I've been trying for a while to figure out how to insulate a passive solar window area at night when there would be significant heat loss through the windows.  I don't like the look of really bulky curtians, so I was trying to come up with some kind of sliding panel that covers the area.  As i was reading about some of the interior treatment options for steel sips, it occured to me that instead of furring strips and drywall you could frame another wall a little further out that would create a pocket for a sips pocket door.  put some kind of track on the floor for the sips to roll on and you would have it.  Comments?

Should be "pocket" in title

As a designer I like your idea.  You might need a pocket wall on each side of the window area in order to have enough space for storage.  This would give some symmetry to the design for that wall.  I am thinking of the large window areas I see on back walls of homes in Florida.  In cold regions, I think it would be very important that the storage wall be on the outside of the glass wall so that ice would not form on the windows from the condensation.  The soffit would have to overhang enough to protect the SIP "pocket" wall from the weather.  The pocket wall would also have to be detailed well where it returns to the glass wall in order to look pleasing and offer protection from the weather.

randomhitz;

you could use 2" aluminum skinned SIPs, suspended with a double roller- box rail style track   http://www.natman.com/prodinfo_item.asp?cat=8&sub=24&prod=52&catalog=1142

   and use a door guide at the bottom,  basically exactly like a standard pocket door

I was thinking about something like a 6' x 8' wide window area with a pocket door on each side meeting in the middle. The idea was to have something almost as simple as closing a curtain before going to bed.  I keep forgetting about the damn condensation problem.  I live in low humidity part of Colorado but my wife and i  are thinking of building in western North Carolina to be near her family.

if its only 6' x 8' you could alter 2 - 3/0 x 6/8 pocket frames and hardware to accept 2" thick panels

How hard to get are 2" panels with aluminum skin and how pricey

2" aluminum skin (.019) panels are available thru any company that sells aluminum patio products ..... my guess is about $5./ sq. ft. and they would have an aluminum 1- 1/2" x 2" receiver channel to wrap the edges with 


I use 2" aluminum skin panels as hurricane panels, they are light weight, impact resistant, and are custom cut to fit radius topped windows. the are attached with trufast SIPLD screws