The Role of Air Curtains in Climate Separation

Air curtains play a critical role in maintaining climate separation at building entrances. By creating an invisible barrier of air, they help prevent the exchange of hot and cold air between indoor and outdoor environments. This ensures that conditioned air remains inside the building while outdoor air stays out, reducing energy loss and improving indoor comfort.

Biddle’s advanced air curtain technologies, such as the SR Comfort Air Curtain and DoorFlow2, provide intelligent, energy-efficient solutions designed to optimise climate separation for commercial, retail and public sector buildings.

The Impact of Heat Loss at Building Entrances & Exits

Heat loss through entrance and exit openings is a major contributor to excessive energy consumption in buildings. Every time a door is opened, warm air escapes in winter and cool air in summer, forcing HVAC systems to work harder to maintain indoor temperature. This leads to:

  • Higher energy consumption due to increased heating and cooling demands
  • Rising energy costs, especially in high-footfall areas like shopping malls, hospitals, and office buildings
  • Discomfort for occupants, as cold drafts can create an uneven temperature distribution

Thermographic Evidence of Energy Loss

Studies using thermographic imaging have shown the dramatic difference in temperature stability with and without air curtains. When an entrance lacks an air curtain, warm indoor air quickly escapes, leading to an influx of cold air from outside. With a well-designed air curtain, such as Biddle’s DoorFlow2, energy efficiency improves significantly as the air barrier reduces unwanted heat loss.

How Air Curtains Mitigate Energy Loss and Support Sustainability

Energy Efficiency with Intelligent Control

Biddle air curtains incorporate i-sense infrared technology and CHIPS (Corrective Heating & Impulse Prediction System), which automatically adjust airflow and heating to maintain optimal climate separation. This results in:

  • Up to 75% energy savings compared to manually controlled air curtains
  • Automatic adaptation to changing external conditions, ensuring maximum efficiency without manual intervention
  • Improved comfort by precisely regulating the temperature of incoming air

Patented Airflow Technology

Biddle’s rectifier technology minimizes turbulence in the airstream, ensuring that conditioned air reaches the floor without unnecessary energy loss. This increases the effectiveness of climate separation by up to 80% efficiency compared to traditional air curtains.

Sustainability Benefits

By reducing HVAC energy demand, air curtains contribute directly to a building’s sustainability goals:

  • Lower carbon emissions due to reduced heating and cooling energy requirements
  • Integration with renewable heating sources, such as heat pumps, making air curtains an essential component of energy-efficient building design
  • Long-term cost savings, helping businesses and public buildings reduce operational expenses while enhancing occupant comfort

Ease of Maintenance and Cost-Effective Solutions

One of the overlooked aspects of sustainability is the ability to maintain equipment efficiently. Biddle’s air curtains, such as the City 2 and DoorFlow2, are designed for minimal maintenance with features like:

  • Filter-free design, preventing dust build-up and reducing cleaning requirements
  • Modular components, making it easy to replace spare parts and extend the lifespan of the unit
  • Remote monitoring and BMS integration, allowing facility managers to track performance and energy efficiency in real time

These features ensure that air curtains remain functional for years, reducing waste and the need for frequent replacements, further supporting sustainability efforts.

Conclusion: Why Air Curtains Are a Smart Choice for HVAC Specification

For M&E consultants working on renovation and new build projects, specifying air curtains is a strategic decision to improve building efficiency and sustainability. Biddle’s air curtains provide:

  • Proven energy savings, reducing heating and cooling loads
  • Advanced technology, ensuring optimal climate separation and occupant comfort
  • Low maintenance costs, supporting long-term building performance

By integrating air curtains into HVAC design, buildings can achieve greater energy efficiency, lower operational costs, and contribute to environmental sustainability—all without compromising indoor comfort. When selecting an air curtain, choosing a high-performance solution like Biddle’s ensures maximum return on investment while supporting a greener future.