Top 6 Reasons Why High-Performance Doors are the Best Doors for Parking Garages (including five obvious reasons and one that might surprise you)

Parking garages with high-performance doors have enhanced building security due to their robust, rigid, secure materials (such as solid, highly insulated door panels) and extremely fast operating speeds.  These qualities provide better protection against unauthorized access, theft, and vandalism as compared to gates or slow rolling steel doors. Operated by high-efficiency, high-powered motors, high-performance doors open / close extremely fast so there is less likelihood of tailgating and unwanted pedestrian access, further enhancing building security.  In contrast, a roll-up door that closes at a rate of 8” per second is an easy target for unauthorized people trying to sneak into the parking garage, which compromises security.

Rigid high-performance door models specifically help achieve a high level of security.  Rigid models such as the Speed-Guardian™ 5000 and Steel Ranger™ 9000 L are made of stiff, insulated panel slats that cannot be cut or pushed in.  These models are available with a completely solid panel for maximum security or with a select number of vision or ventilation slats.   

How the door is activated plays as much a part of building security as does operation speed and secure construction of the door itself.  Activation methods such as keypads and card readers offer the best level of building security because access is limited to only those people who have been given a preprogrammed keypad access code or card. Implementing access control systems like keycard entry may reduce unauthorized access to parking garages by up to 40%. With secure access in check, the chance of theft, vandalism and other crimes is reduced, which is a big benefit to tenants and visitors.

By design, high-performance doors minimize air infiltration, which contributes to energy efficiency through a reduction in heating and cooling costs.  They operate fast and the faster the door can open and close, the more energy savings will be realized.  Rigid models can have insulated panels along with other energy-saving features such as full-perimeter weather seals.  

While highly insulated windows and entry doors are considered a given, many fail to realize the massive amount of energy lost through large parking garage door openings that have uninsulated or old doors. To resolve this issue, when shopping for a parking garage door, look for one made with polyurethane or polystyrene materials and with the highest possible R-value. In addition to highly insulated solid panels, look for tongue and groove section joints and full perimeter draft seals which all work to reduce air infiltration. Also, insulated windows provide a higher level of energy control, or even opt for no windows if your main goal is the best level of environmental comfort.

A note about R-value and U-Factor:

In reference to R-value, while R-value is the most known and understood measurement for thermal performance, it only considers the insulating effect through the center of a door section. U-factor is a more comprehensive measure of thermal performance because it measures the rate of heat transfer from the warmer side to the colder side, through the complete door assembly including the solid panels, windows, and perimeter. Building component manufacturers are starting to use U-factor more and more as the measure for overall thermal performance of a product.

Constructed using resilient and heavy-duty materials, all types of high-performance doors offer better durability and longevity compared to standard rolling steel doors. As a result, these doors can withstand harsh conditions, heavy-use, and a lot of cycles, all with minimal maintenance / lower maintenance costs.  High-performance doors can perform for millions of cycles resulting in a longer life span than steel doors, which are designed for fewer cycles and can wear out (and become a maintenance nightmare) within a couple years when installed in busy parking garages.

For environments that have a risk of vehicles impacting the door, choose a rubber door.  Rubber doors are constructed with a ¼” thick extremely rugged rubber panel, heavy-duty steel sidetracks, and industrial grade motors.  These doors have breakaway capability and can withstand being hit and may be re-set quickly without the use of special tools or parts, which reduces maintenance costs as well as the likelihood of the door being inoperable for an extended time.  In turn, fewer repairs and less required general maintenance makes it possible to keep the same door in place for a long time worry-free.

Better building aesthetics are possible with customizations such as choice of solid doors or doors that incorporate clear or tinted vision slats and by choosing a custom color that complements the building. High-performance rigid doors like the Speed-Guardian™ 5000 and Steel Ranger™ 9000 L offer security, and custom RAL colors along with a choice of vision slats make it easy to match design specifications and boost aesthetics.  A state-of-the-art high-performance door on a modern parking structure looks snazzy on updated buildings as opposed to a traditional rolling-door that is slow, bland, and basic.

This benefit may surprise you! High-performance doors help minimize noise from both inside and outside the parking garage. Constructed with modern materials, many models have highly insulated panels and combined with fast operating speeds, keep the outdoor noise – out - while providing a quiet environment for building tenants and neighboring properties.  For parking garages in residential buildings, this is an important quality that tenants notice. 

In addition, nearby residential communities with housing committees often monitor the lifestyle quality of the area, which includes neighborhood aesthetics and noise pollution, so noise escaping a parking garage could very well create a problem between the building owner and the residential community.

More and more companies are focusing on achieving LEED Building Certification on new building construction or renovation. LEED Building Certification is a measured and recognized means of demonstrating the building is being built according to modern, sustainable standards, which attract tenants and supports tax advantages.

Known for bringing third party validation of green features on a new construction project, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) was developed and governed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and is a point-based program.  By focusing on performance oriented sustainable strategies for promoting energy efficient buildings, LEED helps build high performing buildings that satisfy specific green building criteria.

High-performance doors fall in the LEED category “Materials and Resources” and will help add points to the project.

Why is LEED Building Certification Desirable

• Higher Rental Rates - While lowering operation costs through use of sustainable materials and systems, LEED certification has a couple other financial advantages including its ability to attract tenants. The USGBC reports that vacancy rates for green buildings are 4 percent lower than non-green properties. LEED certified buildings also have the highest rents and lease-up rates up to 20 percent above average as of January 2022. ¹
• Tax Advantages - In addition to attracting tenants, LEED certification can have tax advantages, depending on location.  Tax advantage include tax credits, property tax reductions, sales tax exemptions on green building materials, grants for energy-efficient improvements, rebates from utilities and government agencies, and low-interest bank loans for energy efficiency improvements. ¹
• More Points Through Special Programs - LEED certification can also help building owners qualify for tax credits and LEED points through programs like PorterSIPs, which are engineered green products made from renewable resources and require less energy to produce than other structural building systems. 

In conclusion, high-performance doors are the best doors for parking garages since they operate fast to promote access control and security, while stylish customizations such as tinted vision areas and custom paint colors make it easy to boost aesthetics.  By design, high-performance doors are available in highly insulated designs that minimize air infiltration for energy-savings in enclosed lots. They are also durable and last longer than conventional rolling steel doors while requiring less maintenance in high-cycle locations.  In addition, they offer quiet operation that helps minimize noise both inside and outside the parking garage.  If the goal is to maintain existing tenants while attracting new ones, including high-performance doors during the LEED Building Certification process during new construction or renovations can help fill building vacancies, provide tax advantages, and save on operational costs in the long run.

For an example of a LEED Building Certification project, download the Muse ApartmentsCase Study. Completed in 2016, the project earned Platinum LEED Certification and for the parking garage, included Hörmann’s Speed-Guardian™ 5000 U 42 with perforated ventilation slats.

Notes:

1: www.usgbc.org