Have you ever wondered… how revolving doors can help reduce your electricity bill?
The concept of revolving doors is arguably an interesting one. Not only are revolving doors fun to use, but they also have a rather amusing origin, having been first conceived and designed to eliminate forced interactions and unnecessary displays of chivalry. But, do you know that revolving doors can help save up to 30 percent in energy costs as well?
Revolving doors are basically energy efficient as they always maintain a seal (i.e. airlock) between the inside and outside of a building, decreasing the loss of heating or cooling for the building. Consider an instance: the air-conditioning system keeps the building cool during a warm, summer day. It must overcompensate each time the entrance door is opened though, as the cool air rushes out, while the hot air comes in. Replacing a swinging door with a revolving door at the entrance, however, limits the extent of air exchanged when people enter and exit. The unique design of curved walls surrounding the circumference of the revolving door, with an opening the size of a section of the door, allow the door to never have a direct opening, thereby continuously sealing the inside from the outside — even when the door is spinning! Hence, these spinning doors provide effective means of getting inside or outside the building, without allowing the pressures and environments to equalize. Additionally, revolving doors also keep noises and outside fumes from entering the building.
While clearly a better choice, for all its known benefits, revolving doors are unfortunately seldom preferred by people, probably due to the perceived greater physical effort in using them. In fact, a 2006 MIT study found only 20–30% of people using the revolving doors on campus, despite the presence of numerous signage about energy savings. It is, hence, imperative for all of us to take note of and modify our daily habits, wherever possible. Small habit changes, like such, can help inculcate a culture of energy conservation and sustainability and maximize a positive impact on our environment.
