A perfect indoor climate in a padel arena
An indoor padel arena in the south of Sweden
Gessie Padelcenter in Vellinge might be the most southern indoor padel arena in Sweden. It opened in april 2021, and offered 7 padel courts at that time. Padel is a growing sport in Sweden and within only a couple of years from the opening, the centre will extend its offer with another 2 indoor courts and 4 outdoors.
The entrepreneur behind Gessie Padelcenter, Mattias Nilsson, decided to turn, at first one but then later two, large storage facilities into modern padel arenas. The second building hosts additional business facilities for rent. A decision was made early in the project, Mattias wanted to provide the properties with the best indoor climate possible in order to differentiate the padel arena and to future proof the facilities for other purposes hereafter.
A large building with its own complexities
The Gessie padel arena has a moderate level of complexity as it offers padel courts only. An arena with many purposes alongside the padel game, e.g cafés, shops, offices and changing rooms has to be divided into different climate zones in order to design solutions for the varying needs of each zone. Necessary as there are a number of parameters that together affect the indoor climate – if a building is seen as one environment, significant discomfort can arise in parts of the premises.
However, a space used for padel, weather it is padel only or not, has some specific complexities, the large glass surfaces that define the playing area for instance. It is vital to ensure that air reaches all the way down from the typically high ceilings into the “glass box”, to the occupied zone of the court. It is also essential to make sure that the glass does not mist up, a particular challenge when the indoor temperature is adjusted through the fresh air.
More tips and details in our padel brochure
Air quality affects athletes’ performance
Physical exercise is a part of a healthy lifestyle, but the indoor environments hosting training and games are not always up to the task. There is a complexity in designing an energy efficient sports facility with a proper indoor climate. There is also a lack of awareness of the challenges posed by indoor pollutants in sports facilities, and most are unfamiliar with their impact on athletes and spectators. However, awareness about these issues is growing within the scientific research community and among the athletes themselves.
Even though research is in its early stages it states that poor air quality affects athletes’ performance. Sometimes to the extent that they refuse to compete in certain locations. With that in mind, it doesn’t come as a surprise that good ventilation is recommended for sports facilities.
Learn more in our sports facilities guide
One unit for heating, cooling and air quality
In the close cooperation between Mattias Nilsson, owner of Gessie Padelcenter, and the ventilation consultant, Gojitech, Swegon was recommended as a partner for providing the required "perfect indoor climate".
Swegon was proposed, and later chosen, for our knowledge and experience of heating and cooling large indoor facilities, as well as for ensuring good air quality in most kinds of premises. Mattias says that he personally didn’t have much contact with Swegon but understood from the smooth process that everything worked out well and according to plan.
There are a number of different indoor climate solutions suitable for padel arenas. In this specific project we provided a GOLD RX/HC air handling unit. It is an energy efficient unit thanks to its high-performance energy recovery and its built in reversible heat pump. The result is fresh air, heating and cooling provided in an energy efficient and space optimised way.
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More tips and details in our padel brochureCustomers express that they can sense a difference in the indoor climate and they seem a bit impressedMattias Nilsson, owner of Gessie Padelcenter in Vellinge, Sweden
Sorption treated rotor for cooling and humidity recovery
All our GOLD RX/HC air handling units are equipped with sorption treated rotary heat exchangers. The sorption coating improves energy recovery through its ability to absorb moisture from the air when the humidity is high and to release it when the humidity is low.
The sorption rotor can also recover both sensible and latent cooling, which has a positive impact on the cooling power demand as well as the cooling energy consumption. All in all, a sorption type rotor has a number of advantages in terms of energy savings, while enabling a higher level of comfort inside.
Learn more in our blog about sorption technology
Why the perfect indoor climate?
A little more than a year after the opening, the founder Mattias Nilsson, proudly describes how the padel centre holds a constant temperature of 19 degrees Celcius and how players are impressed with the dust free indoor environment. Mattias describes how customers express that they can sense a difference in the indoor climate compared to other sports facilities and that they seem a bit impressed with the air quality. Further, Mattias is confident that he has made the right decision when aiming for the perfect indoor climate.
Several studies show that poor air quality has a negative effect on both performance and strategic decision making among athletes. A surge in the concentration of particles in the air can increase the risk of making a false decision by more than 26%. It is perhaps not surprising that sports facilities prioritise a good indoor climate.
Further sports facilities among our references
