BUPA's Winter Air Curtain Cure

The versatility and aesthetics of the Rund air curtain from JS Air Curtains has cured BUPA’s winter draught problems at the reception of its Health and Wellbeing UK offices in Staines. The attractive air curtain has been custom designed so it can be easily removed during the summer months when it isn’t required.

Despite underfloor heating and the heat gains from the glass façade, the large reception atrium suffered from cold draughts during the winter as over 11,000 employees enter and exit the building through its revolving doors.

JS Air Curtains’ solution was to vertically mount a 2.5m high, low temperature, hot water-heated Rund air curtain to the side of the entrance. The air curtain creates a warm air barrier across the inner opening of the doorway. This stops the revolving door acting like a slow moving fan, bringing in cold air with every turn.

A key requirement of the air curtain design was that it could be easily removed during the summer when it was not required. These features include a 500mm dummy section at the top to accommodate an electrical isolator and a base plate that can be concealed by a flooring tile when the air curtain wasn’t in place.

Bob Lyle, BUPA Facilities Manager, has been pleased with the result: “JS Air Curtains completed the installation last year and the Rund tower worked well from November to March, keeping our reception area comfortable for both staff and waiting visitors. Although it blends in with the décor of the atrium, we do not need an air curtain during the warmer months and have now put the tower carefully into storage until the cold weather returns. This versatility is an important benefit for us.”

The Rund air curtain can be supplied in stainless steel or finished in any RAL colour, such as the light grey gloss chosen by BUPA. It can be fitted with many different mounting or suspension options to tie-in with an entrance’s architecture. It is typically positioned horizontally above a revolving door with chains or poles but this was not possible for BUPA because of the extensive glazing used in the construction of the atrium.

As well as being able to provide custom air curtains, JS can supply models that incorporate other services such as CCTV cameras, smoke detectors, motion sensing alarms, signage, branding and fascia panels made from a variety of materials or that contain elements such as clocks.