An open and shut case
Published: 05 January, 2012
Entrances have a key role to play in security, design and performance, writes Gurbachan Gill
Recent initiatives such as the ‘Close the Door’ campaign (www.closethedoor.org.uk) aim to encourage retailers to curb some of the estimated £300m of energy wasted each year by retailers leaving their doors open. What started out as a local campaign in Cambridge has spread nationally with some of the nation’s largest chains, such as Tesco, Marks & Spencer, John Lewis, Boots and Travis Perkins, supporting the initiative.
Companies are also doing what they can to support this and provide retailers with solutions which enable them to save energy while making their buildings accessible and meeting the requirements of the new Equality Act (which incorporates the disability requirements of DDA).
Ingersoll Rand works closely with architects, designers and specifiers to help shopping centres and retailers maximise access while minimising heat and energy loss. Automatic doors are the best way to facilitate traffic flow and to reduce heat loss through open doors. These are user friendly for those with disabilities and provide an easy access solution for people carrying shopping bags or pushing buggies. The automatic door provides a frontline barrier against external noise pollution and the weather and is the key element in minimising energy emissions. With many different systems available, from sliding, folding and swing options, automatic doors can be installed at most locations to instantly solve problems relating to access and warmth.
For the best results, creating a lobby using two sets of doors is the most beneficial option and provides a solution to many problems. Not only does this provide shelter against bad weather, street noise and enhanced security but it also creates a dedicated and secure area for trapping wind-borne dirt and for cleaning shoes.
Where automatic doors are required but due to permission or impracticalities new doors can’t be fitted (such as in listed facilities), door opening devices can be used to create the same effect.
Operators can be fitted to new or existing doors to provide similar access and emission control as an automatic door while retaining the aesthetic appeal of the traditional door front.
These options are proving popular when compared to more outdated solutions, such as air curtains. They use a fraction of the energy but also supply another important benefit - security.
The troubles over the summer clearly illustrate just how vulnerable many premises can be against prolonged and determined attack. Of course, no building can be 100 per cent impenetrable but what can be guaranteed is a degree of security which can deter and delay a criminal.
Clearly, there is a conflict between making entrances to shopping centres welcoming and inviting but also safe and secure. Shopping centres need to have strong exterior doors because the shops inside often only have minimal security. To protect centre entrances a specialist enhanced security package can be used. This can include frontages with annealed and laminated glass which are virtually unbreakable and are invaluable in complementing other security measures to provide a secure line of defence.
Ingersoll Rand has developed a bomb blast automatic door – believed to be the first bi-parting automatic system to have been accessed to blast resistance standards. The aim of any bomb blast system is to protect the occupants from the effects of an explosion, such as high-velocity shards of glass and other materials being projected into an occupied area. An additional aim is to ensure that after an event, security from intruders is not unduly compromised and integrity is maintained.
It is products such as these that can help provide a high performance, secure and deterrent solution for most shopping centres.
