High-Traffic Automatic Sliding Door Systems Delivered for a 1.2 Million Sq. Ft. Retail Destination in the UAE

Project Background

A landmark retail and entertainment destination in the UAE, spanning over 1.2 million square feet of gross leasable area, required a complete automatic door package for its phased opening. With projected daily footfall exceeding 80,000 visitors on peak days, the client's facilities management contractor required door systems that could withstand extreme duty cycles while maintaining a premium aesthetic aligned with the mall's architectural language — full-height glazing, slim aluminum profiles, and frameless glass panels.

Challenges & Requirements

The scale and operational intensity of the project presented multiple procurement and engineering requirements:

• High duty cycle: main entrance doors required certification for a minimum 1,500,000 operating cycles
• Climate performance: external entrance doors required thermal performance rated for ambient temperatures up to 50°C and resistance to sand ingress
• Aesthetic integration: door profiles to match the architect's specified anodized aluminum color palette; frameless glass panels with minimal visible hardware
• Energy management: automatic door-open-time adjustment based on traffic density to minimize HVAC load in an extreme desert climate
• Centralized monitoring: facilities management required a BMS-connected door status and fault reporting system covering all 80+ units

Oredy's Solution

Oredy supplied the ES200 automatic sliding door operator in combination with thermally broken aluminum profile door sets. The ES200 operator incorporates a precision German-engineered brushless DC motor (Dunkermotoren) offering a rated service life in excess of 2,000,000 cycles. Sensor packages were configured with dual active infrared safety beams and overhead microwave presence sensors, ensuring fail-safe operation under high traffic density. For external facades, Oredy specified IP44-rated motor housings with sealed encoder assemblies to withstand sand and dust. Door-open time and speed were programmed via the ES200's onboard control unit, with custom traffic-responsive logic reducing open dwell time during off-peak hours by up to 40%. All 80+ units were connected to the mall's BMS via Modbus RTU protocol, providing real-time status, cycle counters, and fault alerts to the facilities management team.

Results & Client Feedback

Twelve months post-opening, the mall's facilities management team reported zero unplanned door failures at any of the six entrance clusters during the first operating year, which included two peak shopping seasons. Preventive maintenance was successfully scheduled based on BMS cycle-count data, avoiding any reactive maintenance events. The client's operations director confirmed that the energy-management programming had contributed to a measurable reduction in HVAC load at entrance lobbies. The project has since become a reference case for Oredy's commercial door solutions in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Key Technical Specifications

• Operator: Oredy ES200, brushless DC motor (Dunkermotoren), rated >2,000,000 cycles
• Profile: Thermally broken anodized aluminum, custom color-matched finish
• Glazing: Tempered + laminated safety glass, 10 mm thickness
• Sensor: Overhead microwave + dual active infrared safety beam
• Climate Rating: IP44, operating range -20°C to +50°C
• BMS Integration: Modbus RTU protocol
• Power Supply: 220–240V AC, 50Hz

Certifications: CE, EN 16005 (safety in use of power operated pedestrian doorsets)