A quick guide to the different types of automatic entrance doors

When it comes to enhancing the accessibility, convenience, and security of your building, automatic entrance doors offer a modern and efficient option. These automatic doors are not only convenient but also help create a welcoming atmosphere for customers, employees, and visitors. In this blog post, we explore the different types of automatic entrance door solutions available in the market today.

1. Sliding automatic entrance doors

Sliding automatic doors are a popular choice for a wide range of buildings, from retail stores to office spaces. Sliding open horizontally when a motion sensor detects movement, they’re ideal for high-traffic areas where space may be limited. Their sleek, modern, and energy-efficient design makes them a practical choice for many applications. KCC Group also offers curved sliding doors as part of their automatic doors range. These curved sliding systems are frequently seen in hotels, restaurants, and spas, where they provide an impressive entrance for visitors.

Common Sliding Door System Features & Capabilities:

• Compact Drive Units: Designed for minimal visual impact and ease of integration, offering simple and efficient installation.
• High Load Capacity: Suitable for door leaves ranging from 120kg to 200kg per panel, accommodating both light and heavy-duty applications.
• Flexible Opening Dimensions: Available in configurations supporting widths from 700mm up to 3,000mm and heights up to 3,100mm, depending on the application.
• Profile Versatility: Compatible with a variety of frame types, including slim profiles and all-glass options for a modern aesthetic.
• Traffic Flow Adaptation: Intelligent systems adjust automatically to varying traffic conditions, enhancing performance and energy efficiency.
• Fire Escape Compatibility: Certain models are suitable for integration into emergency exit routes, ensuring compliance with safety regulations.
• Smooth and Silent Operation: Engineered for quiet performance, ideal for commercial, healthcare, or high-traffic public environments.

Grand Canal Plaza project

Take a look at this office fit-out we completed recently at the Grand Canal Plaza. From the initial design phase, we collaborated closely with the MCA Architects’ project team on specifying and installing a fully automatic sliding door system for the main entrance. This upgrade, which included full-height safety pocket screens to adhere to EN16005:2012 standards, replaced the previous manual swing doors. The new system provides a safer, more reliable, and efficient access solution for building occupants.

2. Swing automatic entrance doors

Swing automatic doors function akin to traditional manual swing doors, but with an innovative twist. Equipped with sensors that enable automatic opening upon detection of someone approaching, they are often used in healthcare facilities, commercial buildings, leisure centres or gyms, and hotels where hands-free access is essential. Swing doors can be customised to swing inward, outward, or in both directions based on the building’s layout and accessibility requirements.

Building Regulations compliance

• Automatic swing doors assist buildings in meeting the accessibility standards outlined in Part M of the Building Regulations in Ireland and Part R in Northern Ireland, promoting inclusivity for individuals of all abilities.
• They enhance universal access by eliminating the necessity for manual operation, making them crucial in healthcare facilities, retail spaces, public buildings, and offices.
• During the initial design phase, it is crucial to prioritize compliance with guidelines regarding clear opening widths, appropriate activation switches or devices, and the force required to open doors to ensure comprehensive accessibility for all individuals.
• KCC’s automatic door specialists frequently conduct on-site surveys for clients as part of their building access strategy.

Trinity College Dublin Business School project

At Trinity College Dublin Business School, our subcontract with Lynco Facades involved installing swing door automation for the school’s main entrance and emergency exits. This setup ensures controlled access and enables swift evacuation during emergencies. To align with the building’s energy-efficient and low-maintenance design, we opted for DormaKaba ED250 operators for the swing door automation.

3. Revolving automatic entrance doors

Regarded as sophisticated and energy-efficient, revolving automatic doors are the prefect automatic entrance solution for buildings with high foot traffic. Comprising multiple sections or chambers that revolve around a central axis, these doors facilitate a continuous flow of people in and out of the building. Revolving doors also help to regulate indoor temperatures by minimising heat loss in the winter and maintaining cool air in the summer. Apart from their functional benefits, revolving doors provide a grand and impressive entrance, making them a popular choice for luxury hotels, corporate offices, and shopping centres.

Common revolving door options

• Classic Small: This automatic revolving door is constructed from aluminium and is specifically designed for door diameters of up to 4 meters. It features aluminium closures, visible drum wall profiles, and options for 3 or 4 leaves. Additional features include night closure and access control options.
• Classic Large: The Classic Large automatic revolving door is built using steel and is suitable for door diameters of up to 7.4 meters. It includes a strong steel central column, visible aluminium door leaf profile, and options for 3 or 4 leaves. Furthermore, it offers rescue and escape routes, with break-out and windbreak functions.
• Light Frame: This type of automatic revolving door is characterized by its absence of a central column, making it suitable for door diameters of up to 3.6 meters. It features slender profiles, visible aluminium door leaf profile, and options for 3 or 4 leaves. This model includes rescue and escape routes with break-out and windbreak functions.
• Full Glass: The Full Glass automatic revolving door is made with safety glass and lacks a central column, designed for door diameters of up to 3 meters. It includes visible aluminium door leaf profile, with options for 3 or 4 leaves, and additional features such as rescue and escape routes with break-out and windbreak functions.

AIB Bank, Belfast project

For this financial institution headquarters, AIB Bank in Belfast, originally constructed in 1992, we installed a Tormax fully automatic 3-wing classic revolving door to the building’s main entrance. To enhance the building’s access strategy, we also incorporated GEZE Powerturn swing operators next to the main entrance to facilitate wheelchair access. These installations not only offer an aesthetically-pleasing and secure entrance but also withstand the strong winds from the nearby River Lagan.

4. Telescopic Doors

Telescopic automatic doors are a space-saving innovation that seamlessly combines the functionality of sliding doors with the compact design of folding doors. Featuring multiple door leaves that slide open and overlap, these doors maximise the available opening width, making them an ideal fit for structures with narrow corridors or restricted entrance spaces. From restaurants to schools to office buildings, telescopic doors epitomise a harmonious blend of practicality and aesthetics in addressing spatial constraints without compromising on efficiency.

Common Telescopic Sliding Door System Features & Capabilities:

• Space-Efficient Opening: Ideal for maximizing clear opening widths in confined spaces, with configurations available in two or four-leaf systems.
• High Opening Capacity: Supports wide passage openings, up to approximately 3,600mm, while maintaining a compact footprint—suitable for high-traffic environments.
• Slim Design: Engineered with low-profile drive units (as slim as 70mm), making them visually discreet and perfect for use with glass façades and minimalist designs.
• Weight Handling: Accommodates leaf weights ranging from 40kg to 80kg per panel, allowing for a balance of lightweight agility and durability.
• Height Flexibility: Available in heights up to 3,100mm, suitable for both standard and tall entrances.
• Customisable Operation: Offers adjustable settings for door speed, opening width, torque, and time delays, allowing fine-tuned performance for different use cases.
• Integrated Sensors: Equipped with built-in motion detection systems to ensure smooth, automatic operation with enhanced safety and user convenience.
• Quiet Functionality: Designed for silent performance, making them well-suited for both public-facing and sensitive environments like healthcare or office settings.

In conclusion, automatic entrance door solutions offer a seamless blend of functionality, aesthetics, and convenience for a wide range of buildings and environments. By choosing the right type of automatic door based on your specific needs and requirements, you can enhance the overall accessibility, safety, and efficiency of your building. Get in touch with our automation experts to explore the different options available and choose the best automatic door solution for your building.