The increasing demand of pocket doors in conjunction with sustainable home design

The headline benefit of pocket doors is to create space so that we can live better and use our available space much more efficiently. This means we have the spare few feet we need to make a room multi-purpose and fit a bed and a desk in so you have a guest bedroom and a home office. Or maybe you can create a dividing wall and make one large bedroom into two smaller ones now you have a growing family? Or you may need flexible space downstairs and need pocket door systems to provide a temporary dividing wall so you have a quiet, intimate study area during the day and a larger, open communal space in the evenings?

All these solutions are provided by the additional square feet a pocket door provides, and it is common for this to prevent a family having to invest in an extension and to take up additional land in the green space of their garden and to use additional building materials.

How sustainable are pocket doors?

There is an increased demand for pocket doors as a sustainable living feature because they enable a homeowner to maximise space and utilise every square inch, without having to invest in costly home extensions. Sustainable home design searches for and prioritises space efficiency and energy conservation, while flexible living spaces also align with the principles of sustainable living practices.

• Maximising space – Providing as much usable area as possible and improving the flow of a room and its interconnecting spaces is a key feature of sustainable living. It means an increased utilisation of a single space without having to create bigger spaces with more materials.
• Energy efficiency – By using pocket doors to create zones and flexible spaces, you are able to improve the control of your thermal management in the home. When a pocket door is used as a temporary dividing wall in a larger room, you are able to concentrate heat and light in a smaller space, and zone-off unused spaces, thus reducing your energy demands.
• Flexible spaces – Creating flexible and versatile spaces reduces the need for additional, permanent constructions and the power, materials and space they require.
• Natural light - Glass pocket doors maximise natural light and reduce the need for artificial light. This is another way to reduce energy demands and also improves the general wellbeing of small room occupants by making rooms more comfortable and reducing stress and anxiety.
• Materials – Pocket doors use a minimal amount of materials in their construction and rely on a basic, lightweight steel frame. Pocket door systems are not over-engineered and offer durability with a reduced environmental impact. This means that pocket doors are built to be robust and to last for many years, which minimises waste and ensures replacement materials aren’t required.
• Air exchange – If a door is left partially open, warm air can escape and can be replaced by cold air, increasing the energy demands of the home. This costly air exchange is reduced with pocket doors because the space left by a partially open pocket door is less than the arced gap left by a partially open traditional hinged door. So heat loss with pocket doors is reduced.
• Accessories – Soft-close accessories ensure that a pocket door is fully closed and rests in the secure position, ie. it won’t bounce open by being slammed shut. A self-close accessory also helps to ensure a door is closed, by automatically shutting the pocket door once it has been opened. These two accessories ensure safety and security but also reduce heat loss and maintain good energy efficiency in a building.
• Seals – Pocket doors can be fitted with airtight seals to minimise heat loss. These can be fitted around the perimeter of the door to ensure heat and sound can’t escape, which provides very good thermal and noise insulation.
• Accessibility – People with mobility or accessibility issues don’t have to navigate awkward door swings with a pocket door, and this element of inclusivity is a key element of thoughtful modern home design.

The impact of construction on the environment is considerable, in terms of the power demands, the resource demands and the natural land it takes up. After that there is also waste materials, leaks and emissions which can impact on the environment. This is all reduced by removing the need to construct more buildings, and maximising space efficiency to make the best use of what is already there. In their own small way, pocket doors are contributing to this, but there are also several other ways that pocket door systems provide a vital contribution to sustainable living, inclusivity, wellbeing and thoughtful home design, which makes them an important interior design solution for contemporary homes.