Software developed in partnership with one of the world’s leading technical universities is confirming scientifically what many Australasian architects and builders have believed for years – that revolving doors cut energy bills and take the load off HVAC systems.
Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) – ranked in the top 10 engineering and technology best universities in the world by the globally respected QS rankings – partnered with 150-year-old architectural global revolving door leader Boon Edam to give architectural, building and facility management companies a scientifically validated yardstick to measure the savings of their energy-saving doors.
The research tool is given additional credibility by the fact TU Delft was also ranked in the top 5 per cent of universities the world overall in a QS ranking system that gives additional weight in 2023-24 to sustainability objectives. The software TU Delft developed with Boon Edam is now in use locally and globally, says Boon Edam Australia Managing Director Michael Fisher.
“This invaluable software is the long-awaited result of a collaboration with a highly respected technical and architectural institution, one of the best in the world. Through the new sustainability software, architects and builders can now make some science-based ROI comparisons that consider the comfort and sustainability objectives of the spaces they create.”
“Its science-based approach gives specifiers the chance to demonstrate to their clients what many of them have known for years: Revolving doors offer permanent gains in energy efficiency across the spectrum of commercial building types, both existing structures and new buildings seeking NABERS or National Electricity Market (NEM) measurable sustainability credentials,” says Michael Fisher.
Available throughout Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea, a first use of the software was applied to Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane building models. It shows the payback period for installing a revolving door, instead of a less energy-efficient sliding door, is shrinking rapidly as energy prices here accelerate quickly.
At current energy prices – which are due to rise again this year – Melbourne has the quickest payback time of four years, with Brisbane next at 4.9 years and Sydney at 5.7 years and shrinking.
Savings for individual new or retrofitted buildings are obtained by building professionals using the software in partnership with Boon Edam Australia, which is the local branch of the Royal Boon Edam organisation that operates in more than 27 countries, specialising in energy-conserving revolving doors and complementary security systems.
“For building specifiers seeking to achieve green performance ratings, it can no longer be a question of ‘What is the cheapest door up front?’, but rather ‘How can we create a sustainable, secure, and comfortable environment that meets national and global standards of sustainability and returns benefits starting immediately and extending over decades?'”
“While we don’t claim revolving doors alone are a silver bullet for energy conservation – that is a multi-faceted question – it is ever-more apparent that revolving doors’ performance is too good to ignore,” says Fisher.
How the software works
The energy calculation software quantifies the benefits of revolving doors compared to sliding doors when considering energy savings and prevention of draught. Designers, builders, or facility managers and other building professionals are provided with a format into which to enter specific data for their facility, which is then processed in partnership with the new Boon Edam propriety software, which calculates and reports on data including the following:
- Energy savings in kWh per month throughout the year when a revolving door is installed instead of a sliding door
- Payback time of a revolving door compared to an automatic sliding door
- The area of the floor behind both door types, where according to DIN standards, serious discomfort from draught can be expected
The program uses information regarding:
- Facility specific entrance usage
- Local energy costs
- Size and type of building
- Weather data from globally validated sources
- The number of people that can enter per sliding door opening
- The number of people that can enter per revolving door revolution
Key Facts:
Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) and Boon Edam have released energy-saving software that compares revolving doors with sliding doors.
The energy calculation software quantifies the benefits of revolving doors compared to sliding doors when considering energy savings and prevention of draught.
About us:
About Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)
TU Delft’s excellent research and education standards are backed by outstanding facilities, research institutes and research schools. TU Delft maintains close links with international industry, carrying out research to find solutions for society’s present and future demands. Health, energy, environment, and infrastructures & mobility are four domains for which the university strives to develop solutions. TU Delft is one of the world’s leading research universities, ranked by QS World University Rankings among the top 10 engineering and technology universities in the world. In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, it was ranked 2nd in the world, after MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)With eight faculties and numerous research institutes, it has more than 27,000 students (undergraduate and postgraduate) and 6,600 employees (teaching, research, support and management staff).
About Royal Boon Edam
With work environments becoming increasingly global and dynamic, smart, safe entry has become the centre of activity in and around many buildings. Royal Boon Edam is a global market leader in reliable entry solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, with 150 years of experience in engineering quality, we have gained extensive expertise in managing the transit of people through office buildings, airports, healthcare facilities, hotels, and many other types of buildings. We are focussed on providing an optimal, sustainable experience for our clients and their clients. By working together with you, our client, we help determine the exact requirements for the entry point in and around your building. Please take a look at our range of revolving doors, security doors & portals, speed gates, tripod turnstiles, access gates and full height turnstiles to ensure the security of your entry and perimeter. You can find more news about Boon Edam on www.boonedam.com.au/news
