Beyond the Door: Designing for Safety, Accessibility, and Smart Integration

This podcast explores the evolving intersection of design, technology, and human experience in door hardware and access control systems. Through expert discussion, listeners will gain insight into how innovative hardware solutions can simultaneously enhance security, accessibility, and design intent. The conversation examines how divisions 8 and 28 converge to influence specifications, the growing role of IoT and mobile credentials, and how retrofit-friendly and sustainable platforms extend building life cycles. From high-end residential to multifamily and commercial environments, the course highlights real-world strategies for achieving both performance and aesthetic excellence in modern access design.

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Transcript

Hello, and welcome to the SpecShaman podcast, the show that explores the world of building product manufacturers, architects and engineers, sustainable design and technology and trends. We engage in thought provoking discussions with renowned experts, industry pioneers, and visionaries who are making a significant impact in the construction industry. Join us as we explore groundbreaking ideas, revolutionary concepts, and the latest advancements shaping the built environment.

I hope you enjoy this week's episode. Let's get started. Welcome to the SpecShaman podcast.

I'm your host, Megan Vipond, and today we'll be diving into how modern access systems go beyond security. They're supporting design goals, user experience, and sustainability. Joining me today is Chen-Yen Cheng, the co-founder and vice president of product development at Unison Hardware, creators of the Inox brand of elegant door hardware.

We're also joined by Peter Sedwig, the founding executive director of SPC Alliance. Q, Peter, welcome to the podcast. To start us off today, could you both give us an introduction? Tell us how you came to be in this segment of the industry.

Sure. Hi, I'm Chen-Yen Cheng. Founder and VP of Inox Smart.

My journey started more than 20 years ago in the traditional door hardware industry with design and engineering mechanical locks. Over time, I saw there's a huge gap between beautiful architectural hardware and the new world of the smart technology, and this really shaped the idea, the journey behind when we created Inox Smart and bring design, craftsmanship, and intelligent access control together into a seamless experience. I want to make sure that the smart security is not just high-tech, but elegant, intuitive, scalable, and all the fun stuff that the real world actually needs.

For me, it's about transforming something that is ordinary as a door and as an entry point into this smart, more human experience, and that can connect the communities together. And I'm Peter Sedgwick. I started in the industry by mistake.

I was working or coming through school for architectural drafting, realized that it was not going to be my long-term pursuit, got hired by a door company, kind of floated into the industry during the 80s, worked as a national sales manager, stayed in the specialty in the door frame arena, became a rep in 1990, merged a couple of times, and eventually, we were one of the larger reps in New England, which we still are. And then we created a couple other companies that got me into writing door hardware specifications more, and that's pretty much my main job and my goal now. SPC, which came along as a national company, have a bunch of independent manufacturers that I like supporting them.

They have a tough time getting in specifications, and our goal is to increase their presence in those specifications nationally. Amazing. Again, thank you for joining us today.

Now, let's begin with the foundation. Access hardware plays such a critical, yet sometimes overlooked, role in occupant protection and welfare. Q, how have modern access control systems evolved beyond simple security? Yeah, that's really a great question.

Access control has really evolved beyond just locking and unlocking doors. I want to say there's three big ways it has changed. First, the wireless connectivity has completely reshaped this industry.

It used to be all about readers, controllers, hardwired locks, systems that require tons of cabling, setup, installation. But now, almost every type of commercial lock can be operated as a stand-alone wireless smart locks, and that gives the designer and facility managers a lot more flexibilities, especially when retrofitting existing buildings. The second part is the user experience has improved dramatically.

What used to require a remote voltage or IT professional can now be done by the end-user. A lot of the great features and thoughtful functions have been developed, so end-users can now schedule access, add or remove logs, or update passcodes right from the smartphone or a web portal dashboard. No technicians need it.

The access management is simplified, and the process is streamlined. This empowers businesses to improve their security as well as their efficiency. The third is scalability.

Scalability has become so much easier. With modern systems, you can start with a single door and then expand it to entire facilities with almost no disruption, and also by doing it with about 80-70% savings in capital investments and 7-10 times lower maintenance, and that's all the modern access technology brings. So they're affordable and practical for everyone from like a small office or a large enterprise.

That's how it's changed, yes. Peter, what role does fire-rated hardware and code compliance play in safeguarding building occupants? Well, without the fire-rated hardware, which has to be self-latching and self-closing, your doors could be compromised and not operate properly when the pressure of a fire comes in and pushes against the door. Today, we're lucky most of the hardware that is produced has already been fire-rated and tested.

Probably one of the big examples where it hasn't been tested, and there's two different versions of it, is your exit devices or your crossbars. You've got fire-rated version and non-fire-rated, so you've got to make sure that you've got the fire-rated version on your doors. But when it comes to lock sets and closers and hinges, they've already been tested at three-hour tests, so that solves that issue pretty quickly.

