The Automatic Door Suppliers Association (ADSA) has announced a collaborative industry initiative aimed at addressing a recognised technical challenge: the safe automation of existing fire-resisting doors without adversely affecting their fire performance.

Automation is increasingly being adopted across sectors such as healthcare, education, transport and commercial buildings to enhance accessibility, support the management of footfall and facilitate safer movement of occupants. However, the retrofit of automation to manually operated fire doors requires careful consideration. Alterations including the installation of operators, the routing of cabling and the replacement of closing devices may impact the construction of the door assembly and, in turn, its ability to perform as a fire-resisting system.

In response, ADSA has established a cross-industry steering group comprising representatives from leading manufacturers including Record UK, dormakaba and GEZE UK, alongside the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers, the British Woodworking Federation and a recognised fire test house.

The initiative will undertake a programme of controlled testing designed to replicate common retrofit scenarios, initially focusing on timber fire doors. The objective is to assess how typical modifications, such as drilling for cabling or changes to hardware, affect fire performance and to develop a robust, evidence-based foundation to inform industry guidance and best practice.

Fire performance

Darren Hyde, technical and training manager at ADSA, said: “Many of the questions we receive now relate to automating existing fire doors. When you retrofit automation, you’re potentially changing the construction of the door. What we want to do as an industry is understand exactly how those modifications affect fire performance.”

While new-build projects benefit from tested and fully specified door systems, retrofit environments are far less predictable.

“In new-build scenarios,” continued Hyde, “manufacturers can provide clear test evidence for complete systems. In retrofit situations, that level of certainty doesn’t always exist. We want to close the gap in understanding.”

Expected later on this year, the  findings from the test programme will inform new guidance for engineers, specifiers and building owners. Rather than prescribing a single solution, the guidance will help professionals to assess the impact of common modifications and apply practical measures (such as appropriate cable routing, fire stopping and installation methods) in order to maintain door integrity.

Accessibility and Fire Safety

This initiative further highlights the importance of considering accessibility and fire safety in parallel. While automation offers clear benefits in improving access and usability, it must be implemented with a comprehensive understanding of its potential impact on fire performance.

ADSA also recognises that full door replacement may not be necessary in all cases. Where supported by appropriate technical assessment and evidence, existing fire-resisting doors can be adapted in a safe and controlled manner.

Through collaboration across the industry, supported by testing and the development of practical guidance, ADSA and its partners aim to address the current knowledge gap relating to retrofit automation. The intention is to support more informed decision-making and promote safer outcomes across the built environment.

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