Entryway Systems

What are Entryway Systems?

Entryway or “walk-off” systems are grills, grates, or mats that reduce the amount of dirt, dust, pollen, and other biological and non-biological agents entering the building.[1] Once brought indoors, these substances can enter into air circulation, and the HVAC system and the building occupants can become exposed to them. The goal is to minimize and control pollutant entry into buildings and cross-contamination of regularly occupied areas. Entryway systems can prevent 80 to 90 percent of dust, dirt, and other particles commonly tracked into a building from reaching the interior.[2] Designing exterior entrances with permanent entryway systems to catch and hold particles helps enhance indoor environmental quality by contributing to source control of dust, pollen, and other particles.[3]

Figure 1 – Installation of a metal grate as part of the entryway system for Queens Botanical Garden Visitor Center (Source: Queens Botanical Garden)

How to Incorporate Entryway Systems

Install permanent entryway systems at outside entrances to prevent dirt from entering the building. Entryway systems include permanently installed grates, grilles, or slotted systems that allow for cleaning underneath. Roll-out mats can also serve as entryway systems that protect the indoor environmental quality, but they need to be maintained weekly and be designed to guide traffic along the entire length of the mat. Incorporate specifics about entryway maintenance in the facility’s green cleaning program (see Green Cleaning).

Benefits

• Reduces contaminants/pollutants in the facility
• Reduces cleaning/maintenance costs
• Protects indoor air quality
• Improves indoor environmental quality
• Protects occupant health
• Protects indoor flooring surfaces
• Contributes to the durability of the facility

Costs

The cost of entryway systems varies depending on the type of system installed. An entrance mat may cost as little as $4-6/sf, and a metal grate system cost approximately $20/sf (material only).[4] On average, people track over a pound of dirt a week into a building through just one entryway so reducing the amount of dirt and other particles that enter the building can reduce the cost of cleaning.[5]

Resiliency

Entryway systems help protect indoor air quality and the integrity of indoor flooring materials during events that cause wet conditions such as storms and flooding, contributing to the protection of occupants during and following storm events as well as the long-term durability of the facility.

[1] Yale University, Green Cleaning Standards.  Published by the Yale Facilities Management Department and The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), February 2012. https://stars.aashe.org/media/secure/241/7/652/5915/GreenCleaning.pdf (accessed July 28th, 2018)

[2] Lynne Knoblock Fedders, Cleanlink.  Published by the National Floor Safety Institute, October 2013.  https://nfsi.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/design.pdf (accessed July 28, 2018)

[3] Whole Building Design Guide. http://www.wbdg.org/design/ieq.php (accessed July 28, 2018).

[4] Costs based on average data from several manufacturers.

[5] Corrine Zudonyi, CleanLink. Floor Care, Rolling out the Welcome Mat.   http://www.cleanlink.com/hs/article/Floor-Care-Rolling-Out-The-Welcome-Mat–8939 (accessed July 28, 2018).