure minimal duct movement.

 

The Outcome

The result is pleasant, reliable ventilation which keeps customers comfortable and relaxed in the retail area. The lack of draughts means there is no flapping about of overhead signs. The system can be used to heat the store evenly in winter or to provide isothermal make-up air throughout the year, with occasional summer cooling – perfect for the Scottish climate.

Despite the long length of the textile ducts, there is no duct vibration thanks to the careful bespoke design and the addition of internal equalisers. The low maintenance requirements of the fabric system make it a very economical option. It can quickly be taken down for easy laundering and reinstalled with minimum downtime. And it comes with a 10-year warranty for peace of mind.