Buildings 2.0
In this episode of Buildings 2.0, Jose speaks with Brandon Finzel, Principal & Founder at FLINT Fire Engineering. They explore the evolution of building codes and how cities like Boston are setting the standard for others to follow.
Brandon offers insights into the impact of technology on building management systems, highlighting how advanced tools can enhance efficiency and safety. He also gives his predictions for the future of commercial building experiences, offering a glimpse into the next decade of construction innovations.
Topics discussed:
- How building codes have changed over the past few decades and the role of cities like Boston in setting new standards.
- Insights into how advanced technology is being integrated into modern building management systems to enhance efficiency and safety.
- Predictions on what the experience within commercial buildings will look like in the next decade, including emerging trends and innovations.
- The importance of involving various disciplines early in the design process to address complex challenges in building projects.
- How building resiliency tests are crucial to ensure that projects can withstand various stressors and maintain functionality.
- Analysis of which sectors, such as commercial or institutional, show more urgency in adapting to the latest advancements in the field.
- The necessity of creating detailed code compliance reports early in the project lifecycle to avoid issues during the design and construction phases.
- The significance of understanding and precisely defining terms in building codes to ensure clarity and compliance.
- How technology enables collaboration with experts worldwide, allowing them to contribute to projects regardless of their physical location.
Guest Quotes:
#1.)
“I was originally from New York, but I did work in Chicago for a while. I worked in DC for a while. I was a fire marshal at the Pentagon for a while. And through those different things, I've been able to see how different markets approach it. And as a kind of an emerging industry, in my opinion, it really can be very different depending on where you are in the country.” (3:48-4:11)
#2.)
“If you're going to charge so many of them, so that the fires are propagated, well, that's great. It gets into a regulation. Well, now the technology has to meet that regulation. Right. So you gotta develop new technologies to meet that. It's gotta go through an approval process. It's gotta then get code solidified in the next code cycle. So it's not that technology doesn't happen, but to make sure it's safe, we gotta do it, you know, we gotta do it the right way.” (15:50-16:16)
#3.)
“And the safety is just like a, that's a requirement. We'll have to make sure we meet it. But you're not looking at it through that lens. That's the only lens I look at it through. So people will ask me, how do you know that? Well, that's all I do. That's my profession. That's what I do.” (26:25-26:37)
#4.)
“We'll put in a new fire alarm system. You still see the bells there? Well, you're actually supposed to take the bells out because people see them and think that they're going to do something and, oh, no, those have been disconnected for a decade. Well, then you got to take them out because the public thinks that they're going to do something. So I think the buildings of the future are going to continue to integrate the life safety into it.” (42:03-42:24)
Get in touch with Brandon Finzel:
Get in touch with your host, Jose Cruz:
Listen to more episodes:
