GU Buried Door Operator Wins AI Specification Award, Drives 600 kg

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Gretsch-Unitas Ltd. has won the top honor in the Product Design & Innovation – Electronic Award category at the 2026 AI Specification Awards with a fully concealed buried automatic door operator. Sponsored by the Automatic Door Suppliers Association (ADSA), the awards ceremony was held at IET London: Savoy Place, recognizing innovations in electronic access control and automation, focusing on products that enhance the performance, safety, security, and usability of modern buildings.

The award-winning product, the GU DTN 80 UFO, is completely hidden beneath the floor. Judges considered it a combination of high-performance door automation and understated architectural aesthetics. The door operator outperformed competitors ASSA ABLOY and Finfort Ltd., capable of driving door leaves weighing up to 600 kg while maintaining smooth, quiet, and reliable operation. It is specifically designed for demanding applications such as fire doors, escape routes, and accessible entrances.

Darren Hyde, Technical Director of ADSA, stated: "The GU DTN 80 UFO is an excellent example of how innovation can meet both technical and architectural requirements without compromise. Modern buildings increasingly demand solutions that integrate accessibility, safety, performance, and aesthetics, and this product demonstrates how these goals can be successfully achieved in a single system."

The Product Design & Innovation – Electronic Award aims to recognize cutting-edge technology in electronic access control and automation, highlighting products that enhance building performance while meeting the needs of architects, specifiers, and building users. ADSA has sponsored this biennial award for the third consecutive time, with the goal of driving innovation, safety, and technical excellence in the automatic door and access control industry.

The award is jointly organized by the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI) and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), covering excellence in architectural hardware specification and design across the entire construction industry.

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