For school administrators and their facilities managers, one approach to limiting the transmission of the coronavirus and other viruses at building entrances is to make the operation of the doors completely hands-free.
While automatic door operators have been available for most door configurations, they have not been widely used in school facilities. One reason is that they are more expensive than manual doors.
Of those facilities that have automatic doors, few of them are truly touchless, according to James Piper, a professional engineer and facilities consultant. “Most automatic doors,” he writes, “require an activation device, such as a key, keypad, push plate or card scanner. These devices reduce but do not eliminate the need for physical contact between the user and the door hardware.”
Piper says there are options for making door operation truly touchless. “The simplest technology option is the motion sensor. Most sensors use infrared, microwaves or ultrasound to detect an object moving toward the door and activate the door operator. The sensor’s range of the sensor can be adjusted up to 10 feet from its location.
“Another touchless option is the wave-to-open switch. These switches use infrared or microwave technology to detect motion, typically within 4-5 inches of the switch. The switch then signals a standard door operator. A simple wave of the hand near the sensor is all that is required to operate the switch.”
Piper lists these options to limit access through doors while maintaining touchless operation: “Occupants can swipe keycards or fobs in front of the access control reader. The access control system then validates the keycard or fob and operates the door. The system offers the additional advantage of tracking who enters the building and when they enter.”
Smartphones are another option. An app communicates via Bluetooth with the reader. The user just swipes the phone near the reader. As is with the key fob system, the smartphone access control system operates the door and tracks entry activity.
Converting school building entrances to touchless operation can be a significant challenge for buildings that have multiple entrances. Technicians will have to install door operators and touchless readers for systems using keycards, fobs or smartphones, according to Piper.
If a building has many entrances, Piper’s advice is to start with the most used entrances first because these entrances will provide the most benefit to building occupants and visitors. Other entrances with lower traffic levels can be temporarily restricted until they can be upgraded.