All features of a door visible at a glance

Reducing the energy consumption of existing homes is one of the focal points for achieving the goals of energy transition. 

"Home insulation plays an important role in this," said Henk Breel of GND Garantiedeuren, the umbrella organization of leading Dutch wood door manufacturers. In the renovation market, there is still much to be gained, Breel believes. "In homes before 2000, doors with a thickness of 38 mm were used. In the 1980s and 1990s, these doors were fitted with standard double glazing with a high U-value. Clients such as housing associations and Home Owners Associations who have the shell of the house insulated, now often choose to replace only the glass or hang a similar 38mm door back."  

Technically obsolete product

Newer homes, built after 2000, are fitted with doors that are 54 mm thick. Breel: "When insulating the outer shell of existing houses, you actually have to replace the entire door as well. Such a thicker door can be applied in the existing frame and thicker glass can also be placed in it. That way you avoid being stuck with a technically obsolete product ten to fifteen years from now."

You can't read the properties from a door itself. And so GND worked on a classification of doors based on fire, sound, smoke and burglary resistance. A QR code was developed for this purpose. By scanning it, you can see at a glance all the properties of the door.

Breel: "Now we have also added the insulation value to this. This way we make it clear what has been applied in the house and whether it meets the predefined requirements."

All doors of GND member companies are provided with this QR coding. Handy, because until recently you had to request this data specifically from the manufacturer. "The market still pays too little attention to this topic," Breel observes. "For new construction, doors do have to meet strict requirements, but in the renovation market it is impossible to prove this. Therefore, as door manufacturers, we are happy to provide more clarity on this."

Small difference, big result

To encourage clients of renovation projects to choose a 54mm door, GND is campaigning widely over the next three years with the slogan: 54mm door: small difference, big result. "After all, it gives an enormous increase in comfort and a reduction in heating costs, while the purchase value is only ten percent higher than that of a thinner door. A better insulating glass package can also be put in 54mm doors, allowing you to achieve an even higher insulation value. Even triple glazing is among the possibilities." 

The campaign is aimed at housing associations, VVEs, investors, consulting firms and architects and, indirectly, contractors and property maintenance companies. The label bearing the QR code also contains the production number and name of the manufacturer. "Parties such as the fire department and other controlling authorities also benefit from this," he said.