Improving Comfort and Air Distribution with Destratification Fans for Athletic Training Facilities
Indoor training facilities often combine massive open floor areas, high ceilings, intensive physical activity, and HVAC systems that must respond to changing occupancy throughout the day. In facilities built around full-size fields, courts, tracks, or specialized training equipment, simply supplying conditioned air is not enough. That air must reach the athletes and staff at floor level while maintaining consistent conditions throughout the entire space.
Airius destratification fans can help training facilities improve air distribution, reduce temperature stratification, and make more effective use of existing heating and cooling systems.
The Challenge
Large indoor training facilities can be particularly difficult to condition because of their height and volume. Conditioned air supplied from elevated ductwork or sidewall diffusers may not adequately mix with the air throughout the building. Warm air can accumulate near the ceiling during heating season, while athletes, coaches, and staff experience different temperatures at floor level.
High occupancy and intense physical activity can create additional cooling demand, while large training areas may need substantial airflow without introducing excessive noise or disruptive air movement. These issues were present at the University of Colorado Boulder’s 108,000-square-foot indoor practice facility. The building includes a full football field and six-lane track with a ceiling approximately 90 feet high. Because HVAC supply diffusers were positioned midway up the sidewalls, the facility needed a way to mix upper-level air with the occupied space below.
The Airius Solution
Airius fans can provide controlled vertical air circulation throughout large training environments, helping conditioned air reach the occupied zone while reducing temperature differences across the facility.
For training facilties, two Airius systems are particularly well suited.
Designer Series
The Designer Series is particularly well suited for large, high-ceiling training facilities where performance, quiet operation, and appearance are all important. Models are designed for spaces with ceilings up to 125 feet, making the series suitable for indoor fields, tracks, training centers, and other expansive athletic facilities. Its patented airflow technology provides long-distance circulation while the powder-coated housing can be customized to integrate with the building’s interior. The Designer Series was selected for the University of Colorado Boulder indoor practice facility, where fans were installed approximately 90 feet above the training floor.
Onyx EC Series
The Onyx EC Series is a strong option for lower-ceiling training areas, conditioning spaces, performance centers, and facilities where powerful air circulation and cooling are priorities. Designed specifically for athletic facilities and other large spaces, standard Onyx EC models can provide coverage up to approximately 2,000 square feet in spaces with ceilings up to 50 feet. Variable-speed EC motors and BACnet or 0–10V integration allow airflow to respond to occupancy, training schedules, and changing seasonal conditions.
Potential Benefits
A properly engineered Airius installation could help reduce floor-to-ceiling temperature differences, improve distribution of conditioned air, increase athlete and staff comfort, reduce stagnant areas, and help existing HVAC systems serve large training spaces more effectively. Variable-speed control can also allow facilities to adjust circulation as occupancy and activity levels change rather than operating the same airflow continuously throughout the day.
Proven Results
The University of Colorado Boulder installed 24 Airius Designer Model 125 fans in its 108,000-square-foot indoor practice facility.
The fans were positioned at the peak of the approximately 90-foot-tall building to mix ceiling-level air with the training space below. Quiet operation was important because the facility is used daily by football players, runners, sprinters, and athletes from multiple sports.
The system was integrated wirelessly with the building automation system. Following installation, temperature variation throughout the facility was maintained within approximately 3°F from ceiling to floor and wall to wall. The fan color and quiet operation also helped the system remain unobtrusive to athletes using the facility.
