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Air Curtains for Walk-Ins

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Work Products

UES Measures Standard protocols list Demand Response Technologies Supporting Documents Propose a measure or standard protocol Proposed measures and status Whole Building Efforts

Subcommittees

  • Agricultural Irrigation
  • Air Source Heat Pumps
  • Commercial HVAC
  • Compressed Air
  • Connected Thermostats
  • Demand Response
  • Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Duct Sealing
  • Guidelines
  • Heat Pump Water Heaters
  • Implementers Group
  • Market Analysis
  • Natural Gas Subcommittee
  • New Homes Standard Protocol
  • Non-Residential Lighting
  • Operations
  • Pump Systems
  • Research and Evaluation
  • Residential Behavior
  • Residential Lighting
  • RTF Policy Advisory Committee
  • Small and Rural Utilities
  • Statistical Methods
  • Whole Building Subcommittee
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UES Measure

  • Air Curtains for Walk-Ins

Air Curtains for Walk-Ins

At a Glance

Status 
active
Fuel type 
electric
Sector 
commercial
Applications 
grocery
Sunset date 
Jul 30, 2024

Measure to install an air curtain on an open refrigerated walk-in doorway or in combination with a door to blow a thin curtain of air just inside the opening, when the door is open. This saves energy by reducing the infiltration of warm/moist air into the walk-in. Effectiveness of the air curtain is highly dependent on its installation, placement and orientation, especially the air velocity of the curtain. They often serve as an alternative to strip curtains. Air curtains are nearly as effective as strip curtains, have a significantly longer effective useful life, are more convenient for employees, don't affect visibility and aren't subject to hygiene concerns with food coming in contact with the curtain. They are, however, significantly more expensive than strip curtains. 

The measure was adopted as planning, as there is significant uncertainty in the measure analysis around the amount of time the refrigerated case door is open pre- and post- installation of the air curtain. 

Workbook

Latest Version

Air Curtains for Walk-Ins v2.0

File Air Curtains for Walk-Ins v2.0
Updated with 2021 Plan cost effectiveness methodology
Date 
Apr 18, 2022
Version number 
2.0

Past Versions

version date document
1.1
Nov 03, 2021
File Air Curtains for Walk Ins v1.1
Approved at the September 2021 RTF meeting. QC complete.
1.0
Sep 20, 2019
File Walk-In Air Curtains v1.0
Approved at the September 2021 RTF meeting, currently undergoing QC.
Supporting Documents
File Whole Buildings Analysis July 2018 RTF Presentation
File Air Curtains for Walk-Ins Research Strategy (2021)

Decisions

Expand All Decisions

Latest decision

Decision details

Decided 
September 21, 2021
RTF Meeting: September 21-22, 2021

Adopt New Measure

Decision Details

Adopt the Air Curtain for Walk-In UES as presented and:

  • Set the Category at Planning
  • Set the Status at Active, 
  • Set the Sunset Date at July 2024, 
  • Change specification to a pre-conditions baseline of no effective barrier, 
  • Allocate resources to developing a measure application for cold storage warehouses.
Decided 
November 19, 2019
RTF Meeting: November 19, 2019

Allocate Resources to New Measure Development

Decision Details

Allocate resources to: 

  • Small Commercial DHPs 
  • Generator Engine Block Heaters
  • ENERGY STAR Air Purifiers
  • Non-Residential LED Wallpacks
  • Residential High Efficiency Central AC
  • Advanced Kitchen Ventilation Controls 
  • Retrofit or Upgrade Doors on Existing Display Cases 
  • Air Curtains for Walk-Ins
  • Floating Controls for Multiplex Refrigeration System
  • Display Case Upgrade and Replacement

Do not allocate resource to:

  • Workstation Power Management Devices
  • Anti-Fouling Refrigerant Additives 
  • ENERGY STAR Dehumidifiers

 

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