The University College Dublin’s new €7 million student residence – part of the expanding Roebuck Village development – required the highest specification of low carbon materials to achieve Passivhaus standards and a 60% reduction in energy demand. With this in mind, ED 200 door closers from DORMA were specified to complete the highly efficient building envelope and helped the project win Best Sustainable Project at the prestigious Irish Architecture Awards 2011.

Designed by Kavanagh Tuite Architects for UCD Property Services, the new six storey residential student block was built to accommodate 134 additional bed spaces and form the second stage of the University’s Belfield Campus expansion. Combining fine architectural design and high performance construction – the new building incorporated sustainable building standards to ‘design-out’ thermal bridging and air-tightness problems.

The GGBS (ground granulated blastfurnace slag) building structure was finished with lightweight external wall panels and insulated with 130mm foil-faced and taped PIR boards. To complete this highly efficient thermal envelope, the student rooms utilised Passivhaus-certified triple-glazed windows whilst DORMA ED 200 automatic door operators were installed on all of the external doorways.

The ED 200 is a powerful, fully automatic electro-hydraulic swing door operator. Suitable for standard doors as well as large, heavy doors, they can be adapted to a wide range of different applications and installation conditions, and offer numerous adjustable features. With the integrated permanent-open mode activated, the door can be held open by a solenoid valve that ensures absolute stability.

With fire safety a prerequisite in student accommodation, the ED 200 also offers a unique package of safety, security and interfacing features so that when a fire alarm is activated, or the power is cut, the closer will revert from automatic to manual operation with a hydraulically dampened spring close action.

For additional security, all of the external doors were complemented with the installation of DORMA SVP automatic-action locks. Locking immediately on the door’s closure, the DORMA SVP offers a two-point locking system as the deadbolt is automatically activated and the clawbolt latch engaged at the same time.

Completed to achieve the ever improving energy performance principles of Passivhaus, naturally every construction element and system had to meet the very highest standards of sustainability. DORMA automatic door operators proved the ideal solution at Roebuck Hall, ensuring significantly lower maintenance and running costs to provide long-term best value performance throughout the life cycle of the building.