Triple Glazed Sliding Doors Frame Suffolk Eco Home’s Contemporary Vision

Sustainable windows and doors

Sustainability was a guiding principle throughout the project. Keen to retain the character of the site while minimising waste, Tim and Jane carefully salvaged brick and flint from the remaining derelict buildings, incorporating the materials into the striking façades of the new outbuildings. The traditional materials sit beautifully alongside the crisp, contemporary lines of our industrial steel-look aluminium windows and bifold doors, a fitting tribute to the site’s industrious past.

Renewable energy and exceptional thermal performance were equally important considerations. Powered by solar panels and heated with a wood-burning stove, the buildings have been designed and constructed to achieve outstanding levels of insulation, reducing reliance on externally generated energy.

Why Tim and Jane chose Sunflex Doors & Windows

With extensive glazing throughout, the performance of the windows and doors was critical. Superior thermal efficiency was one of the reasons our Sunflex aluminium systems were specified, and with Sunflex frames independently tested to severe weather ratings for water tightness, air permeability and wind resistance, they help ensure a comfortable and protected indoor environment throughout the year.

Aluminium was also a natural choice from a sustainability perspective. Fully recyclable, exceptionally durable and incorporating advanced thermal break technology, our aluminium windows and doors are designed to deliver decades of performance while helping to minimise energy loss. Many of our Sunflex systems are manufactured just over an hour away in Norwich, with larger specialist systems crafted in Germany, where the Sunflex brand was founded.

Having chosen the SVG20 sliding doors, Tim and Jane’s view is almost seamless, with only a 20mm sightline between the panes with the doors closed. The clean lines continue even when the doors are open, with flush stacking ensuring each panel aligns perfectly to maintain the home’s refined architectural aesthetic.

Standing an impressive 2.8 metres high, the SVG20 sliding doors maximise natural light while framing uninterrupted views of the surrounding walled garden.

Performance Without Compromise

Exceptional thermal performance was a key requirement for this project. While standard Sunflex systems already achieve impressive U-values from 1.2 W/m²K, combining the advanced aluminium frames with C.U.in Eco triple-glazed units from Crystal Units enabled thermal performance to be enhanced even further, achieving U-values as low as 0.7 W/m²K.

The benefits were not purely thermal. The specialist triple-glazed units are slimmer than many conventional toughened glass assemblies, helping to preserve the elegant appearance of the glazing and maximise the impact of the ultra-slim sightlines throughout the property, particularly within Tim and Jane’s expansive sliding doors.

To ensure the specification met both the aesthetic and performance requirements of the project, our Technical Advisor, Lee Hamilton, worked closely with both Sunflex and Crystal Units. A sample of the C.U.in Eco glazing was supplied prior to approval, allowing the appearance and weight of the glass to be fully assessed before manufacture commenced.

Lee then produced detailed CAD drawings, providing Tim and his builder with complete clarity on the final design and ensuring every element was thoroughly checked before production began.

The experience

When it came to choosing the right partner for their doors and windows, seeing the products in person proved invaluable. Following a recommendation from friends, Tim and Jane visited The Burgess Group showroom at Notcutts Garden Centre in Woodbridge, where they were able to experience the exact system that would later be installed in their home: the Sunflex SVG20 sliding door.

The combination of a high-quality product, expert advice and local support immediately gave them confidence in their decision.

“Some friends said, ‘Have you tried The Burgess Group in Notcutts?’ So we went and looked there. And the rest is history. Nice product, good quote, and local. It felt really good.”

The ability to match the bespoke colour they envisioned – Olive Grey (RAL 7002), and create the sliding doors at an impressive 2.8 metres in height, helped bring their architectural vision to life.

The installation process proved equally straightforward.

“(The process was) easy as pie. A quick quote, you could ask questions easily, the Surveyor was lovely, the guys that fitted were lovely; lovely team.”

Even when one pane of glass was found to have been damaged during transit, the issue was resolved immediately.

“It was immediately changed as soon as it arrived, absolutely no trouble at all.”

Today, the completed home performs exactly as Tim and Jane had hoped.

“Everything is as I had it in my head. The windows are super-efficient. When it’s cold, we light the stove and have had to open the windows because it’s so warm. We can have them wide open in the summer; it’s breezy and lovely. All the mechanics work brilliantly.”