Sustainable Living: Multi-Panel Door Systems and Universal Design

The term “universal design” was coined by the architect Ronald L. Mace to describe the concept of designing all products and the built environment to be aesthetic and usable to the greatest extent possible by everyone, regardless of their age, ability, or status in life.

In universal design, homes are designed in such a way that they allow occupants to age in place, and so that they facilitate the living experience of everyone, including handicapped residents. Certain features, like wider hallways, lowered window hardware, and wider door openings, allow occupants to seamlessly transition through the phases of life without having to move or remodel. Multi-panel door systems offer a natural solution for aging-in-place design considerations. They also offer an aesthetic range to allow for a variety of styles in universal design.

Aging-in-place design features include:

• Door Thresholds: Flush preferable
• Interior Doors: There needs to be 32 inches of clear width, which requires a 36-inch door
• Levered door hardware
• Plenty of windows for natural light
• Lowered windows or taller windows with lower sill height
• Low maintenance exterior and interior finishes
• Easy to operate hardware

The AIA is actively studying and promoting aging-in-place features through its Design for Aging (DFA), to “foster design innovation and disseminate knowledge necessary to enhance the built environment and quality of life for an aging society.”

Not only has the DFA Knowledge Community recognized the importance of flexibility and adaptability in design, it has also documented the vital role that green features play in aging-in-place. During its biennial Design for Aging Review design competition in 2013, the green features with the greatest jury-recognized impact were maximized daylighting (64 percent of the green projects recognized by the jury); energy efficiency (61 percent); and site design considerations (42 percent). Sixty-five percent of the jury-recognized projects also described a connection to nature. These projects captured views to parklands, oceans, gardens, and orchards and buildings were planned around natural site features as well as including indoor/outdoor spaces. Many of the awarded projects included abundant natural light, both in common spaces and within residential units. Two projects specifically noted the inclusion of daylight to regulate circadian rhythms and minimize the effects of sundowning in their buildings’ dementia populations. Because of their ability to achieve flexibility, meet compliance standards, and create environmental benefits, multi-panel door systems can offer a unique solution for universal and aging-in-place designs.

ADA Compliance

In some cases, universal designs may wish to consider ADA compliance.

The ADA requirements for commercial use include:

• A door may swing out of a room as long as there is a 48-inch clear area in front of the door to allow those in a wheelchair to safely maneuver.
• For the door to swing in, there must be a full 60 inches of maneuvering space in front of the door, as well as 18 inches of clearance along the side of the door.
• Doorway thresholds may not be more than ½ inch, or ¾ inch for exterior sliding doors.

For ADA compliancy, some multi-panel door systems offer a ramp sill and threshold option for folding and swing door systems, along with panic hardware. If required, a 10-inch bottom rail option can be selected.

For an outswing folding system, the ramp sill is an option when the interior and exterior floor levels are the same and a maximum sill height from finish floor of ½ inch is required. Surface mounted sweeps applied to the bottom of the panels are provided. Adequate overhangs are recommended to reduce risk of water infiltration in these installations.

CASE STUDY: ADDRESSING SUSTAINABILITY DURING INSTALLATION

Photo courtesy of Cornerstone

To ensure the longest life cycle for a multi-panel door system and the overall sustainability of the building, proper installation is a must. AAMA guidelines should always be followed; with a little extra care and attention to detail, these may be surpassed to yield a system with even greater integrity.

“We install all of our multi-panel folding and sliding door systems above AAMA guidelines,” notes Sean Scholl, Cornerstone Openings. Scholl uses the quality control inspections set forth by Orchard Roofing & Water Proofing Consultants, Inc., a water litigation testimony and consultant firm. “The correct way to install these products is to wrap the entire opening with a waterproof membrane first. Then you want to specify to install the door and to install its nail fin using the same waterproof membrane wrap caulking.” Scholl cautions that if a different caulking is used in the field it can eat away at the waterproof membrane, destroying the reliability of the system. Scholl also advises completely puttying over the entire nail fin rather than just applying putty at the nail holes. An additional layer of waterproof membrane is then added over the puttied fin, after which the exterior finish can be tied in. “In the end, you actually have three layers,” concludes Scholl. “I wouldn’t install these doors any other way. In spring 2017, California went through the second worst storm season since records have been kept, and we didn’t have any leaks or callbacks on our multi-panel systems. We’re talking 40-foot openings; there’s a lot of liability there, but no systems failed.”

