Energy Efficiency in Hospitals: Automatic Doors and Sustainability

Very few industries out there require automatic doors as much as hospitals do. Many people who come and go from these facilities are injured, ill, or lack the physical strength or ability to open doors. On top of that, access to fast, smooth, and quality automatic doors is crucial in the case of emergencies, making transportation throughout the hospital easier. 

With so many energy-consuming products operating non-stop in one place, you can probably imagine the hit all of their energy bills take. 

While operating doors that require electrical components to function may be more costly than traditional doors, they don't have to break the bank. In fact, the right doors can actually save you money in many other areas, making that decreased utility bill a win.

Why Energy Efficiency Matters in Healthcare

"Hospitals in the United States account for approximately 8% of the country's total energy consumption." (energy5.com) Eight percent might not sound like a lot until you look at the bigger picture. This 8% is massive when considering all the residential homes, commercial buildings, and industrial facilities operating daily. 

Even though this money is going to good use in healthcare settings, thanks to all the excellent services our hospitals provide, the numbers shouldn't be so high.

If we can find simple ways to reduce energy use in hospitals, we can transfer the money saved to different budget areas requiring more attention and funding.

Why Choose an Automatic Door System for Hospitals?

If automatic doors require electricity to work and we want to save money, why would we choose these systems for hospitals?

Many benefits are associated with using automatic doors in hospitals—some for accessibility and others for sustainability.

Sustainability

We can save money simply by adding more automatic doors to our healthcare settings. These systems are specifically designed to make hospitals easily accessible and energy efficient.

Reduces Air Leakage

"According to a study by the U.S. Department of Energy, air leakage through traditional doors accounts for approximately 11% of total energy consumption in buildings." (energy5.com)

Automatic doors run on tracks and are adequately designed to reduce or even eliminate air leakage. While more traditional doors have cracks or spaces at the bottom to prevent the door from catching on the floor, automatic doors run on tracks that leave no room for outside air to move through.

Lowers the Chances of Doors Left Open

Automatic doors operate on command. These doors detect motion and will open and close when someone is detected or when a button is pushed; this reduces the chances of doors being left open or left open for too long, allowing outside air to come in or inside air to go out.

With airflow control, energy bills can go down exponentially. During winter, warm air will no longer leak out of the facility, increasing heating bills. Cooled air-conditioned air will not leak out during the summer, increasing cooling bills.

Increases Natural Lighting

Many automatic doors are designed with large glass panes that allow tons of natural lighting in. Natural lighting can significantly reduce energy bills by limiting the need for artificial lighting. 

Aside from saving money, natural lighting can also play a critical role in the well-being of patients and employees. Studies have shown natural lighting benefits your overall health in various ways.

• Wards off seasonal depression
• Increases vitamin D intake
• Reduces adverse effects of fluorescent lighting
• Improves quality of sleep

Reduces Theft and Damages

Energy efficiency isn't the only way to save money when using automatic doors in a hospital setting. These doors are also set up with advanced safety features and tamper-resistant locking mechanisms.

With this much security, hospitals can save money lost annually due to theft and criminal damage.

Low Maintenance Required

You can save a lot of money on automatic doors simply because not a lot of maintenance is required. Once the doors are installed, they are typically good to go, and many companies, such as Door Services Corporation, will come annually or semi-annually to complete a quick check-up and ensure all is working well.

Accessibility

Aside from saving money through efficiency and protection, these automatic door systems also create a safe and easily accessible environment for anyone who enters the facility. These features help increase productivity and a preferred place patients would visit when needed.

Eliminates Touch

Because automatic doors are "automatic," there is no longer a need for touching knobs. This creates benefits for many reasons.

• Makes moving around the hospital faster
• Makes it easier to get through doors when moving equipment
• Makes getting around more manageable for those with disabilities (i.e., wheelchairs, crutches, hospital beds)
• Reduces the spread of germs by eliminating contact with handles and knobs

Keeps Smooth Flowing Traffic Consistent

Most hospitals are packed with people. With the help of automatic doors, congestion decreases, making hallways and other public areas less crowded.

Doctors and nurses have more room to move during emergencies without clogged-up spaces, and the environment will feel much calmer.

Increases Inclusions

Inclusion should be a huge consideration when it comes to the healthcare sector. Making sure all people have access to hospitals and medical facilities is crucial.

