Airbloc, part of AmbiRad Ltd, completed a project for The University of Cumbria.

The University had recently built a new cafe building at its campus in Ambleside, which is a hub of activity providing access to services and resources at the University for students and lecturers.

The entrance to the building opens on to a cafe with a high ceiling. Past the reception area is a quiet working and reference environment. The problem that the University faced was finding an air curtain powerful enough to tackle the draughts typical of a westerly-facing entrance in an exposed geographical location but at the same time, suiting the artistic architecture of the building.

AmbiRad provided an Airbloc air curtain over the entrance door, along with a battery back-lit Exit sign, for the new building. 

AmbiRad worked with installers PK Electrical to solve the issue of cold air ingress by using free-hanging AC air curtains. This would address the ingress of draughty air and keep existing heat in, regardless of how often the doors are opened.

The Airbloc AC air curtain unit used a 24kW coil fed from the existing LPHW wet system, which would reduce energy costs by providing heating to the air stream from the air curtain.

The units were given a brushed stainless steel finish, which gave a high quality appearance and continued the metal and wood surfaces and textures that had been used throughout the cafe.

Airbloc energy efficient air curtains have drastically reduced the ingress of outside air to The University of Cumbria’s Ambleside campus. This has helped to maintain the internal climate of the cafe, providing significant cost savings and vastly improving comfort for staff and students.