CASE STUDY: VAUGH RESIDENCE

Photo courtesy of Mia Baxter

Project by Laura Britt Design
Location: Austin, Texas
Architect: Winchester Designs
Interior Designer: Laura Britt Design

The Vaughan residence is nestled up above a canyon that overlooks the Colorado River in the heart of Austin, Texas.

Uniquely, this stunning design came about through a retrofit undertaken to update and slightly modify a modernist gem in Austin, Texas.

“This home is for a great client, who we had worked with previously,” says Laura Britt, Owner and Principal at Laura Britt Design in Austin, Texas. “It really had that Austin eclectic warmth, and just needed a bit of new life and breath infused into it.” A row of skylights down the center of the home brings in lots of natural light. In the family room, the visual line connects to the pool and then directly outward to the surrounding water. “The multi-panel sliding door system really opens up the whole living room to that outdoor space,” Britt says. “Even though it can be warm and buggy during Texas summers, we still like to embrace indoor and outdoor living, especially with the pool as a focus.” By selecting the stacking multi-slide door system for the Vaughn residence, Britt not only made the outdoors a visual focal point, it removed the barriers to physically spend time outside. “We all know the health benefits of spending time outside. The multi slide system is easy to operate, quickly blending the home with the out of doors,” notes Britt. “Overall, we wanted to keep the connection strong between inside and outside, and this design decision makes that connection to the outside as well as connecting occupants to natural light.” Britt strives to bring in natural light and ventilation from two or three sides in a room wherever possible. “Indoor air quality is vitally important to us and must be a cornerstone of any holistic design approach,” Britt concludes.

Conclusion

People are innately attracted to light, open, airy spaces. Home and nature are not spaces in opposition. The most welcoming interior spaces find a way to translate these variables from nature and bring them inside. Characterized by symmetry and balance, this aesthetic transcends design trends and translates instead into a variety of styles. The successful, healthy, sustainable home erases the distinction between indoors and out for both the beauty of its aesthetics and the health benefits it brings to occupants. Under the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative definition, a green and healthy home supports the people living there in many different ways. A healthy home is dry, clean, safe, well-ventilated, pest-free, contaminant-free, well-maintained, and energy-efficient. A sustainable home is a healthy home, and that goal is an all-encompassing one.

By their very design, multi-panel door systems enable this engagement between interior and outdoor spaces. By literally removing the walls and barriers between nature and the interior of a structure, multi-panel systems offer seamless openings that blend the exterior space into a room or series of rooms, eliminating the perceived divide.

Not only do multi-panel door systems improve important health metrics, such as indoor air quality, as enhancements in manufacturing and technology have augmented door and glass efficiency, these systems can occupy a greater area in the building envelope without compromising overall energy performance. The best systems are not only built to visually and physically engage spaces but also to perform when called upon.

Amanda Voss, MPP, is an author, editor, and policy analyst. Writing for multiple publications, she also serves as the managing editor for Energy Design Update.

LaCantina Doors is the leader in designing and manufacturing products that create large open spaces. Offering the most innovative and comprehensive range of folding, sliding and swing systems available, LaCantina Doors utilizes the same signature narrow stile and rail profile across its product line for a complete and perfectly matching door package. Designed and made in California, LaCantina Doors have contributed to award winning projects ranging from residential, retail, commercial, educational facilities, resorts and is the preferred choice when it comes to products that open spaces. Backed by an industry leading warranty, LaCantina Doors are available across the U.S. and Internationally. www.lacantinadoors.com