Shut that door!

Following predictions of severe temperature drops and a spare capacity of just 1.5% in National Grid energy reserves, door manufacturer GEZE UK is urging retailers and designers to consider the environmental and financial impact of keeping shop doors open when specifying entrance systems.

Independent research by the Close The Door Campaign, of which GEZE is a sponsor, found that retailers could reduce their winter energy consumption by between 30 and 50 per cent by simply shutting their doors when the heating is on.

The retail sector consumed £3.2bn of energy in 2013 and as an industry has the second highest energy consumption in the UK.  Research by Cambridge University commissioned by the Close The Door campaign showed that keeping a door open and using air curtains and additional heating significantly increased energy usage, driving up CO2 emissions - figures that were dramatically reduced simply by closing the shop door. An open door also makes it impossible to maintain accepted guidelines for a healthy working temperature for staff.

While shutting the door drives down energy use, Kaz Spiewakowski, managing director of GEZE UK explained that specifying the right door will help to contribute to energy efficiency. He said: 'By considering the environmental benefits of ‘shutting the door’ during the initial specification process, retailers, architects and specifiers can create an attractive welcoming entrance that offers maximum energy efficiency.'

The need to reduce energy consumption is particularly important this year. In November, the National Grid appealed for more powerfor the first time in three years, whilst energy regulator Ofgem has warned that without action the grid’s spare capacity could fall to zero. At the same time, the MET Office has predicted temperatures as low as -14C in January.

To find out more about the Close the Door campaign, visit www.closethedoor.org.uk.