Barrier-free construction

Paving the way for the future

Barrier-free construction and barrier-free architecture make life more comfortable and convenient for everybody. After all, accessibility also benefits people whose mobility is only temporarily restricted, such as parents with pushchairs or small children, people transporting bulky purchases or luggage, or people walking with crutches. Whoever takes the requirements for accessibility into account in the design from the outset when planning a building is sure to find solutions that are cost effective or even have no impact on cost whatsoever. This means a sustainable investment for builders.

As movable and functional construction elements for barrier-free living, windows and doors have a special significance because they are used almost every day. Correct planning and application is decisive for security, function and cost-effectiveness. The service offering of the GU group therefore includes expert one-to-one advice, free online support and a comprehensive programme of technical seminars. This makes they day-to-day work of architects and planners easier.

The GU group regards barrier-free construction as sustainable construction. This ensures accessibility and comfort for every building user. By collaborating closely with architects, planners and developers, all-encompassing solutions that are tailored to the target groups and protection objectives can be found. In this case, comfortable operation goes hand in hand with appropriate aesthetics – an important basis for safeguarding the value of the building in the long term.

In order to offer all building users outstanding comfort, all components must be mutually coordinated work reliably. This is why the GU group offers one-stop system solutions – from the door threshold through to the central building management system, from window hardware through to automated facade control systems.

We offer you the following services

Automatic sliding doors

Ideal for barrier-free and prestigious entrances: automatic sliding doors combine aesthetical design with contact-free access comfort without threshold.

Barrier-free sliding door and escape door rolled into one product

Buildings such as hospitals, hotels and airports as well as residential care homes for the elderly and disabled must always provide an escape option in night mode. During the day the benefits of an automatic sliding door such as rapid opening should also be available. GU group has an escape route sliding door (HM-F FT) which can be used and is also approved as an escape door at night when locked: in nighttime mode the sliding door becomes a swing door with escape door security. Rescue routes and secure entry rolled into one door element – a separate escape door is therefore no longer required.

This gives architects and planners more freedom when designing prestigious entrances to comply with the AutSchR (German directive governing automatic sliding doors in rescue routes), EltVTR (German directive governing electrical locking systems on doors in escape routes), and also DIN 18650 (automatic door systems) and EN 16005 (automatic swing doors).

The escape route sliding door combines barrier freedom, functionality and aesthetics: the radar motion sensor ensures contact-free opening and closing. The transition has no threshold, which makes it barrier-free

The escape route sliding door is available as a single or double-leaf version and can be built flexibly to accommodate different passage widths. It can therefore offer individual solutions for barrier-free access. With the type-tested system from the GU group, approval by the building control authority is not required in individual cases – these are best prerequisites therefore for planning reliability and for a harmonious overall concept.

Our project solutions for care homes

Automatic swing doors

Fire and smoke protection doors must close securely and automatically in the event of a fire. However, it is also desirable for inside and outside doors or doors in the facade to close automatically. However, a closed or difficult to open door is an obstacle and not barrier-free. This is where swing-door drives are used, which open and close automatically, thus ensuring freedom of movement and security. The DTN 80 swing-door drive features a patented spring system that closes the door securely, quietly and completely even in difficult structural conditions such as draughts, excess pressure or a multi-point lock.

Paving the way to freedom of movement and safety

With the automatic swing-door drives of GU group, accessibility is easy to achieve: convenient access via radar motion sensor, push-button or access control system ensures that users can pass through the door comfortably and safely without even touching it. The passage area can be designed without a threshold and therefore does not represent a tripping hazard. Burglar protection and escape route safety can be ensured in addition to barrier freedom, when combined with multi-point locking.

The harmonised range of products of the GU group offers architects and planners a high degree of flexibility in this regard: the swing doors are available as single and double-leaf versions and are available in large passage widths. Wider barrier-free fire protection doors can therefore be planned and built. A further benefit: the swing-door drive is suitable for all frame materials and can also be retrofitted to existing elements.

Our project solutions for hospitals

Project doors and interior doors

An interior door is an interior door, it might be said, but there is more to it than that: individual solutions are required, depending on the building type, building users and building area. Whether used in hospitals, schools, hotels, or also in private apartments – the requirements to be met by project and interior doors are many and varied. The GU group therefore has many solutions for interior doors in its range, covering a wide range of requirements: from convenient operating elements through to automatic opening and closing of the door.

