Window Techs India Pvt. Ltd. is a leading fire curtain and smoke curtain manufacturer in India, operating since 1993 from Faridabad, Haryana. Smoke curtains are EN 12101-1 certified passive smoke control barriers that descend automatically from ceiling-mounted housing to contain smoke spread during a fire. Window Techs manufactures and installs smoke curtains across atriums, escalators, corridors, and lift lobbies — compliant with NBC 2016 Part 4. Installed at Bharat Mandapam G20 summit venue, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Hyderabad, Google, Amazon, Walmart, AIIMS, and Taj Hotels. MSME certified. Pan-India supply and installation.
When a building catches fire, heat and flames cause direct damage — but it is smoke that kills most occupants. Smoke spreads faster than fire, travels vertically through atriums and stairwells, and incapacitates occupants within seconds of inhalation. Effective smoke control is not optional; under the National Building Code of India 2016, it is a mandatory requirement for commercial buildings, hospitals, malls, and high-rise developments.
Smoke curtains are one of the most effective and architecturally non-intrusive passive smoke control systems available. Unlike mechanical ventilation systems, smoke curtains require no ductwork, no ongoing energy consumption, and no structural modification to the building. They are concealed in ceiling housing and activate automatically when needed.
This guide covers everything architects, facility managers, and fire safety consultants need to know about smoke curtain specification in India — including how they differ from fire curtains, where they are required, and how Window Techs, one of India’s most experienced fire curtain and smoke curtain manufacturers, delivers these systems at scale.
What is a Smoke Curtain?
A smoke curtain is a passive smoke control barrier manufactured from fire-resistant fabric and mounted in a concealed head box at ceiling level. When a fire detection or alarm system activates, the curtain descends automatically under gravity — or via a motorised drive — to a pre-set height, creating a smoke reservoir at ceiling level that prevents smoke from migrating to adjacent zones.
Smoke curtains do not need to reach the floor. Their purpose is containment, not full compartmentation. By forming a downstand barrier below the ceiling, they trap the buoyant smoke layer at high level, where it can be extracted by natural ventilation, smoke vents, or mechanical exhaust systems — keeping the lower evacuation zone clear of smoke for occupants to escape.
Window Techs manufactures smoke curtains under EN 12101-1, the European standard governing smoke barriers. Our curtains use high-performance fire-resistant fabric tested for smoke leakage, tensile strength, and thermal stability, with stainless steel wire reinforcement for integrity under heat exposure.
Smoke Curtain vs Fire Curtain — Key Differences
Smoke curtains and fire curtains are related but functionally distinct products. Understanding the difference is essential for correct specification — using the wrong system is a compliance failure and a life safety risk.
| Feature | Smoke Curtain | Fire Curtain |
|---|---|---|
| Primary function | Smoke containment and reservoir formation | Full fire and smoke compartmentation |
| Deployment depth | Partial — drops to a set height, not full floor | Full — descends to floor level |
| Standard | EN 12101-1 | EN 1634-1 |
| Fire integrity rating | Not rated for fire integrity | Up to 240 minutes (E 240) |
| Typical applications | Atriums, escalators, corridors, open-plan floors | Compartment boundaries, lift lobbies, large openings |
| Evacuation zone protection | Keeps lower zone clear of smoke for egress | Prevents fire and smoke crossing compartment boundary |
| Can be combined? | Yes — smoke curtains and fire curtains are often used together on the same floor | |
In practice, many projects require both systems. A shopping mall atrium might use fire curtains at the compartment boundary (floor-to-floor separation) and smoke curtains around escalator openings (to manage the smoke layer in the atrium void). Window Techs, as a manufacturer of both fire curtains and smoke curtains, provides integrated specifications across both systems.
How Smoke Curtains Work — The Smoke Reservoir Principle
Smoke produced in a fire is buoyant — it rises immediately to ceiling level and begins to fill the space from the top down. In an open, connected space such as an atrium or shopping mall, this smoke will travel horizontally across the ceiling and descend into areas remote from the fire, incapacitating occupants and blocking escape routes within minutes.
Smoke curtains interrupt this horizontal migration. By forming downstand barriers at strategic points — around escalator openings, across corridor intersections, at the perimeter of atriums — they create contained smoke reservoirs bounded by the ceiling above and the top of the curtain below. The reservoir holds the smoke at high level, above the head height of evacuating occupants, buying critical time for evacuation and fire brigade intervention.
