We are all ready to move on from 2020, so let’s look ahead to 2030, specifically where garage door technology is concerned. Because the fact is garage door technology will look much different in a decade. Will people still be using garages as the room for their car or will they be more multi-purpose, as the smart home of the future is expected to be? Right now, it’s anyone’s guess.
One of the main advantages to garages is to keep cars out of the elements. For people living in Akron, Canton, or Stow, keeping ice cold weather at bay is critical. This is especially true for a vehicle. For the warmer months, keeping your car cool is equally important. No matter what happens with garage door technology, expect thermal efficiency to remain at the top of the desirability list for anyone with a garage. But there is more to the story than that. Let’s look at each factor one-by-one.
To Be or Not To Be… A Garage Door
Not all garage doors are created equal. And nor do they need to be limited to garages only. Did you know there is a market for garage doors in other rooms of the house? Glass garage doors are used to open a home to outdoor spaces or extend living spaces, such as an office. Even more, glass garage doors come in a variety of materials, colors, and styles.
Many garage doors of the future may not even be recognizable as garage doors. Expect to see elaborate garage door designs that give the homes they are attached to a certain panache. After all, don’t we all dream of hiring an amazing architect to design a house that conforms to everything we could ever want in a structure? Imagine a unique garage door constructed by a 3D printer! This may be in the realm of your imagination now, but by 2030 it will most definitely be a reality.
Expect to also see garage doors better matched to their homes. OEMs are likely to incorporate evermore bizarre design elements and color schemes that coincide with the home. In some cases garage doors may be effectively camouflaged. This may sound strange, but trust us, the truth will be stranger than fiction!
Security, Storage Space, and Solar – Oh My!
Are you ready for a garage door that, quite literally, produces energy? With Tesla already producing rooftop solar tiles, it won’t be long before the garage door gets in on the game. Garage doors cover a lot of outdoor real estate on a home, so why not put it to good use? Future garage doors could include photovoltaic cells built into the panels, allowing the door to essentially turn into a solar thermal collector.
While Tesla currently dominates the market for electric cars and solar rooftop tiles, expect other players to get in on the game. By 2030, it is very likely we will see homes outfitted with battery packs and all sorts of solar accessories. Producing your own power will be commonplace and Net Zero homes will likely become the majority.
With garage doors already being integrated into alarm systems, expect that trend to only accelerate. Expect to see garage door materials evolve, with thicker steel, integration with locked gates and advanced alarm systems. OEMs are even toying with integrating security cameras directly into garage doors. Garage door safety and security is an important issue and future tech will reflect this.
Finally, as storage space becomes ever more scarce, we could see a future where garages have much higher ceilings in order to maximize storage space. As a result, garage doors will be come more diverse. Imagine seeing new homes with European-style side-sliding garage doors that open laterally.
Science Fact Garage Door Technology
For those who might have shifting tastes, imagine a different garage door for every day or every mood. Imagine an exterior garage door surface that acts like a giant flat screen, projecting whatever image you want onto your garage door. Sounds cool, right?
Corning has already made huge advances in interactive architectural surface glass. This glass allows surfaces to be interactive. Homeowners can essentially choose what they want to display on a particular surface. You may even see a day when hologram garage doors are a thing. What if your garage door opened to let you in while a holographic projection convinced would-be robbers your garage door is still closed?
Even garage door maintenance is going to evolve. Smartphone-operated garage door openers have already increased digital integration within the garage door space. Expect tomorrow’s expert garage door repair professionals to also have some expertise in information technology and electronics in addition to the mechanical knowledge they already have to work on the garage door in the first place.
The Future is Now
We have already seen advanced technologies change so many aspects of our lives. While garages and garage door technology seems like it hasn’t changed in a long, long time, this paradigm is already changing. Many of the technologies we have discussed in today’s blogs have already been invented. The future of garage door technology is now.
Of course, there is a matter of cost. Many of these technologies are still expensive for the average homeowner. Still, ten years down the road, we should see prices for such things drop. Solar panels are now orders of magnitude cheaper than they used to be. Display and materials technology will follow the same trajectory.
But first, consider your garage door. Do you have an old, dirty, out-dated garage door? Perhaps it’s all rusty and functions badly. Well, if you want to be prepared for the future in the short-term, contact Prestige Door today and we will level up your garage door!