Managing Large-Scale Retail Cooling for Multi-Floor Shopping Environments: New Saravana Stores
New Saravana Stores in Chennai is one of the largest family-owned retail destinations in India, known for its multi-level shopping experience and wide product range. Designed to handle large volumes of daily visitors, the store operates across several floors for different product categories.
In such an environment, having consistent indoor conditions is essential. This case study outlines how Voltas delivered a high-capacity centralised cooling solution for a large-format retail space with continuous footfall.
- Client: New Saravana Stores
- Location: Chennai
- Segment: Commercial Retail
- Solution Category: Centralised Cooling – Water-Cooled Screw Chillers
- Products Supplied: Voltas Energy Efficient Water-Cooled Screw Chillers
- Total Installed Capacity: 1800 TR
Cooling Needs in a High-Density Retail Environment
Retail spaces of this scale operate under conditions that differ from standard commercial buildings. With so many customers coming in and going throughout the day, it increases internal heat load. This is further influenced by lighting systems, display setups, and electronic equipment across multiple sections.
Unlike controlled office environments, footfall in retail stores fluctuates through the day, with peak hours placing additional demand on cooling systems. Hence, a comfortable indoor environment across all floors is essential for a great shopping experience.
The requirement was to establish a cooling system that could handle these variations without affecting performance.
Managing Cooling Across Multiple Floors
The vertical layout of the store was a challenge. Each floor had different occupancy levels and usage patterns, which needed balanced cooling distribution throughout the building.
Uniform temperature control across floors was necessary to avoid discomfort in high-density zones. Also, areas with higher footfall require a faster response.
At the same time, the system needed to perform efficiently during extended operating hours without any breakdowns.
Approach to Large Retail Cooling Systems
Voltas approached the project with a focus on building a centralised cooling system that could handle the scale and variability of a large retail space.
- Centralised system planning that can deliver uniform cooling across different floors.
- Selection of water-cooled screw chillers to handle high cooling loads with stable performance.
- Load-based system design to manage both peak footfall periods and lower occupancy phases efficiently.
- Focus on operational continuity for consistent cooling throughout long operating hours without fluctuation.
Solution Delivered: Water-Cooled Screw Chillers
The installed system consisted of high-capacity water-cooled screw chillers designed to meet the demands of a large retail facility.
- 450 TR × 4 units
- Total installed capacity: 1800 TR
This configuration allowed the system to handle both base load and peak demand effectively.
The selected equipment was built for large commercial ACs for stable performance across extended operating hours. The system also has energy-efficient operation, which is important for facilities with continuous usage.
The overall design made consistent cooling possible across multiple floors without performance variation.
Installation Within a Busy Commercial Space
The installation was carried out within an active retail environment, which needed careful coordination with ongoing operations.
Work schedules were aligned to minimise disruption to store activities. The integration of the cooling system with existing infrastructure was planned in stages to ensure smooth execution.
Close coordination with site teams helped streamline installation and commissioning, which allowed the system to be deployed without affecting daily retail operations.
Impact on In-Store Experience
The deployed cooling system contributed to creating a stable and comfortable shopping environment across the entire building.
- Improved shopper comfort for a better in-store experience during peak shopping hours.
- Stable performance during extended operations by providing reliable cooling throughout the day.
- Efficient load handling for high footfall without affecting system performance.
What Made the Project Work?
The success of the project was driven by a clear understanding of retail requirements and structured execution.
- Accurate capacity planning
- The system was designed to match the scale and usage patterns of the store.
- Technology suited for large commercial spaces
- Water-cooled screw chillers provided reliable and efficient performance.
- Balanced system design
- Ensured even cooling distribution across multiple floors.
- Execution within an operational environment
- Careful planning helped avoid disruption to store activities.
Summary
This project shows how large retail environments need cooling systems that can handle many customers and varying load conditions. With a high-capacity centralised setup, the store was able to maintain stable indoor conditions across all floors. The implementation reflects how the right system design and coordinated execution can deliver consistent performance in high-density commercial spaces.