How Air Curtains Reduce Energy Costs in Manitoba Facilities
IN Manitoba, cold weather isn’t just a season. Long winters and extreme temperatures have shaped how Manitobans live and work, building resilience while also keeping one priority top of mind: staying warm.
For industrial facilities, maintaining indoor heat isn’t just about comfort; it’s a major operational cost. Businesses with shipping and receiving areas, particularly those with frequently used loading docks, face a constant challenge. Every time an overhead door opens, warm air escapes and cold air rushes in, forcing heating systems to work harder to maintain stable temperatures.
It adds up quickly. A single loading dock door operating through the winter months can result in substantial energy waste and higher utility bills, especially for large facilities with multiple doors.
So how can businesses maintain efficient operations without sacrificing energy consumption? One increasingly effective solution is the use of air curtains.
STOPPING ENERGY WASTE AT THE DOOR
This air barrier significantly reduces the mixing of indoor and outdoor air when doors are open, helping maintain consistent indoor temperatures and improving overall energy efficiency.
Today’s air curtains go well beyond basic air separation. They help reduce heat loss in winter and limit heat gain in warmer months, easing the load on HVAC systems and lowering overall energy consumption. Modern designs deliver steady airflow that minimizes drafts and improves comfort for employees working near high-traffic doorways. At the same time, they support better indoor air quality by preventing dust, fumes, and insects from entering the facility.
Advancements in motor technology and aerodynamic design have also made newer models noticeably quieter, contributing to a more comfortable work environment. Many systems now feature smart controls and automation, allowing them to integrate seamlessly with building management systems and activate automatically when doors are in use. With durable components and built-in diagnostics, modern air curtains are also designed for reliability, reducing maintenance needs, downtime, and associated costs. For facilities operating in Manitoba’s climate, these combined benefits can have a meaningful impact, not only on energy savings but on overall operational efficiency.
PROJECT FEATURE: IMPROVING ENERGY EFFICIENCY AT MACDON INDUSTRIES
For companies like MacDon Industries, efficiency and performance are core to everything they do. With more than 75 years of experience, MacDon is a global leader in the manufacturing of high-performance harvesting equipment. Rooted in Winnipeg’s prairie heritage, they design and manufacture equipment that supports agricultural operations worldwide, driven by a desire to make harvesting easier and more productive for farmers.
That same commitment to performance extends beyond their products and into their facilities.
MacDon’s Winnipeg manufacturing site includes a large shipping and receiving area where overhead doors are used frequently. Like many industrial operations, this created ongoing challenges with heat loss, temperature fluctuations, and energy costs.
UPGRADING TO IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Recognizing the opportunity to improve efficiency, MacDon looked to upgrade its facility with air curtain technology. “In a facility like ours, where doors are opening and closing constantly, managing heat loss is an ongoing challenge. We’re always looking for practical solutions that improve efficiency without disrupting operations, and air curtains were a natural fit,” explains Shane Sutyla, Product Line Director, at MacDon. “Having previously worked together on energy-saving initiatives, like the upgrades to our air compressor system, connecting with Efficiency Manitoba to explore this project was an obvious next step.”
The team installed three new energy-efficient air curtains on overhead doors in the shipping and receiving area of MacDon’s Winnipeg facility. These upgraded systems were designed to reduce the amount of cold air entering the facility by counteracting wind pressure and natural air movement through open doors. By creating a consistent air barrier, the new air curtains help maintain indoor temperatures even during frequent door operation, improving comfort and reducing overall energy demand during the winter.
TURNING EFFICIENCY INTO MEASURABLE RESULTS
The impact the upgrade had was significant. Through the project, MacDon achieved meaningful energy and cost savings, including annual natural gas savings of over 74,000 m³ and approximately $14,600 in reduced utility costs. MacDon also received more than $22,000 in incentives through Efficiency Manitoba’s Custom Energy Solutions program, resulting in a simple payback of 3.5 years.
Beyond the financial return, the facility now benefits from improved temperature stability and a more comfortable working environment for employees. In addition, MacDon has recently joined Efficiency Manitoba’s Strategic Energy Management (SEM) Cohorts program further demonstrating their ongoing commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability. SEM Cohorts was recently launched to bring together multiple organizations to participate in a shared learning and engagement experience over a three-year term. Participants gain fractional access to an energy management service provider, professionally facilitated workshops, one-on-one guidance and support, and peer learning to develop a Strategic Energy Management Plan and implement practical measures that deliver measurable and lasting energy savings.
SUPPORTING SMARTER ENERGY USE WITH CUSTOM ENERGY SOLUTIONS
Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution, the Custom Energy Solutions (CES) program takes a systems-based approach by working directly with facilities to understand how energy is used and where improvements can deliver the greatest impact. This tailored approach supports a wide range of industrial systems and processes in addition to air curtains, including compressed air systems, pumps and fans, refrigeration, variable-speed drives, steam and boiler systems, ventilation, and waste heat recovery.
Participants in the program benefit from both technical expertise and financial support to implement their projects. A key part of the program is its performance-based incentives, which are directly tied to the amount of energy saved. For example, businesses can receive $0.25 for every kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity saved and $0.30 for every cubic meter (m³) of natural gas saved. “Projects like this demonstrate how relatively simple upgrades, such as air curtains, can make a meaningful impact on energy efficiency and operational comfort in industrial facilities,” says Rob Andrushuk, Industrial Systems Professional, at Efficiency Manitoba. “By taking a customized approach, we’re able to help businesses identify practical solutions that align with both their operational needs and energy-saving goals.”
By aligning financial support with measurable results, the program helps make energy efficiency upgrades more practical and financially viable for Manitoba businesses.
START SAVING ENERGY TODAY
For large manufacturing and industrial facilities like MacDon, energy efficiency isn’t just about reducing costs; it’s about improving performance, working environment, reliability, and long-term sustainability.
The air curtains installed at MacDon’s Winnipeg facility demonstrate just how meaningful the results can be when paired with the right expertise.
Efficiency Manitoba’s Custom Energy Solutions program helps industrial businesses identify energy savings opportunities, optimize their energy needs, and maximize return on investment through tailored strategies and performance-based incentives.
If you’re looking to reduce energy use, lower operating costs, and improve your facilities’ efficiency, Efficiency Manitoba’s technical team is here to help.
Learn more about how Efficiency Manitoba can help your industrial business improve performance and cut costs. Visit efficiencyMB.ca/industrial.
