Daylight Harvesting

Glass doors allow for interior daylight harvesting from exterior windows as well as shared lighting between rooms. Increasing natural light in an interior is recommended by numerous green building rating systems. Access to daylight and shared illumination between rooms reduces the use of electricity. Exposure to natural light also has been shown to increase occupant well being.

A typical hotel room is narrow and deep with an end window. Natural light usually provides enough daytime lighting to eliminate the need to turn on electric lights. If there is natural light or electric light in an adjacent room additional electrical energy can be saved by using glass doors.

Materials Durability and Healthy Finishes

Solving the problem of mirror cracking required a solutions-based manufacturing process. Sketch courtesy of Modernus

Frosted glass, highly polished finishes and natural wood veneers can reinforce a design statement that can be carried over into the rest of the interior finishes. Modern hotel designers are also finding that sliding glass doors are easy to maintain as well as durable. Today, floor-mounted tracks have features that prevent doors from leaving the track and have low profiles to meet barrier-free requirements. New sliding door technology allows designers to create spaces that are unencumbered by floor tracks in hotels. Top-hung doors can be easier to install, they facilitate room cleaning and they do not introduce physical or visual barriers. The lack of a floor track makes them friendlier for people with disabilities. For these reasons top-hung sliding doors are often the preferred choice by hospitality designers.

A criterion for healthy indoor air quality by most green rating systems includes the avoidance of VOCs. VOCs are a component of many building products, usually in the form of some adhesives, primers and paints that emit harmful chemicals into the air. Green professionals are choosing low-VOC paints and finishes for hotel properties. They can now find door products that also meet low-VOC requirements. New doors are available with low-VOC finishes as well as zero formaldehyde content.

According to the EPA, most pressed-wood building products have adhesives that contain urea-formaldehyde. In large doses, this product can cause watery eyes, burning sensations in the eyes and throat, nausea, and difficulty in breathing in some humans exposed at elevated levels (above 0.1 parts per million). High concentrations may trigger attacks in people with asthma. It is unlikely that the average hotel guest may have such a high exposure, however there is evidence that some people can develop sensitivity to formaldehyde. Travelers with chemical sensitivities may report eye, nose, and throat irritations, wheezing and coughing, skin rashes and even severe allergic reactions.⁵ In addition to building products, green hotels that cater to those with chemical sensitivities also select cleaning and bath products that are fragrance- free. Eco-travelers are checking to see if the air quality in hotel rooms is rated to meet their environmental requirements.