New Green Code to Boost Air Curtain Usage in Commercial Buildings 

In recent years, a new set of building codes have been developed, focusing primarily on the industrial/commercial building industries to make building more sustainable and energy efficient. One such code – a new comprehensive high performance green building code – the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) going into effect this month states that air curtains are not only an acceptable, but a preferable option to vestibules at the entrances of buildings over 3,000 sq feet.

Air curtains not only take up much less prime building space than vestibules, but also prove to be 10 percent more energy efficient. The addition of this option to the IgCC shows constant improvements to our building methods and a path towards energy conservation and efficiency. 

The article in Manufacturing.net, quotes one of the manufacturers of air curtains: “Building owners have lobbied code organizations for an alternative to vestibules, because of their higher costs, waste of space, and less effectiveness compared to air curtains,” said David Johnson, director of engineering at air curtain manufacturer, Berner International, New Castle, Pa. “The overlay helps high performance green building advocates push through design criteria such as substituting a vestibule with an air curtain, however it's still up to the discretion of local code jurisdictions whether it's accepted in a project.”