"Doors must be clearly perceptible, easy to open and close and safe to pass through". (DIN 18040)
Demographic change brings new challenges for the building industry and forces an intensive focus on the trend topic of accessibility. Research assumes that at least 2.5 million additional barrier-free flats will be needed by 2030 - with currently approx. 600,000 "age-appropriate barrier-free adapted" flats out of a total of approx. 11 million senior households. In addition, an increase from currently approx. 2.6 million people in need of care to 4.7 million in 2060 is predicted, whereby the majority - about 70 percent - currently live in normal flats.
Therefore, accessibility must become more and more self-evident, because it benefits everyone: People with and without disabilities, senior citizens, children, parents and people who are only temporarily restricted in their mobility. About 10 percent of the population are absolutely dependent on accessibility, a considerable 30 to 40 percent need accessibility as a basic aid in everyday life, and for all of them accessibility is simply comfortable. It is therefore important to have a built environment without obstacles in which all people can move and orient themselves as safely and independently as possible.
Our products are the result of many years of experience, professional competence and high quality standards - which we regularly check. The sealing systems Schall-Ex®, Stadi, Doppeldicht® and Kältefeind® are DIN CERTCO certified according to DIN 18040. In addition, the ift-Rosenheim confirms that athmer seals as well as finger protection systems meet the requirements for the permissible operating forces for barrier-free doors according to DIN EN 12217 Doors - Operating forces - Requirements and classification.
Every day, unnecessary accidents occur at doors that are not or insufficiently secured. Particularly in the context of barrier-free construction, DIN 18040 requires that doors must be safe to pass through. With athmer finger protection systems, fingers can be effectively prevented from becoming trapped between the door leaf and frame, thus making doors barrier-free.
Door stops screwed to the floor are used wherever the door is to be prevented from swinging open too far. In the context of barrier-free construction, it is precisely such floor door stops that represent possible tripping hazards.
With athmer drop seals, tripping hazards at door thresholds are a thing of the past. All athmer sealing systems are barrier-free - without any ifs and buts. Our zero threshold solutions for doors even fall below the requirements of the German Industrial Standard (DIN 18040). This tolerates threshold heights of up to two centimetres, even for barrier-free construction.
At athmer, however, the motto is consistently: "zero means zero! - and that with increased tightness. The specially developed release mechanisms of the athmer drop seals mean a significant increase in independence and freedom of movement for people with limited mobility, especially wheelchair users.
The optimal ease of use of doors has traditionally been at the top of the agenda in product development. Today, we are seeing that the requirements for barrier-free planning and building are moving more and more into focus. With sealing systems, door manufacturers and building owners are on the safe side when it comes to accessibility. This applies to our standard systems as well as to individual solutions that we develop with our customers. For example, innovative time-delayed seals that enable older people to open and close doors without effort against their air resistance.
Sliding doors, whether manually operated or automated, are very much in vogue in both the residential and commercial sectors and are the preferred access devices for use in barrier-free environments for people with disabilities. As the door leaves do not swing into the user's approach area, the risk of bumping is reduced. There is no need to avoid the opening leaf.
Sliding doors offer flexible solutions, especially in expensive living space or tight building situations such as in existing nursing homes, hospitals or hotels. However, the challenge with sliding doors, whether made of timber or glass, is to seal them all around and thus protect them from sound, draughts and odours.
athmers all-round sealing systems for sliding doors meet these requirements and offer a low barrier, tightly closing zero threshold solution. This simplifies the operation of conventional sliding doors and prevents tripping hazards. Furthermore, it is possible to automate these doors and thus make them 100% barrier-free.