Future proof
Are systems companies being too slow to support fabricators with products that meet the latest revisions to the Building Regs? We talk to Deceuninck Aluminium’s director, Nigel Headford, to find out.
Despite the fact that systems companies have known for some time that revisions to the Building Regulations would be coming into force by the middle of June 2022, many fabricators have been kept in the dark by their suppliers regarding compliant bi-folding doors.
With U-values dropping to 1.2W/m2K for windows (and doors with a glazed area of greater than 60%) going into newbuild properties from the summer, and dropping even further by 2025, pressure has been building on systems companies to be clearer about what their products can and can’t achieve.
In many cases, even relatively new bi-folding doors – which tick the boxes for aesthetics, performance and security – struggle to meet the new requirements, with triple glazing often being pushed as a method of compliance.
“Older systems were actually designed for a double-glazed unit, so there’s a maximum width of unit you can get into the frames,” Nigel Headford, director at Deceuninck Aluminium, says. “So, the question is not about the number of panes of glass, but how deep you can go, and with older systems you are typically limited to a 28mm-32mm unit.”
This, he argues, limits the design in terms of thermal performance. Since the Decalu88 bi-folding door from Deceuninck Aluminium can incorporate units with thickness ranging from 12mm to 62mm, you have greater control over the thermal performance.
“If we went for a standard centre-pane U-value of 1.0W/m2K on the bi-folding door, we can achieve an overall U-value of 1.13W/m2K,” he says. “This means our door can comply with the 2022 Part L revisions with a double-glazed unit. And if we went for a 0.4W/m2K centre-pane U-value, we can achieve an overall performance of 0.68W/m2K with a triple-glazed unit. That’s based on a 4m x 3m bi-folding door, and able to meet the expected values in 2025.”
If a triple glazed unit was used to improve the thermal performance of older systems, consideration would need to be made for the extra weight placed on the hardware.
“Most bi-folding doors on the market have a maximum weight of 100kg-150kg,” Nigel says. “So, if you are going to put in triple glazing then you are probably going to go over that maximum weight, which is going to limit the size of the door.”
The rollers on the Deceuninck system are designed to take 200kg a leaf. This is a key strategic design because weight is an issue that could rear its head further in years to come.
“We may be looking at acoustic/laminate glass in the future, especially with security,” Nigel says. “You are already looking at laminate glass being installed in all doors. So, if you want to keep the size, and incorporate a 62mm unit, then you need a heavy-duty roller and hinges to cope with it.”
Retro-fitting thermal efficiency is beset with numerous issues, which is why the Deceuninck Decalu88 bi-folding door was designed from scratch. This also allowed the company to design in other features, such as the speed of fabrication, the speed of installation, and the overall product quality.
“Everything on that door is Qualicoat Seaside-guaranteed, including the stainless-steel hardware,” Nigel says. “Another key feature is the pre-installed gasket. You could probably save yourself 30-40 minutes per door, simply because you wouldn’t have to install the gaskets. With the Decalu88 you glaze each leaf in five minutes.”
Nigel argues that even if systems companies meet the latest revisions with triple glazing and a little help with some last-minute concessions by the government, tighter revisions are on the horizon.
“The direction of travel is only going one way,” Nigel says. “And no amount of product updates is going to hide the fact you’ve got an old door. The Decalu88, on the other hand, is a modern door with future variables in mind.”
