The particular room use can also change the requirements a door must fulfil. Isolation rooms not only need to be sealed to reduce the spread of infectious diseases, but it is also recommended the doors and their operation work with air change systems for a more hygienic space. This includes gasketing that satisfies pressure tests and operation that reduces air turbulence into or out of a space. Likewise, it is important for inpatient room design to support rest and recuperation, including limiting the transfer of noise from common areas. Doors that satisfy both requirements can help health care facilities adapt to meet their patients’ ever-changing health needs.
These are just a few ways doors contribute to flexible design. More generally, doors that support the efficient use of space by eliminating or significantly reducing swing arc trajectories can help a project more readily accommodate flexible design principles while also increasing the useable space within it. Sliding doors can save up to 9 m2
(97 sf) per application and can be specified to fit the requirements of several different room uses. As such, they can be integral when planning a flexible health care facility.
Sliding doors can help maximize usable space for present and future needs
Sliding doors meet code requirements for doors that are not directly connected to paths of egress. They can also support flexibly designed buildings by avoiding swing arc trajectories. In doing so, this type of door assembly allows a far greater range of opening widths without having to sacrifice space to swing arc trajectories.
On the one hand, this helps current health care facilities by maximizing the amount of useable space. More usable space translates to effectively larger, more accommodating exam rooms. It can also allow more storage for necessary medical equipment. Both benefits improve patient experiences.
On the other hand, sliding doors can allow health care facilities to meet potential future needs by not limiting a room’s specific use. For example, because a door width can exceed the minimal requirements without impeding patient accessibility or an exam room’s ability to store necessary medical equipment, it could also allow the movement of larger equipment, expanding what care is possible within the space.
Likewise, because these doors can be retrofitted with gaskets and drop-down perimeter seals, should the need arise, they can meet pressurization requirements of isolation rooms, making it easier to create more of these areas should the need arise. These gaskets and seals also contribute to a sliding door system’s ability to provide premium acoustic performance—receiving a noise isolation class (NIC) rating of 39 and sound transmission class (STC) rating of 34. Whether stopping unwanted noise from entering a room or preventing it from escaping for higher levels of doctor-patient confidentiality, sliding doors can meet a range of requirements for greater flexibility of room-use. These doors can also be retrofitted with lead-linings, should the need arise, further increasing their ability to fit multiple applications. When rooms have the potential to be used for a variety of purposes, the overall flexibility of a building improves.
