JS Air Curtains Top the Bill at BFI IMAX

The aesthetic design and controllability of the Rund air curtain from JS Air Curtains makes it top of the bill at the BFI IMAX cinema, London, whose reception and café were suffering from cold draughts at peak visitor times.

Because of the location of the BFI IMAX in Waterloo, its main entrance is directly opposite a subway tunnel that funnels the wind straight off The Thames corridor into its reception area and café. At show times, up to 500 visitors are arriving and leaving during a short time period and the doors are constantly open with the consequence of cold air pouring into the building.

BFI IMAX facilities manager, Duncan McKeich, believed air curtains would solve the problem but he had three key criteria to meet. The air curtains had to be vertically mounted and aesthetically pleasing, as there was little roof space for concealed horizontal units. They also had to have flexibility of control so they could be quickly turned up to combat the cold at busy visitor times. The JS Rund air curtains met these criteria and two 2.5m electrically heated units have been installed vertically, one at either side of the entrance doors, forming a barrier against the cold outside air.

“The design of the JS Rund was a major factor in its specification,” explained Duncan McKeich. “The air curtains look in keeping with the contemporary building design, especially as they are circular and in stainless steel. The fact they are so easy to control is also important. Our ticket desk team has access to the controls and can alter the fan speed and heating output of the air curtains as needed.

“The curtains have proved very effective, even during the recent spell of freezing weather when our staff were delighted they did not have to put on hats and scarves this year! The curtains’ draught proofing also meant that we could turn down the central heating, so offsetting the additional electrical load on the building.”

The Rund air curtain has an extremely attractive, cylindrical design and can be fitted with many different mounting or suspension options to tie-in with an entrance’s architecture.

Among the different mounting options available are round goal post-like supports that can stand across an entrance or suspend the unit from a ceiling or wall. It can be positioned horizontally above the door with chains or poles, or stood vertically at the side of the doorway.