News from the EDSF

Wednesday, 27. October 2010 - E.D.S.F. working group meetings were successful

Common calculation basis of energy losses has to be found & Awareness building in the need and must of maintenance on power operated doors

In mid of September 2010 the E.D.S.F. European Door and Shutter Federation e.V. met the first time after the decision at the General Assembly with its working groups: "Service and Maintenance" and "Energy and Sustainability".

E.D.S.F. wants to fill the topic "Energy and Sustainability" with life because it became clear that all the building activities are influenced by the Energy Performance of Building Directive (EPBD) which were recast and published in June 2010.

During the working group the different green building certificates and sustainable situation in the member countries were discussed and an overview to the standardisation work of EPDs was given. As a it result could be mentioned that E.D.S.F. wants to find a common calculation basis for the definition of energy losses by power operated doors.

Today there is no clear method existing to calculate these energy losses.

Additionally E.D.S.F. wants to focus on the certified bodies and building-owners because their knowledge of doors and gates has to be improved. Especially it has to be communicated clearly that a door is an investment. Indeed a gate accounts only 4% of a whole building invest, but due to the life cycle costs it accounts up to 90% concerning the energy saving potential! Beside this E.D.S.F. wants to be pro active in communication and creation of sustainable door standards.

In the working group "Service and Maintenance" the legislation standards in the member countries were presented and discussed. It came clear that the legislative framework - which differs from country to country - for the responsibility to maintain power operated doors is currently not well known within customers and building owners. Approximately 60 - 70% of the power operated doors are not maintained at the moment. This causes unnecessary risks for users and owners, because the owner is responsible for the safety of the function of the door.

Not only because of current fatal accidents with doors and gates the working group decided to build the awareness of the need and must of maintenance on doors and gates for raising the safety. The owner must understand that regular maintenance, repair and upgrades of power operated doors will improve safety, reliability and quality of power operated doors.

Beside this E.D.S.F. wants to define the qualification level of a service technician with the possibility to create a qualification program including guidelines and checking lists ?all to improve the quality standards in service.

Additionally E.D.S.F. plans to contact the EU-Commission to convince the authorities to work on an European harmonized standard for maintenance.

These working group meetings could be seen as the beginning of an intensive process within the E.D.S.F. because in these two days it became clear that without a qualified service and a reliable function of a power operated door - a door could not work energy efficient and at least sustainable.

The next working group meetings are already in the planning phase.