In 2025, commercial buildings continued to adopt more adaptable, higher-performing life-safety systems. As projects grew more complex, with larger atriums, interconnected spaces, feature stairways, open lobby designs, and elevator openings, fire+smoke curtains became a more common and effective part of overall fire+smoke control strategies. These deployable systems supported designers seeking flexibility while helping building teams meet updated code requirements and long-term performance expectations.
2025 Trends in Fire Protection
In 2025, fire+smoke protection in buildings increased, driven by stricter code enforcement, ongoing growth in open-concept architecture, and greater awareness of fire+smoke containment. Some key highlights include:
- Stricter Code Requirements: Updates to relevant national and local codes prompted more detailed attention to smoke control and egress protection. Building design teams cited increased review of UL standards such as UL 10B (fire tests of door assemblies) and UL 10D (fire protective curtains), and UL 1784 (air leakage performance).
- More Use of Performance-Based Design: Architects and fire protection engineers used performance-based approaches to meet life safety goals in large atriums, feature stairways,, and other non-traditional layouts. Deployable curtain systems filled gaps where fixed barriers were not feasible or where designers sought to preserve visibility and openness.
- Material Advancements: Manufacturers continued developing curtain materials and systems with more intelligent controllers, improved durability, heat resistance, and cycle life. Interest increased in systems with reinforced fabrics, optimized coating technologies, and more resilient drive mechanisms designed to support frequent testing and long-term use.
Growing Awareness of Fire+Smoke Curtains
Awareness of fire+smoke curtains continued to increase as more building teams evaluated how these systems perform within larger fire-life-safety and smoke control strategies.
- Integration with Digital Building Systems: Curtains were increasingly connected to building automation, alarm networks, and monitoring platforms. The goal shifted toward better coordination with elevators, HVAC, building system management and smoke control systems, as well as more reliable deployment notifications and system status reporting.
- Greater Design Flexibility: Design professionals continued to specify retractable curtains to maintain an open and subtle aesthetic while meeting life-safety requirements. This was especially common in elevator lobbies, atriums, monumental stairs, and corridors requiring separation per applicable codes.
- Elevator Hoistways and Lobby Protection: Smoke migration through elevator shafts remained a major focus in 2025. Building design teams continued specifying deployable curtains at elevator openings as part of their smoke control strategy, particularly in residential, hospital, and mixed-use buildings. These systems helped limit vertical smoke spread, protect lobbies and elevator waiting areas, and support safer evacuation routes while minimizing the overall impact on sightlines.
- System Compatibility and Compliance: Curtains that meet UL 10B, UL 10D, UL 1784, and relevant sections of the International Building Code (IBC) continued to be prioritized. Demand also increased for systems that integrate into existing power and alarm infrastructure without extensive rework during upgrades or retrofits.
- Training and Education: Facility management teams continued to seek more operational training and documentation for annual testing, deployment checks, battery replacement schedules, and service intervals.
What Smoke Guard Observed in 2025
In addition to broader industry activity, Smoke Guard saw several consistent patterns across projects nationwide:
- More post-installation evaluations of curtains at elevator openings and atrium edges to document deployment, alignment, guide condition, controller status, and battery performance
- Increased interest in product modernization options, including Smoke Guard’s M200/M400 Mod Kit, a new retrofit solution designed to update the internal components of earlier Smoke Guard elevator fire+smoke curtain models without replacing the full assembly. This cost-effective solution extended the lifespan of the building’s fire+smoke curtain equipment and improved overall reliability.
- Greater emphasis on inspection efficiency, especially for systems installed in tight header spaces or concealed ceiling pockets.
- Expanded interest in multi-year and preemptive lifecycle planning that included controller upgrades, component replacement schedules, and long-term budgeting.
Year-End Perspective
The use of fire+smoke curtains grew in 2025 as commercial buildings adopted more open designs, updated smoke control strategies, and placed stronger emphasis on lifecycle performance. Throughout the year, Smoke Guard supported these priorities through preemptive inspections, system and product modernization, and system evaluations that strengthened clients’ smoke control strategies.
As designs evolve and codes continue to tighten, curtain systems are becoming a standard part of fire+smoke control programs. Trends from 2025 point to systems that are more integrated, easier to maintain, and planned with long-term building performance in mind.