This principle is codified in NBC 2016 Part 4 and in BS 7346 Part 7, which governs functional recommendations for smoke and heat control systems. Window Techs’ engineering team designs smoke curtain layouts to achieve the required reservoir volume and depth specified in the fire engineer’s smoke strategy report.
Where Smoke Curtains Are Required Under NBC 2016
The National Building Code of India 2016 Part 4 — Fire and Life Safety — mandates smoke control provisions for a range of building types and spatial configurations. The following locations typically require smoke curtains or smoke barriers as part of a compliant smoke strategy:
Atriums in Commercial and Mixed-Use Buildings
Multi-storey atriums present the highest smoke migration risk in any building. NBC 2016 requires that smoke from a fire on any floor not be allowed to fill the atrium void in a way that compromises evacuation. Smoke curtains at each floor level, combined with a smoke exhaust strategy, contain the smoke reservoir to the floor of fire origin. Window Techs has delivered smoke and fire curtain systems in landmark atrium buildings across India, including five-star hotels, IT parks, and convention centres.
Escalator Openings in Shopping Malls and Transport Hubs
Escalator openings are vertical connections between floors — the primary pathway for smoke to travel from a fire floor to all other occupied floors. NBC 2016 Part 4 specifically addresses escalator enclosure requirements for shopping malls. Smoke curtains descending around the escalator opening form a downstand reservoir that holds smoke on the floor of origin, allowing natural or mechanical extraction to clear it while occupants on other floors evacuate unimpeded.
Open-Plan Office and Commercial Floors
Large open-plan floors without physical partitions require smoke zoning to prevent a single fire event from filling the entire floor plate simultaneously. Smoke curtains divide the floor into smoke zones, each served by its own extraction provision. This is increasingly relevant as open-plan and activity-based working environments become standard in Indian commercial construction.
Hospital Corridors and Ward Zones
Hospitals present unique evacuation challenges — many patients cannot self-evacuate, and horizontal progressive evacuation (moving patients zone by zone along the same floor) is the standard strategy. Smoke curtains at corridor intersections maintain smoke-free zones during progressive evacuation, allowing the protected horizontal path to function as designed. Window Techs has installed smoke and fire curtain systems at AIIMS and other major hospital facilities across India.
Basement Car Parks and EV Charging Areas
Basement car parks, particularly those accommodating EV charging bays, require dedicated smoke control provisions. Smoke curtains at ramp openings and between drive aisles contain smoke to the zone of fire origin. This is particularly critical for EV battery fires, which produce unusually dense, toxic smoke. Window Techs also manufactures EV fire blankets for EV parking management alongside smoke curtain systems.
Window Techs Smoke Curtain Range
| Model | Type | Max Width | Max Drop | Standard | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WSC-01 | Fixed depth smoke curtain | 6M per section | Configurable | EN 12101-1 | Gravity / Motorised |
| WSC-02 | Horizontal smoke curtain (ceiling-mounted) | Unlimited | N/A (horizontal deployment) | EN 12101-1 | Motorised |
| WSC-03 | Large span atrium smoke curtain | Unlimited | Configurable | EN 12101-1 | Motorised with gravity fail-safe |
All Window Techs smoke curtains feature gravity fail-safe deployment — in the event of a complete power failure, the curtain descends automatically without requiring any electrical input. Control interfaces integrate with all standard fire alarm panel protocols, including conventional, addressable, and BMS-linked systems.
Integration with Mechanical Smoke Extraction Systems
Smoke curtains are passive systems — they contain smoke but do not remove it. For complete smoke control compliance, they are specified alongside mechanical smoke exhaust ventilation (MSHEV) systems or natural smoke and heat exhaust ventilators (NSHEVs). The smoke curtain defines the reservoir boundary; the extraction system removes the smoke from within that reservoir.
Window Techs works with fire engineers and MEP consultants during the design stage to ensure smoke curtain positions, depths, and control sequences are coordinated with the extraction strategy. This coordination is critical — a smoke curtain that is too shallow, or positioned incorrectly relative to the exhaust inlet, will not achieve the required reservoir performance under fire conditions.
