Energy efficiency remains a key focus across both domestic and commercial sectors. Ensuring doors are properly closed significantly impacts a building’s performance and user experience; not only for security but also for thermal efficiency.
A drive to improve energy efficiency across the commercial sector has been underway for many years. Almost a decade ago, the Harvard Business Review described energy efficiency as one of the “key levers of business success.”¹ In both the public sector and private industry, organizations seek solutions that boost sustainability and improve their bottom line.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), approximately 60% of the world’s electricity is consumed by residential and commercial buildings.² One simple and effective way to reduce this consumption and associated costs is to ensure doors are properly closed everywhere.
Studies have found that air infiltration can account for up to 18% of total heat loss in commercial buildings.³ The same research highlighted that infiltration through door openings becomes particularly significant in buildings with frequently used entrances, such as restaurants, retail stores, supermarkets, offices, and hospitals.
Measuring the energy impact of closed doors
The energy-efficiency benefits of a closed door are straightforward to understand. Although exact quantification can be complex, most scientific studies agree that the impact is substantial. One recent study by the UK’s Strathclyde University used simulations of dynamic thermal and airflow exchanges to examine the benefits of keeping interior doors closed. They estimated potential energy savings of between 8% and 37%, depending on the building’s specific characteristics.³
Inside a building, a closed door helps maintain temperature differentials. Sometimes this is critical, for example, between an operating theatre and a corridor, or a server room and office spaces. In any location, consistently closed doors reduce the energy needed to heat or cool separate areas. These benefits apply year-round, in both hot and cold climates.
Fully closed interior doors also reduce stack pressure: the unwanted inward airflow on the ground floor caused by rising warm air within a building. In effect, closed doors help insulate building interiors from external conditions.
Relying on building users to close doors
“Unfortunately, relying on building users to shut doors fully, every time, is not a realistic strategy,” says Quintin Boukan, Director & Head of Security Solutions at ASSA ABLOY Africa.
“Closed doors help to reduce energy waste. They also improve interior air quality and building security, and reduce noise pollution. An affordable, reliable, robust door closer ensures this important job always gets done.”
UK regulatory measures
In the United Kingdom, regulatory measures are being introduced to enhance energy efficiency in commercial properties. By 2030, projections indicate that over 80% of commercial properties in England could become unlettable if they fail to meet the government’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) targets of rating A or B. Currently, 83% of commercial properties in major UK cities hold an EPC rating of C or below, with 53% rated D or lower. This highlights the critical need for energy-efficiency improvements, including reducing losses from doors left open.
South Africa’s regulatory measures
In South Africa, regulatory measures for energy efficiency in commercial buildings are gaining momentum. By December 2025, all non-residential buildings over 2,000m² (private) and 1,000m² (government) must display and submit Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) according to SANS 1544:2014 standards. Non-compliance could result in fines between R5 million and R10 million, or imprisonment up to five years. Studies show that new commercial buildings in South Africa could achieve 40-50% improvements in energy efficiency using current technologies, while existing buildings have approximately 10% improvement potential. With the commercial sector accounting for about 7% of South Africa’s total final energy consumption and buildings often constructed without strong consideration for energy efficiency; there’s a critical need for improvements—including properly functioning door closers to prevent energy losses in air-conditioned spaces where HVAC systems operate at high capacity due to the hot climate.
Barrier-free closing with Cam-Motion® technology
Door closers featuring ASSA ABLOY’s Cam-Motion® technology ensure reliable closing after every passage. Because installers can set separate latch and closing speeds, the high closing force can be paired with a comfortable opening. A low opening force is essential for accessibility and maintaining a barrier-free environment that is in line with local regulations; yet, the closing force must remain high enough to close doors reliably in all conditions. In an ASSA ABLOY Cam-Motion Door Closer, independent valves enable these dual settings.
For added convenience, an optional delayed closing function allows extra time for users to pass through. A standard back-check function slows the door’s final opening section, protecting the frame and preventing damage to adjacent walls.
“Door closing is about more than just comfort and fire protection,” adds Boukan. “The right door device improves energy efficiency and can reduce unnecessary expenditure on heating and cooling.”
To learn more about ASSA ABLOY Cam-Motion® Door Closers, visit https://www.assaabloy.com/group/emeia/solutions/topics/door-closers/technologies/cam-motion
Sources:
https://hbr.org/2017/01/energy-strategy-for-the-c-suite
https://renewableinstitute.org/images/unep%20info%20sheet%20-%20ee%20buildings.pdf
www.iea.org/energy-system/buildings
South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI), “EPC Guidelines V3 September 2024,” https://epc.sanedi.org.za/EPC%20Guideline%20_%20V3_September%202024.pdf
Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), “Regulations for the Mandatory Display and Submission of Energy Performance Certificates for Buildings,” https://www.rmi.org.za/regulations-for-the-mandatory-display-and-submission-of-energy-performance-certificates-for-buildings/
Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), “Greenhouse Gas Emission Baselines and Reduction Potentials from Buildings in South Africa,” https://www.cidb.org.za/download/58/green-building/5904/greenhouse-gas-emission-baselines-and-reduction-potentials-from-buildings-in-south-africa.pdf
International Energy Agency (IEA), “South Africa Energy Efficiency,” https://www.iea.org/countries/south-africa/efficiency-demand
Tirivanhu, P. & Olwoch, J. (2020), “Energy efficiency in South African buildings,” http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1443129/FULLTEXT01.pdf