Tailor-made comfort for interiors

With solutions for barrier-free project and interior doors, the GU Group offers a high degree of individuality. The spectrum ranges from manual operation and servo assistance to fully automated solutions.

For interior doors, it is particularly important that they open and close as quietly as possible. This is why whisper latch locks with an integrated roller are used for low-noise door closing. Particularly with high frequency of use, they are convincing as a durable and low-maintenance system.

Smooth-running door closers with sloping opening torques and flexible adjustment options enable touch-free operation.

Our project solutions for offices and administration buildings

House and apartment entrance doors

From entrance door to comfortable access zone: intelligent technology and control variants that fully satisfy the expectations of the occupants.

Simply come home – comfort and controlled access

Main entrance doors and apartment entrance doors are the most important interface between private living space and the world outside. Whoever designs these so they are barrier-free, comfortable and above all safe, also taking the individual needs of the occupants into account, will ensure a high standard of living quality which is also sustainable.

GU group technology turns house and apartment entrance doors into convenient and easy access zones. Doors can be conveniently opened when carrying heavy shopping bags, or with a pushchair or wheelchair.

Self-locking systems with motor-driven unlocking requires no operating force. They can be equipped with a range of features, which even includes contact-free operation, so they can be adapted to the individual requirements of the occupants.

Other product solutions, such as biometric fingerprint detection or individual code, are also available from GU group to ensure controlled and convenient keyless access to the home. Simplicity of use, configuration and commissioning means the system is easily operated by anyone. The different operating elements provide flexible solutions for the users. The house entrance door set comprising lock, power and data transmission unit and fingerprint scanner, has been certified as a grade B locking system by the VdS. The GU group provides an important basis for tailor-made concepts by combining building automation with barrier freedom. The control of motorised GU elements can be integrated into many different building automation systems and also introduces an important factor: security.

Our project solutions for house entrance doors

Barrier-free threshold solution for house entrance doors, balcony doors and Lift&Slide elements

No more distinction between inside and outside: Lift&Slide doors are the comfortable transition between the living area and the outdoor environment.

Comfortable and barrier-free

Lift&Slide patio doors blur the boundary between the inside and outside and therefore convey a sense of distance and freedom. As these benefits should obviously go hand in hand with barrier freedom, mechanical or electronic components of the GU group ensure a high degree of comfort and also contact-free operation – individually, flexibly and reliably.

The motor-driven HS ePOWER makes the Lift&Slide door entirely barrier-free: the sliding leaf can be opened and closed by tapping the control element, similar to a Smartphone. The GU threshold ensures a smooth transition between the inside and outside. The HS ePOWER is supplied by a current transmitter that charges the batteries in the door leaf automatically when closed. Owing to the battery operating time, the door remains fully functional even if left open for many hours, and also in the event of a power failure. The drive also features a sensitive control unit that detects obstacles and reliably prevents jamming. Barrier-free opening and closing of the Lift&Slide door at the push of a button on the operating element with intuitive symbols or via a handheld radio transmitter: up to four elements can be activated and controlled via the compact central control panel for use in domestic environments. The data is encrypted and securely transferred via two-way radio control.

More information on our Lift&Slide hardware
House entrance doors and balcony-doors with the barrier-free modular threshold

The convenience range from Gretsch-Unitas group offers flush-to-floor thresholds as a tested system solution for house entrance doors, balcony doors and Lift&Slide elements, offering a barrier-free solution for the door types mentioned using the same components and with identical appearance. From now on, architects and planners can actually plan barrier-free solutions, and fabricators can manufacture these accordingly, without having to change manufacturing and production processes.
Lift&Slide balcony-door with barrier-free modular threshold

The barrier-free solution can be used with all GU-thermostep 164 and GU-thermostep 204 thresholds. It is system-compatible and identical in appearance to the solution for house entrance doors and balcony-doors. As far as the fabricator is concerned, everything from production through installation in the building remains the same. The components that provide barrier-free passage are simply added.

