Smart buildings are revolutionizing how we manage and monitor access, ensuring a seamless experience for everyone from visitors to staff. And it all starts at the door.
A 2025 report by analysts Memoori predicts a booming future for the Internet of Things (IoT) in commercial buildings, estimating a global market of $101 billion (€87.5 billion) by 2030. That’s a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.9%. Offices, retail spaces, data centers, and hospitality businesses are expected to lead the charge in adopting smart building technology.
The promise of smart buildings is compelling: enhanced security, optimized energy use, and data-driven decision-making, all in real-time. This translates to significant growth potential. Fortune Business Insights forecasts the market to surge from $143 billion (€122 billion) in 2025 to a staggering $548.5 billion (€469.5 billion) by 2032, with an estimated CAGR of 21.2%. Security systems and technologies are poised to be a major driver of this expansion.
It starts at the door
In a world of sophisticated sensors and building management dashboards, the humble door closer might seem insignificant. But it’s actually a critical piece of the puzzle in creating the next generation of intelligent buildings. Today’s advanced door closers do much more than just shut doors. They play a vital role in maintaining climate control, reducing noise, ensuring fire safety and accessibility, and boosting overall security and convenience.
From a security perspective, the door closer is indispensable. A door left ajar, whether by accident or wear, compromises security protocols. Smart closers work in tandem with digital locking and access systems to guarantee doors close securely behind every authorized user, minimizing the risk of unauthorized entry. Furthermore, a certified door closer is a cornerstone of any fire safety plan. Integrated with fire alarm systems, these closers allow fire doors to remain open during normal operations but automatically close in an emergency, facilitating safer evacuations and ensuring regulatory compliance without sacrificing everyday convenience.
The benefits extend to sustainability as well. A closed interior door helps maintain temperature differences, whether it’s between an office and a hallway or a server room and a climate-exposed atrium. Properly closed interior doors also mitigate stack pressure – the undesirable influx of air at lower levels caused by rising warm air – which can disrupt HVAC system performance.
Even a single poorly closed door can force HVAC systems to work overtime, resulting in unnecessary energy consumption. A door closer ensures doors close gently but securely every time, contributing to improved energy efficiency.
Smart door, smarter building
In a connected building, seamless integration is key. ASSA ABLOY’s intelligent door closers are designed to function as part of a comprehensive Building Management System (BMS). They integrate effortlessly with access control, fire alarm, and HVAC platforms, making buildings more responsive, secure, and efficient.
“Every model in our range of award-winning door closers is engineered for performance, durability and aesthetics. As you would expect, they meet or exceed critical EN 1154 compliance requirements and in most cases, are certified for use on fire doors” says Andreas Gmelin, Product Management and Business Development Director from ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions EMEIA. “Increasingly, they are also designed, from the ground up, by paying attention to their growing role within an intelligent building environment. They can be responsive and be used together with other components in a smart building, focusing upon access, energy and life safety.”
“In short, they are no longer just robust, convenient hardware working in isolation to perform a single important task. Door closers are now a key enabler of improved smart building performance, which benefits every user and makes life easier for building managers.”
To discover the intelligence embedded in every ASSA ABLOY Door Closer and how it can enhance your building, visit:
https://www.assaabloy.com/group/emeia/solutions/topics/door-closers