MFC’s Ryan Tague talks with David Dodge from McKeon Door Company about the annual five-hour seminar in October that covers fire door systems and code compliance. Sign up for the seminar here.

 

TRANSCRIPT

Ryan – Welcome, I’m Ryan Tague with Modernfold Chicago and today I’m joined by David Dodge with McKeon Door Company. We’re excited to be hosting our annual five-hour seminar on fire door systems this October with David as our keynote speaker. David, I’d like to start with just asking for a quick overview and what participants can expect.

David – Thank you, Ryan. Thanks for inviting me to this virtual meeting and to share these insights. I’m happy to do it. What we would like to do in this five-hour seminar is a brief overview of the code fundamentals as they apply in chapters 3 through 10 and chapter 30 of the IBC. The objective, of course, is to become familiar with fundamental principles that guide design teams as well as the regulatory arena.

Ryan – That sounds fantastic. Is this tailored to any specific group of professionals?

David – Well, it’s most helpful for the architectural design community because it is an ICC certified seminar as well. It’s very helpful to both fire and building in the regulatory arena and successfully I’ve had a lot of attendees over time as code consultants and engineers that have to deal with the building and fire codes on a consistent basis. All of those groups it should be very beneficial for them.

Ryan – And how would each of these groups benefit from the program?

David – You know, the building code is a performance based document. And because it is, there’s a lot of room for interpretation and understanding. And so as each of these different groups approach the building code, either inspection, plan check, and/or guiding and directing architectural firms and architectural firms themselves, will find that if we can learn to understand the intent of the code, why it’s written the way it is, and how it becomes a fire and life safety feature of every building, each group should find benefit in their own application of these issues.

Ryan – Are there any new code initiatives or innovative products that you would like to highlight this year?

David – You know, there really are. First of all, when we talk about new and innovative code changes that have been accepted as the code continues to evolve on a three-year cycle, it’s interesting that probably the most significant changes have come in the vertical space provisions of the code, particularly the atrium provisions, the exit access stairway provisions, and other vertical space areas in the code as well. There are some new code language in those areas. Also, we found that as new technologies and manufacturers’ products come online, they significantly affect these areas of the code, particularly vertical space considerations. But also, we’ll touch on in the seminar briefly some new innovations that have come from McKeon. When you talk about blast, ballistic, and security applications in the code.

Ryan – As you know, Dave, understanding and working with building codes can be complicated to put it mildly and often requires a nuanced approach. Can you take a minute to tell us, tell our audience a little bit about your background and qualifications specific to code development?

David – I’m happy to. I’ve been involved in the development of the code at the national level and attended the hearings for that as a member of ICC for the last almost 40 years. And because of that, I’ve worked and served on many, many committees, both local, regional, and national. And during all of that time period, as I’ve served on these committees and worked with code acceptance issues, it’s been a tremendous education for me being an industry member. Most all of my work and efforts in the codes, again, cover those areas in chapters, essentially 3 through 10 and 30 of the IBC. I’m also certified by ICC as an instructor under the preferred provider program. I’m also certified by AIA to present these all-day seminars so that the architectural community can receive learning unit credits. The regulatory arena, ICC, earns their CEUs as well. So anyone that attends that is looking for those learning units are able to achieve them.

Ryan – How did these experiences help you work with architects and building officials on challenging code requirements?

David – That’s a great question, Ryan, and it’s difficult to answer briefly, but I will. So as we look at the challenges of code acceptance, the most important thing we can do is learn the code based upon the intent and the purpose of the code. So the committees that I’ve served on, for example, in 1995 is when we began working at the national level to introduce the International Building Code, which has replaced the three model legacy codes from the past, BOCA Standard and UBC. So, when the IBC came on as I serve on those committees and work there, it’s an interesting dynamic to understand and see why code is written the way it is and why certain code fundamental provisions are written the way they are, how they’ve developed and evolved over time. In the seminar, I share those experiences, both actual experiences as well as testimony and results that come from the hearings themselves.

