Pride Park is home to 30,000 fans on match days and the importance of providing a warm and comfortable environment for spectators was paramount to Club Owner, Mel Morris, especially with more and more families attending games and the winter months being so cold.
Derby County Spokesman Paul Tyrrell said “We are continuously looking for ways to improve the level of service and quality of the match day experience for our supporters. Many enhancements have been made to Pride Park recently and our decision to introduce a new heating system in our concourses was a vital element of this upgrade programme.
“The heating system is one of the first to be introduced to stadia in the UK and are we delighted with it. Importantly, our supporters will feel the benefit of it for many seasons to come.”
Reznor worked alongside Pegasus to provide the best possible heating solution for Derby FC’s unique requirements.
The concourse is open to the pitch, therefore the outside air would constantly infiltrate into the area. The Reznor Nor-Ray-Vac radiant heating system was ideal in this instance, as the system transfers energy by means of electromagnetic waves which pass through the air without heating it, instead heating the surfaces beneath the heater. This method results in an increase in energy efficiency, as energy is not wasted heating the cooled air. Another major benefit to radiant heat is to be able to create an environment without stuffiness.
The Nor-Ray-Vac system was designed and implemented by local contractors Pegasus, and provides blanket heat coverage of the concourse, eliminating any cold spots and has an estimated potential fuel saving of 25% over an equivalent warm air system in this type of environment.