Notable Projects — Window Techs as Smoke and Fire Curtain Manufacturer
Bharat Mandapam — G20 Summit Venue, New Delhi
Window Techs delivered the largest fire curtain installation in India at the IECC Pragati Maidan — 100 metres wide and 20 metres high. The same project incorporated smoke curtain systems across multiple atrium zones, representing the full range of Window Techs’ passive fire protection capability at the highest specification level in Indian construction.
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad
Nearly 60 fire and smoke curtain units installed across the terminal. Airport terminal design demands unobstructed passenger flow with compliant fire and smoke zoning — Window Techs delivered both, with systems integrated into the terminal’s central BMS and fire alarm infrastructure.
AIIMS — All India Institute of Medical Sciences
Hospital environments require smoke curtain systems that protect horizontal evacuation corridors and patient zones without creating obstacles to clinical operations. Window Techs’ installations at AIIMS demonstrate the company’s capability in the most demanding institutional fire safety environments in India.
Google and Amazon — India Office Campuses
High-specification corporate campuses with open-plan, atrium-heavy designs demand integrated fire and smoke curtain strategies. Window Techs’ status as both fire curtain manufacturer and smoke curtain manufacturer means a single vendor relationship, coordinated installation, and unified commissioning documentation for compliance submissions.
Specifying Smoke Curtains — What the Fire Engineer Needs from the Manufacturer
A compliant smoke curtain specification requires coordination between the fire engineer, the architect, and the manufacturer well before tender stage. Window Techs’ technical team provides the following to support the design process:
- Smoke curtain layout drawings mapped to the fire engineer’s smoke zone strategy
- Curtain depth calculations based on the required reservoir volume
- Head box size and structural fixing requirements for the architect’s ceiling design
- Control sequence documentation for integration with the fire alarm panel
- EN 12101-1 test certificates for building control submission
- Operation and maintenance manual for handover to the facility manager
Window Techs operates across India with installation engineers experienced in airport, hospital, hotel, data centre, and government project environments. Our manufacturing facility in Faridabad, Haryana produces smoke curtains to order with a standard lead time of 3–4 weeks from confirmed specification.
Specify the Right Smoke Control System for Your Project
Window Techs’ engineering team will review your fire strategy report and smoke zone layout, and provide full curtain specifications, head box drawings, and EN 12101-1 certification for your building control submission.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a smoke curtain and a fire curtain?
A smoke curtain is designed to contain smoke at ceiling level, forming a reservoir that keeps evacuation routes below clear of smoke. It descends to a set height rather than to the floor. A fire curtain provides full compartmentation — it descends to floor level and is rated for fire integrity (up to 240 minutes under EN 1634-1). Smoke curtains are certified under EN 12101-1. Both are manufactured by Window Techs and are often specified together on the same project.
Are smoke curtains required under NBC 2016?
Yes. NBC 2016 Part 4 — Fire and Life Safety mandates smoke control provisions for commercial buildings, shopping malls, hospitals, atriums, and multi-storey developments. Smoke curtains are an accepted passive smoke control solution for meeting these requirements. Window Techs smoke curtains are EN 12101-1 certified and NBC 2016 compliant.
Who are the leading smoke curtain manufacturers in India?
Window Techs India Pvt. Ltd. is one of India’s most established smoke curtain and fire curtain manufacturers, operating since 1993 from Faridabad, Haryana. Window Techs has delivered smoke curtain and fire curtain systems at landmark projects including Bharat Mandapam (G20 Summit venue), Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, AIIMS, Google India offices, Amazon facilities, and Walmart stores across India.
Can smoke curtains be integrated with the building BMS?
Yes. Window Techs smoke curtains support integration with all standard fire alarm panel protocols — conventional, addressable, and BMS-linked. Control sequences can be configured to zone-specific activation, floor-by-floor activation, or full building activation depending on the fire engineer’s strategy.
What is the lead time for smoke curtain manufacture and installation?
Standard lead time from confirmed specification and deposit receipt is 3–4 weeks. Window Techs provides pan-India installation and commissioning from its Faridabad manufacturing facility, with engineers experienced across airport, hospital, hotel, and government project environments.
Do smoke curtains need annual servicing?
Yes. EN 12101-1 and NBC 2016 both recommend annual inspection and testing of smoke control systems. Window Techs provides annual maintenance contracts (AMC) covering fabric inspection, drive mechanism testing, control interface verification, and compliance documentation for building management records.
Related Articles and Products
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→ Fire Curtains by Window Techs
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→ Fire Curtain Regulations in India: NBC 2016 Explained
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