Powerful drive for maximum barrier-free accessibility: GEZE Powerturn in the Hoogerwaard nursing home
Accessibility and safe access to all areas play a central role at the Hoogerwaard nursing home. In collaboration with its partner Cystac (part of Polvo BV), which was responsible for installation and project management, GEZE supplied the GEZE Powerturn drive unit, a completely secure solution that meets the high requirements of European standard EN 16005 and the Integrated Accessibility Standard (ITS).
Safe and barrier-free: the Hoogerwaard nursing home
The Powerturn drive units are tailored to the individual needs of residents. © GEZE Benelux
In February 2024, the Hoogerwaard nursing home opened in the heart of Hoogerheide in North Brabant. The facility is part of the tanteLouise care organisation and has 141 apartments for people who require care and support due to physical limitations, Parkinson's disease or dementia. The house is divided into 17 living areas, each with its own common room including a kitchen, sitting area and balcony or terrace. In addition, there is a central brasserie, a courtyard garden, a hairdressing salon and an activity room. Security and accessibility must be guaranteed for all residents and their individual needs in all these areas. For this reason, automatic GEZE Powerturn door drive units were installed in many flats and living areas.
The right support for every need: Powerturn drive units ensure freedom of movement
It is easy to switch between the different modes of the Powerturn without causing any malfunctions. © GEZE Benelux
What makes them special: Powerturn swing door drives are not only particularly powerful, but can also be individually adapted to the specific needs of residents:
- Residents who are physically capable can open their doors manually. Thanks to the integrated Smart Swing technology, the door can be opened and closed easily.
- In servo mode, the drive gently assists the door movement – a solution for residents who are limited in certain activities but can still perform them independently.
- A fully automatic mode is available for residents with limited mobility and for staff. In combination with access control or operating elements such as elbow or push buttons, it enables convenient, barrier-free and hygienic opening and closing of doors.
This promotes the right level of freedom of movement and independent activity for everyone.
For smooth operation: easy switching between operating modes
The functions of the GEZE Powerturn can be easily adjusted via the building automation control system or a physical programme switch. The door technology thus enables a flexible concept that meets the specific requirements of a nursing institution at all times. Particularly practical for ongoing operation: it is possible to switch back and forth between the different modes of the Powerturn without causing any malfunctions. This not only reduces the workload for staff, but also minimises downtime.
Appropriate access rights for the respective needs of building users
Hoogerwaard is also uses state-of-the-art technology for access control. Residents wear wristbands or necklaces with a personal tag, while staff use a smartphone application. Access rights can be adapted to the individual needs of users at any time. For example, some residents only have access to their own rooms and the corridors and communal areas of their ward, while others can also open the doors to the central brasserie, the inner courtyard or the "shopping street" at the edge of the nursing home.
The Powerturn ensures security in accordance with DIN EN 16005.
Sensors monitor the automated doors and ensure maximum security for all users. © GEZE Benelux
The European standard DIN EN 16005:2024-08 specifies the requirements for safe use and the necessary test procedures for power-operated interior and exterior doors. Among other things, the harmonised standard stipulates that "any contact with an automatic door is unacceptable if a significant proportion of users are elderly people, people with disabilities or children".
For this reason, the automated doors at the Hoogerwaard nursing home are monitored by sensors: if a person is in or near the door swing area, the door movement stops or does not start at all. This reliably prevents contact and ensures compliance with European standard EN 16005 in accordance with the Integrated Accessibility Standard (ITS).
For fire protection and accessibility: Powerturn with free swing function
Thanks to the preloaded mechanical spring and the Smart Swing function, the Powerturn has a free swing function. It is one of the few drives on the market in which this spring is preloaded, which optimises manual operation. This ensures both fire protection and accessibility.
With manual operation, the Powerturn can either close automatically after opening (e.g. in conjunction with access control) or be configured to remain open. In any case, the door closes securely via the spring in the event of a fire alarm. This creates a flexible solution that meets the highest standards of safety and accessibility in all situations: a door that opens barrier-free with minimal resistance, yet closes reliably on its own in an emergency.
GEZE Powerturn advantages at a glance:
- For easy manual accessibility: Smart swing function
- For quiet closing just before the closed position: Soft Close
- For greater accessibility and fewer false alarms
- For greater sustainability: Comes with an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
- For high reliability and durability: TÜV-tested for 1,000,000 cycles
The Powerturn automatic swing door drive steps up a gear
Good to know: The multi-award-winning Powerturn swing door drive scores highly with software update 2.1, offering enhanced accessibility features, greater flexibility in door planning and faster commissioning.
Innovative door, window and security systems for health care
As an international company with extensive experience in the planning and construction of buildings in the health care sector, we are familiar with the requirements and regional specifications that apply to window, door and security systems in hospitals and nursing institutions. We advise you in every phase of your project and are at your side as your partner, from the planning of a new project to the modernisation of an existing building.
Modern care: barrier-free at the Hoogerwaard nursing home
In February 2024, the Hoogerwaard nursing home opened in Hoogerheide (North Brabant) – a modern home with 141 barrier-free apartments for people with physical disabilities, Parkinson's disease or dementia. Thanks to the automatic GEZE Powerturn drive units, the facility offers maximum security, comfort and freedom of movement for residents and staff.
