Door of the future

One of the most inspiring parts of the DoorCo stand at FIT Show 2025 was the ‘Door of the Future’, which highlighted how technology, both from a manufacturing and smart perspective, could shape the future of the humble front door. DoorCo’s commercial director, Ben Aspinall, explains.

One key factor to exhibiting at the FIT Show is showcasing innovation. While we had lots to celebrate with updates to our products, services, and marketing delivered through our One Supplier initiative, the stand also felt like the perfect place to explore the capabilities of smart technology.

Leaning on my technology background and our working partnership with Kubu, we decided to map out what the smart ‘Door of the Future’ might look like, embracing existing technologies that are being used in many tech-savvy homes.

Starting with the basics, the slab we naturally used was GripCore. The door itself exceeds current requirements with its hybrid core that uses a combination of timber, foam and aluminium to achieve a centre pane U-Value of 0.8W/m²K – the lowest rating achieved by a solid core composite door to date.

We then used our existing colour matching service to answer a question we’re often asked: “Can you paint the door to match my car?” We delivered exactly that, obtaining the RAL for Audi’s Nardo grey.

The door was glazed using black Flip Modern cassettes to bring a futuristic look to the Monza II Seminole 4 design.

Furnished with tech

Furnishing the door with tech was the most exciting part of the project, utilising existing smart products readily available on the market and testing how they can link together to enhance the occupier’s comfort.

An integrated Ring doorbell – installed using the prepped Keyhole aperture was the most obvious starting place as one of the most popular and accessible smart door products. They’re reliable, easy to use and integrate well with other smart home tech – something we put to the test.

Kubu’s discreetly designed sensors can tell you if a door is open, closed or locked, and can alert you to potential threat. They can also integrate with other tech – like the mechanical hinges we used to automate opening and closing of the door.

They also use geofencing, so when you come close to the door, it will open automatically. As much as this sounds like a luxury, it’s also hugely practical. Our Door of the Future is completely accessible for wheelchair users, especially when used on the taller, wider Eaton door.

All the door’s smart tech is linked via an iPad app that can talk to other smart tech in the home, enabling the user to set up actions as soon as the door is opened – automatically when you get within range!

Powered by glass

The tech and its capabilities are great, but power can sometimes be an issue. That’s why we installed energy-absorbing glass in the door that, like a solar panel, can draw on natural energy to power the tech.

The glass can also improve energy efficiency and comfort in buildings by reducing heat transfer.

Fit for purpose

Creating a door that encompasses lots of tech might have been a fun project, but it had real purpose. It was a prototype to inspire and get people thinking about the capabilities of smart and where the market is heading.

Our many visitors to the stand were impressed with the Door of the Future, but as a market research tool, it was only right to garner feedback to ensure any further development in this area creates a product that is fit for purpose.