Award

The VanAir door design by Lynden Door. Overhead door systems from Steel-Craft Door Products. PC350's soundproof door solutions. Essence Series patio doors from Milgard Windows & Doors. Doors "Year after year we see growing consumer demand for affordable, yet elegant indoor/outdoor living options. Large patio doors and moving glass wall systems offer sweeping outdoor views and rejuve- nate your home with natural light and fresh air," says Jeremiah Noneman, director of marketing for Milgard Windows & Doors. "Available in stacking, pocket or bi-fold styles, Milgard Moving Glass Wall Systems are sleek and modern, and are available in designer colours that can meet virtually any design need. Our Essence Series patio doors, which are protected by the Milgard Full Lifetime Warranty, are another popular option that feature the beauty of wood on the interior and the durability of fibreglass on the exterior." "We have a whole category we call Scenic Doors, and that's just a nod to the fact that these doors get very large," explains Hanson. "We're seeing 30-, 40-foot widths, in walls where there might have for- merly been just one door flanked by windows." The company's own multi-slide door goes up to 50-feet wide by 12-feet tall. Extra-tall doors are popular too, adds Nadiger, and you'll see more eight-foot options over the traditional six-foot-eight ones. Even when the doors aren't actually larger, slim frames give the illusion of a bigger door. PC350's framed doors, for example, feature minimal frame profile sizes to allow for increased-size glass panes and optimum access to sunlight. That's even the case for PC350's industry-leading oversized designs. These new dimensions are not without their chal- lenges, however. "If you look at the performance of the structure from an architectural standpoint, having a big door brings extra concerns about thermal per- formance and water management," Hanson notes. Marvin's multi-slide design, though, features a stan- dard-point 0.28 U-factor using dual-pane insulated glass. A high-performance sill option allows the door to manage a PG50 rating, while maintaining a flush sill profile. "It's truly a big door that eliminates a lot of the typical design tradeoffs," says Hanson. T R A D I N G P L A C E S The patio then isn't the only place you'll find glass doors these days. All Weather Windows just launched a new flush-glazed door, intended to work for alterna- tive applications. "It's a response to a market that is interested in that type of door for applications like the main entrance," explains Nadiger. Designed with tex- tures, it meets the clean-line trend while also allowing for privacy. Just like patio doors aren't just for patios anymore, overhead doors are being integrated into spaces besides the garage. "We're finding a lot more projects we're putting our products into – from commercial to unique residential applications – are using them to close off different entrance points," says Travis Reynolds, national marketing manager for Steel-Craft Door Products. That might be a pub or coffee shop that opens up onto the patio, or a grocery store that uses the overhead-style door for the entrance. "It gives a differ- ent sense of the space when you can open things up like that, weather permitting, of course," he adds. I N N O VAT I O N S P A C E As regulations change and consumer knowledge grows, door manufacturers and retailers are pushing the envelope with their designs. PC350 for example is experimenting with soundproof doors that balance esthetics with function. "We always want to improve the working experience for the people within their space," says Ronaldo Chiovitti, director of sales and business development for PC350. "We're accommodat- ing a variety of glass thicknesses to complement a wide array of Sound Transmission Class demands." PC350's door seal options further aid the cause, as they miti- gate the transfer of sound. Then there's Diamond Doors; the first bi-fold door manufacturer to offer a self-diagnostic circuit board technology with a UL 325 / CSA 22.2 certification for its electric opener system. It's a big change for an indus- try where many manufacturers still rely on old relay controlled electrical lifting systems. When it comes to The Sliding Door Company, they have been focusing on the safety of their products and on secure rail systems. "All our sliding doors literally lock into our bottom tracks with our patented wheel lock safety system, this makes it virtually impossible for our doors to leave their tracks," says Stein. You'll also find innovations in terms of panel layout in the market today. Since launching the multi-slide last spring, Marvin has been continuing to experi- ment, recently launching an XOX configuration – a double-wide stationary centre panel with two oper- ating panels. It's a unique look, featuring a giant fixed viewing pane. G O W I T H T H E F L O W Soundproofing and airflow may not necessarily be two words you usually find in the same sentence, but the new VanAir door design by Lynden Door offers a revo- lutionary way to promote room-to-room ventilation, without compromising sound control. Using an inte- rior channel that runs vertically on each side of the door, VanAir designers created a pathway to move air from one side of a door to the other, without giving up comfort or style. The idea is the brainchild of two engineering stu- dents from the University of British Columbia. During class the students watched as their professor strug- gled to cool a stuffy room without letting the hallway noise drown out the lecture. After multiple iterations, VanAir successfully teamed with Lynden Door to cre- ate a production-level line that was already becoming popular for commercial and residential uses. With the ability to adapt the size, style and hardware require- ments, the VanAir door continues to gain traction. The VanAir door features Helmholtz resonator con- structions tuned to attenuate specific frequencies. It produces the same sound privacy as a solid door, but with a modern ventilating design. Co-creator Vick Yau says, "VanAir improves both the energy and acoustic performance of a building – not to mention its style – by removing the need for unsightly grates and vents or undercutting. We can provide twice the airflow and better sound privacy [as undercut doors]." M AT E R I A L W O R L D Fibreglass may just be the up-and-coming material for 2016. Though the material has long been popular in certain Canadian regions, its reach looks to be expand- ing. "More customers are embracing the features and benefits of fibreglass and we believe this will get even bigger in the years to come," says Nadiger. It's just one material that allows for a convincing faux-finish. "While elaborate wood doors will never go out of fashion, we are noticing that customers are looking for interesting new materials like aluminum or metal to help differentiate their homes or offices," says Stein. It's all about giving your space a unique look to differentiate your home from the pack, and choosing a style that will also be maintenance-free.

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