How Air Curtains Improved Comfort Across a Major UK Pet Retailer.

Thermoscreens supplied retail air curtains for one of the UK’s largest pet retailers, helping improve customer comfort, reduce cold draughts and maintain warmer store entrances across multiple locations.

The Challenge

The retailer’s large-format stores stocked thousands of product lines including pet food, toys, bedding, medication and accessories, alongside live animal areas and in-store veterinary facilities.

This created several climate control challenges across different parts of the stores.

The biggest issue was maintaining comfortable temperatures near entrances and high-traffic areas during colder months. Constant door usage allowed cold external air to enter the building, creating uncomfortable working conditions for staff and an unwelcoming experience for customers and their pets.

Areas of particular concern included:

• Front-of-store till areas exposed to cold draughts
• Main customer entrances with frequent footfall
• Veterinary reception and waiting areas
• Maintaining comfort without unnecessarily heating the entire store

The retailer needed an energy-efficient solution that could improve comfort while integrating with existing building controls.

The Solution

Thermoscreens carried out detailed site assessments across three trial locations to identify the most effective air curtain solution for each store environment.

Following the surveys, bespoke electrically heated air curtains from the Thermoscreens Compact C Series range were installed to provide effective climate separation at key entrances.

Designed for retail applications with limited space above doorways, the Compact C Series combines discreet installation with powerful performance. The systems help retain warm indoor air while preventing cold external air from entering — improving comfort without obstructing customer access.

The trial installations also integrated with the retailer’s Building Management System (BMS), allowing local store control alongside remote monitoring and management from Head Office.

The Results

Each store received a tailored retail air curtain solution based on its specific environment and operational requirements.

Blackpool Store

Due to its exposed coastal location, the Blackpool store experienced particularly harsh cold draughts near the entrance.

A Compact C Series electrically heated air curtain was installed above the entrance to improve customer and staff comfort without the need to heat the entire store unnecessarily.

The installation successfully reduced cold air ingress while allowing full local and remote BMS control.

Speke Store

The Speke store required improved climate separation at its main entrance to maintain a more stable indoor environment.

Following an initial trial configuration, an electrically heated Compact C Series air curtain was selected as the final solution, helping reduce cold draughts and improve overall comfort levels for customers and employees.

Lincoln Store

At the Lincoln site, two Compact C Series air curtains were installed across the entrance and exit doors to provide consistent climate separation throughout the customer journey.

The system helped maintain a more stable indoor temperature while remaining fully integrated with the store’s BMS controls.

The Outcome

The success of the initial trial programme led to the retailer beginning a wider rollout of Thermoscreens air curtain systems across an additional 20 stores.

By improving climate separation in key areas, the retailer was able to create a warmer and more comfortable environment for customers, staff and pets while reducing unnecessary heat loss through frequently used entrances.

Thermoscreens continues to support retailers across the UK with energy-efficient air curtain solutions designed to improve comfort, reduce energy waste and integrate seamlessly into modern retail environments.

Read the full case study here