26 ASK THE MANUFACTURER


WHY HAVE SLIDING DOORS OVERTAKEN BIFOLD DOORS TO BECOME THE GO-TO OPTION FOR GLAZED DOORS ON EXTENSIONS, RENOVATIONS & NEW-BUILD PROJECTS? liding doors have benefi ted from several converging factors hermally, they are capable of outperforming bifolds because they have more glass and less frame, and frames are now the weaest thermal element esthetically, they offer larger panes, slimmer sightlines and uninterrupted views, which suit contemporary design trends ractically, sliding doors are easier to install and maintain, and in the ritish climate they remain closed for most of the year, maing visual aesthetics more important than full opening width or developers, they also offer a better balance of performance, cost, longevity and compliance


WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF WORKING WITH A SUPPLIER WHO PROVIDES THE ENTIRE DESIGN & MANUFACTURING SERVICE?  fully integrated supplier offers greater control over uality, performance and regulatory compliance y designing, manufacturing and installing inhouse, companies lie Iystems are not constrained by thirdparty system limitations and can engineer solutions specifi cally to meet building regulations his reduces ris, avoids passing responsibility between parties and ensures accountability throughout the proect lifecycle It also allows earlier and more meaningful collaboration with architects and developers, leading to better coordinated, more reliable outcomes


WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS YOU’RE SEEING ON RESIDENTIAL DESIGNS OF HAVING TO MANAGE THE BALANCE BETWEEN PARTS L & O OF THE REGS?


esigners increasingly have to fi nd a compromise between maimising the amount of glaing against thermal effi ciency art  and overheating ris art , particularly on southfacing elevations in ondon and the outh ast his has led to more considered facade design, sometimes reducing glaing areas, and greater use of shading strategies such as overhangs, brise soleil and integrated design solutions here is a growing recognition that the whole building envelope must wor together, as ecessive glaing can undermine energy effi ciency if it leads to increased reliance or use of energyhungry airconditioning units


WHAT IS THE FUTURE FOR TRICKLE VENTS? DO YOU STILL HAVE TO INCLUDE THEM OR HAS MECHANICAL VENTILATION MADE THEM OBSOLETE? ricle vents remain a regulatory


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reuirement under art  of uilding egs and therefore must still be included for most newbuilds and etensions and replacement wor owever, they are sometimes seen as an undesirable and somewhat illogical solution, as they can compromise airtight, thermally effi cient systems echanical ventilation is becoming more common and may reduce reliance on tricle vents in the future, but for now they remain part of compliance here is an epectation that future regulations may address this more holistically


ARE YOU SEEING INCREASED MARKET SHARE FOR ALUMINIUM VERSUS PVC, DRIVEN BY SUSTAINABILITY? es, aluminium is increasingly favoured, particularly in higherend residential and developer proects It is associated with high performance, durability, slimmer frames and premium aesthetics, all of which align with current design and sustainability epectations hile not stated as a wholesale replacement for  across all sectors, aluminium’s performance credentials and longevity contribute to its growing appeal, as it has


infi nite recyclability


WHY ARE BONDED SYSTEMS TO BE TREATED WITH CAUTION?


ltraslim bonded sliding door systems permanently fi  glass to the frame, which creates longterm riss If the glass breas, replacement often reuires the removal of the entire panel and reliance on the original manufacturer still producing that system his can be costly and problematic years later, especially if the manufacturer or system is no longer available onbonded, dryglaed systems where the glass is secured in place by beads allows double or triple glaed units to be replaced independently, offering better longterm serviceability, reduced ris for developers and homeowners, and greater resilience over the lifespan of the building


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podcast with David Clarke, scan the QR code.


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