NEW CASTLE, PA.—Berner International, New Castle, Pa., North America’s leading air curtain manufacturer and innovator, was recognized for its Architectural Contour air curtain product design for hotel applications in the 2022 Dealer Design Awards (DDA) Program, sponsored by trade publication, The Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration News (ACHR News) magazine.
The Contour Series, the newest member of Berner International’s growing Architectural Collection, won the silver award July 16 for excellence in design in “HVAC Light Commercial Equipment,” one of the DDA’s 13 categories with more than 130 entries.
The DDA’s 30-judge panel of contractors/engineers were impressed with the air curtain’s geometric shape and anodized aluminum exterior that aesthetically and seamlessly integrate into modern architecture and aluminum/glass front entrance doorways common in modern hotel design. The design is a departure from standard rectangular box designs that have dominated the hotel industry since their mid-20th Century development.
Air curtains are specified for retail, hotel, and restaurant operations to energy-efficiently protect open doorways from outdoor elements, vehicle emissions and flying insects, while also maintaining occupant thermal comfort.
A Value-Engineered Vestibule Substitution
The patented Architectural Contour was in development for six years and introduced in 2022. Its AMCA performance certification qualifies it as a value-engineered vestibule substitution under ASHRAE 90.1, ASHRAE 189.1 and IECC standards and validates its quiet, high performance.
Market research included interviews with architects and interior designers responsible for the interior experience of the space. End-user interviews helped inspire optional and standard performance strategies such as BACnet communication, the Intelliswitch digital controller and the Berner AIR, a smart controller and app platform. The Architectural Contour’s control platform connects end-users to programming, operating, and monitoring presets, fan speed time delay, start/stop time, thermostat temperature set point and other features. The Architectural Contour also features proactive adaptive settings based on local weather conditions when ordered with the Berner AIR. Air curtains make buildings more energy efficient, and thus help cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which can be estimated when using Berner’s free online Energy Savings Calculator.
The 18-year-old DDA is a prognosticator of new products that have proven to revolutionize the commercial building industry.
For more information on Berner International air curtain products, call (724) 658-3551, visit https://bit.ly/ArchContourPressRelease, or e-mail sales@berner.com.