Those kinds of awarenesses and understanding of how a particular area of the code actually got to where it is, how it evolved, and why it says what it says is extremely instructional and helpful that I’ve learned over a long period of time. The result of that is I’ve actually written a 130 page textbook that goes along with the course and that textbook addresses all of these fundamental code applications that design teams struggle with in order to maintain open spacious designs and comply with the code, at the same time provide the fire and life safety that is the intent of the code. So that particular document is kind of a summary of all of those years of dealing with these code issues and helping architects design according to the wishes of their client, but yet maintain the fire and life safety that the codes require. So I think that kind of experience is very helpful. It’s much better to learn the why than just to simply be told, this is what you have to do. Many times we need to know, why do we have to do that? Why is it in the code? That’s what I teach.

Ryan – That sounds very beneficial. Dave, how long have you been with McKeon Door Company and what made you decide to join their team?

David – Yeah, I’ve been with McKeon for 14 and a half years. It’ll be 15 in January of 2025. And during those earlier years, as I was learning and understanding the code, serving on committees and working with all of these different regulatory officials, I had no idea, honestly, of the tremendous education I was getting in the whys and hows of the codes. I had coached a lot of architectural teams through the years, and Joe McKeon himself sought me out. He felt like that the company has a great product line, very innovative, very proprietary. But he struggled to understand how and why the products sell so well. And he had been told that I could possibly help with that and perhaps help the distributor network as well as the entire company understand, okay, why and how are these products accepted in the code and how can they affect design and how can they affect the community when it comes to fire and life safety of building occupants. So it was an interesting proposition. We visited and I came onboard and it’s just been a great ride as we have taken these proprietary products and plugged them in to this new business model.

Ryan – How does McKeon’s philosophy allow them to differentiate from other manufacturers and products on the market?

David – Well, speaking as we did just a couple of minutes ago, there is a different business model. In other words, what I learned many, many years ago was that it’s not about the product or the technology necessarily that is appealing to the architectural community. It’s about having a resolve to a design problem. So a host of proprietary products labeled as wide span opening protectives, in essence, allow design teams to open designs and have spacious designs and to be able to meet the requirements of their clients and yet comply with the fire and life safety requirements of the building code. Or in other words, we’re going to take widespan opening protectives. We’re going to hide them in ceilings and walls. And they’re only going to be in place when the building goes into alarm and is required to have separation. Well, how do we deal with that? How do we understand that? The business model is simple. We teach the codes. We teach the reasons for the codes, and then we offer solutions to the code challenges and problems. That business model has been very interesting and exciting, and it is really the way that we’re able to go to market with a very unique and proprietary product line.

Ryan – Could you share a personal story or insight about the journey of bringing these innovative products to market?

David – Yeah. During the seminar, what’s really fun is there’s a lot of stories that’ll be told to illustrate the code. Experiences both in the regulatory arena in testimony and developing the codes, as well as code challenges and code changes that I’ve authored, have been involved in. There are lots of stories that go along with that. Particularly, I think one of my favorite experiences is when we as a team at McKeon are able to sit down with a design firm and take a vertical space such as an atrium and offer them a technology that is horizontally oriented, fire and smoke rated and allow them to actually eliminate the costly and the design of all kinds of smoke evacuation system. Not only the cost but the ambiance of what that looks like. The building can be more open, less costly to build. As we go through those experiences with design firms and help them see ways to actually save lots of money, not only in the initial cost of the structure, but in the maintenance that it takes to maintain some of these fire life safety systems, particularly smoke evacuation systems. When we can help eliminate those things yet comply with the codes, it’s richly rewarding because we know that we are offering fire and life safety to building occupants.

And Ryan, may I add this comment as a footnote? We’re not about selling technologies and products over and above the fire and life safety of building occupants. Our biggest concern at the end of the day, first and only, is that building occupants are safe. And our systems produce that, yet comply with what the codes require when there is a fire. It’s very rewarding, it’s fun to do, and it’s exciting to be able to drive down the street in major cities. Why not buildings? to an onlooker or a passenger in the vehicle and say, “Hey, I helped design that. I made it a safer building”, and it’s been rewarding to know and understand the building codes, the fire and life safety provisions that drive the need for the safety of building occupants.

Ryan – Fascinating stuff, David. I’d like to end there for now, but we’re looking forward to another awesome seminar in October. And thank you so much for your time today and your commitment to co-development, compliance, and education.

David – Thank you. I look forward to the seminar and to be able to share personal experiences. I teach in a little different way. It’s not all about putting code on the screen and repeating that. We get to tell stories. We get to look at the whys and the hows. Can’t wait. Thank you for the opportunity.

Ryan – Thank you, Dave.