Doors get smarter

Our homes are getting smarter. There are already at least 14 billion connected Internet of Things (IoT) home automation devices according to market-research company IoT Analytics. Virtual assistants such as Alexa, robot vacuums happy to do the dirty work for you and heating you can adjust through an app on your phone are the new normal.

JELD-WEN is now moving to the next level of IoT home automation: robotic arms that lend a hand in the kitchen, health sensors that scan residents for signs of illness and more and smart locks that put an end to worrying about lost or forgotten keys or having to be at home to let in the dog sitter or someone to repair the washing machine.

Unlocking the future

With any introduction of smart-home technology, user-friendliness is always a priority. In the case of JELD-WEN’s DANA^® Smart Door and its integrated Nuki system, for example, homeowners can open their front door remotely or automatically wherever they are using either their smartphone or a special fob.

Users install the Nuki app on their smartphone. This connects with an unobtrusive, wifi-enabled Nuki smart bridge indoors, which is activated as soon as you’re within range of the door. Customers who don’t own a smartphone can open the door using a Nuki fob instead, and you can even set access for defined periods to let a trusted person in.

Looking to the future, the next step, according to Time magazine, will be front doors with voice- and facial-recognition technology, opening only for residents and approved guests. Advances in internet connectivity, coverage and affordability are bringing more of the world online and creating a fast-growing customer base for IoT devices. It offers tremendous opportunities to JELD-WEN as the company customers turn to high-quality, forward-looking products.

DANA^® Smart Door is currently available in Germany and Austria and JELD-WEN innovation teams are looking at expanding smartdoor technology across the globe. It is all part of our commitment to making the most of technology and being in the forefront with innovations that make life better, more convenient and more interesting.

“The smart home trend has great potential. Our digital and smart complete solution for entrance doors offers many possibilities for our partners and customers,” says Daniel Egger, JELD-WEN sales director in Austria.

You can read more about JELD-WEN's innovation in the 2022 ESG report.