Not only are hospitals full of people looking for healthcare due to emergency issues, but those who require check-ups, lab work, or other non-emergency services also make up a large amount of traffic coming and going from these facilities without accessible entryways; these people cannot access the care they need.

In fact, according to Energy5.com, "a survey conducted by the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP), around 2 billion people worldwide are living with disabilities, representing approximately 15% of the global population."

When you have automatic doors, a larger group of people will have easy access to the building that couldn't easily move about before. 

Key Features of Automatic Doors That Make Them Energy-Efficient

"According to the U.S. Department of Energy, hospitals spend approximately $8 billion annually on energy expenses alone." (energy5.com) While some of these facilities already use automatic doors, it's shocking that many are still behind the times.

If only every hospital in the U.S. would update their operations with more advanced technology, their annual energy expenses would go down.

The most significant features notable in doors provided by, Door Services Corporation that can help make hospitals more energy efficient include:

Energy-Saving Designs

Quality automatic doors have energy-saving technology to reduce energy bills and increase quality care. Specific metals, glass, and other materials with heat-transfer reduction properties ensure outside air doesn't affect the inside temperatures. 

With the materials used to erect these systems, hospitals will save money while keeping the environment inside comfortable.

Automatic Sensors

Automatic doors open and close with cues provided by sensors. These devices can detect motion or increased weight from the floor, indicating that someone or something is passing through. Once the sensor alerts, the doors open without manual intervention, making hospitals easier to travel through.

Security Features

No one wants to use a healthcare facility that doesn't provide adequate protection. Without the best security features, hospitals will lose patients and will see an increase in theft and property damage.
High-quality automatic door systems are equipped with various safety features, including:

• Automatic locks after entry
• CCTV cameras
• Wireless control system
• Anti-theft devices
• Shatter resistant glass

Custom Options

Hospitals require automatic doors and operations that you wouldn't usually see in other facilities. These doors ensure patients and staff are safe, the building is safe from damage or theft, and access is only granted to those who have authority to specific locations. Some of these custom options include:

• Heavy metal doors for X-ray rooms
• Breakout doors for emergencies
• Self-closing doors
• UL 1784 smoke infiltration
• AIIR isolation
• Card access interface 

How Automatic Doors Work to Improve Old Hospitals Energy Efficiency

"A study conducted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that energy-efficient technologies could reduce hospitals' energy use by up to 60% while improving comfort and health outcomes." (energy5.com)

Old hospitals that have been in practice for a long time tend to have outdated technology, which in turn sucks up tons of energy, making them spend incredible amounts of money on utilities every year.

Simply removing traditional, wooden (hinge) doors and implementing automatic door systems could be the first step in reducing costs in these facilities.  

Not only will automatic doors improve temperature control, but they will cut costs on lighting, security, and loss due to theft or property damage, which are considerable problems in older structures.

Types of Automatic Doors Used in Hospitals For Energy Efficiency

There  is a large number of automatic door systems available to hospitals and other healthcare facilities. These hospital automatic doors are vital in reducing energy consumption and increasing a safe and healthy environment.

Here is a list of the available ADA-compliant door options for hospitals today.

• Healthcare revolving doors
• Healthcare automatic sliding door systems
• Folding doors
• Automatic swing doors (replacing manual swinging doors)
• Patient room systems (doors can stay open or partially open for safety)
• Isolation room systems (automatically opens to reduce contamination, reduces air leakage, and more)
• Critical and intensive care systems (self-closing automation, breakaway, smoke-rated IMU/CCU/ICU door systems, no power isolation doors, etc.) 
• Automatic security windows

Why Choose An Automatic Door System From Door Services Corporation?

If you want an automatic door system from a reliable and reputable source, Door Services Corporation offers everything you need and more. The experts at this company are highly skilled, educated, and experienced in working on high-quality door systems, providing various options for every healthcare need.

Aside from a detailed set-up, Door Services Corporation also offers annual maintenance packages and speedy dispatch to take care of your every need without making you wait a long time.

By installing these automatic doors throughout hospitals and healthcare facilities, the industry will notice a dramatic decrease in energy bills and increased organized, energy-efficient, and safe traffic throughout  each building. 

For more information on Door Services Corporation or to schedule an appointment today, contact the office by phone, or send us a request by completing the online form.