Windows – barrier-free operation, convenient ventilation

Effortless tilting, turning, lifting and sliding: GU window hardware offers solutions for windows that provide convenient ventilation, straightforward operation, comfort, security, fire and smoke protection – for all frame materials and opening methods.

Ample and secure ventilation with the ventilation restrictor-stay

The UNI-JET ventilation restrictor-stay provides comfortable and easy operation in compliance with DIN 18040, which makes ample yet secure ventilation possible.

Windows are tilted for ventilation. If the windows are large and heavy, a considerable effort is required to do this, which means they not barrier-free. By rotating the construction through 90°, the window can be opened sideways, which reduces the operating forces. The UNI-JET ventilation restrictor-stay holds the window securely in a comfortable ventilation position of 100 mm – also if draughts are present or if a sudden gust of wind occurs. This solution is safe and easy to use, which makes it suitable for projects such as schools, childcare facilities, hospitals and residential homes for the elderly.

The window can also be opened fully, in the same way as a conventional Tilt&Turn window. A lockable Tilt-First handle ensures that only authorised persons (key holders) can do this. The window handle can mounted vertically at any chosen height, or horizontally at the bottom.
Night ventilation for Lift&Slide balcony doors

Available exclusively from Gretsch-Unitas: the L&S night vent module combines burglar protection with ventilation comfort. In the ventilation position, the balcony-door allows convenient ventilation while remaining securely locked.

Window solutions for facades

Comfortable, elegant and efficient. Special aesthetical solutions for sophisticated facade architecture are possible, despite the existence of countless standards and requirements. Windows are an important element in this. They should blend harmoniously into the overall creative imagery of the facade and also carry out tasks such as ventilation, thermal insulation and burglar protection. The requirements for barrier freedom are as complex as the functions. The GU group has the right window solutions for every facade – using mechanical systems, motor-drives or intelligent electronics, they make operation easier and offer plenty of comfort.

Specialist for all opening methods in the facade

Several complex requirements must be met simultaneously when planning and building facades: in addition to the requirements for barrier freedom and ventilation, aesthetical and technical demands must also be satisfied. A specialist in every method of facade opening, the GU group is available as a competent partner in the quest to find tailor-made solutions for these challenges.

These also include product solutions such as the Parallel-Projecting window, which made it possible to open floor-to-ceiling window elements up to 5000 mm manually. The fall protection, integrated in the hardware, makes the use of the elements possible without having to provide extra safety measures on the outside or inside.

Sash weights are also changing due to the rising popularity of floor-to-ceiling glazing and the new legal requirements to be met by thermal insulation. Elements weighing over 400 kg are no longer unusual, due to triple glazing. This is for example why the GU group has developed hardware for Projecting Top-hung, Parallel-Projecting, Horizontal-Pivot or Turn-Only windows which can take more weight. This means a high degree of comfort, without having to compromise on aesthetics, safety and energy balance.

Special constructions: the specialists of the GU group develop innovative manual and motor-driven opening mechanisms to meet the specific demands placed on ventilation elements in the facade. They draw on many years of experience to arrive at creative project-specific solutions tailored to individual requirements.

Examples of GU solutions for the facade

Building management – central monitoring and control of windows and doors

Central access control, ventilation and locking: windows, doors and facade elements can be comfortably networked and controlled using the intelligent GEMOS physical security information management system. This system is equipped with interfaces that ensure harmonious integration into the overall building management.

Centrally controlled, flexibly networked

Barrier-free entry, passage and exit – escape door security and burglar protection, ventilation and fire protection: the tasks performed by doors are many and varied. The GEMOS PSIM and organisation system makes it possible to adapt to individual customer user profiles. Thanks to the integration of network interfaces and cable connections provided, the entire control, operation and monitoring of security and media technology facilities as well as of buildings can be managed in a modular and flexible manner.

Central door management: all door statuses can be determined at a glance and managed in coordination with other systems such as fire alarm systems or access control – both individually or as a complete system.

No additional software: all operating tasks are carried out via individually modified web interfaces in MS Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox. No additional software is therefore required at the workstations.

Intuitive operation: the user-friendly interface ensures straightforward handling and makes statuses such as alarms, faults and messages clearly understandable.

Our project solutions for offices and administration buildings