On the code compliance, in the commercial world, the knobs do not exist at all. We do not supply knobs on any job. It's all levers, and that came out of the codes of the ADA back in the early 80s when they started to promote that, and more in the 90s and so forth.

So with codes, we've got to make sure that the hardware can meet up to it. If you're on the coastline within a couple hundred miles now, we've got to have hurricane-tested products. So we've got to make sure that whatever building we're dealing with, where it's located, and if you're out in the Midwest, tornado is an issue as well, so you've got to be tested for that.

So we've got to look at all of that. Thank you. How can design professionals ensure hardware selections enhance accessibility for all users? Yeah, that's such a great question.

Accessibility today goes far beyond just code compliance, and Peter is right, code compliance is very important. It's also about designing space that are genuinely easier and safer for everyone. So one of the simplest ways to do that is by rethinking of the opening.

For example, wider or sliding doors can make it much easier for people using wheelchairs or walkers to move around without worrying about tight hallways or the swing clear, particularly on the swing door. And the smart technologies can also add another layer of what we call inclusiveness, like locks with voice prompts that helps users with visual impairments, or number handles, as Peter just mentioned, instead of knobs for those with limited hand strength. In assisted living or memory care, smart cabinet locks can also manage the medication access, or even facial recognition locks that can help residents enter their rooms safely without remembering codes or carrying keys.

And so when you combine all of these types of wider openings, intuitive hardware, and the smart technology, you can certainly create spaces that feel more human, that's just more secure. And it's also really about designing for what we call inclusion and also independence. Peter, what are some of the more common mistakes in specifying door hardware that might compromise occupant safety? Probably the biggest mistake is, number one, not looking at what the occupancy and the people that are living in the building, and you don't take that into consideration.

Even with smart technology, we have to have backup systems, whether it be a key or a fob or even a keypad underneath the reader, so that if you've got a mixed-use, mixed-age in your building, you've got to accommodate people that won't use phones, won't use fobs, and they want a key, and they're safer with that. So any lock that accommodates more of that is probably one of the better systems. I would say the other thing from a spec writer standpoint, the usage of the building becomes really important in the grade of the hardware.

So there's three grades of hardware. There's one, two, and three, one being for high-use, high-abuse-type situations. Grade two is your moderate usage, and grade three is your residential-type grade.

But you've got to mix and match that within buildings as well, and that's an art form to do that, and that's why people hire somebody like myself to write specifications. So as you both mentioned, performance and compliance are essential. But hardware isn't just about being functional anymore.

It's really becoming a major design element, often defining even part of the visual story. So let's talk about that a little bit. Q, how has hardware shifted from being a hidden element to becoming part of the design story? That's such a fun question, because it really captures how far hardware has come.

Though hardware isn't just functional, as you mentioned, it is the first thing people actually touch and feel when they enter a space. It sets the tone of the entire experience. So a harmonious design with complementary finishes doesn't just look good.

It connects that visually and emotionally with the rest of the space. It could be like a sliding door in a modern office or entry door for a multifamily home. The hardware communicates the quality and the design intent.

And now we've also added another layer, intelligent access, I call it. Smart hardware doesn't just provide a security. It offers visibilities of the access.

It offers control as well. So now you can create environments that not only look beautiful, but also feel intuitive to use. So hardware has truly evolved from a hidden detail into like a handshake between a design and experience and also an intelligent security.

I like that idea of the handshake. That really kind of brings it all into perspective. Now, what strategies can designers use to balance security requirements with aesthetic goals in maybe high-end residential or even commercial projects? That's a thoughtful question.

So for a long time, there was this idea that you had to choose between beauty and security. But today, with the right technology and the design approach, you can absolutely have both. So here are the strategies you can consider.

First, start with the integration earned. When the security hardware is part of the design plan from day one, it naturally complements the architectural instead of competing with it. Second, focus on the finish harmony.

Choosing a high-quality material and a durable finish can blend with the design palette. Now finally, you should think about also lean on the intelligent systems, the smart systems that can create less clutter and easy deployment. So for example, cloud-based systems versus on-prem type of systems, or a big web-based platforms versus computers and servers and softwares to be downloaded.

All of these reduce redundant infrastructure and streamline these design processes. So it's really all about creating a space that can look luxurious, feel intuitive, and then stay secure by design intentionally. And you mentioned briefly about materials.

How do finishes and materials and performance coatings allow hardware to blend into the building design without compromising durability? Yeah, that's a great question. Finishes and materials play a huge role in how hardware fits into a space. Today, we don't have to choose between aesthetics and durability.

We can have both. With advanced coatings such as PVD, which stands for physical vapor deposition, and also ceramic finishes, door hardware can perfectly match the design palette. While still withstanding heavy use, that's like moisture, contents of the environment, even coastal environments, all these elements, and are affecting the finishes.

But these finishes don't just look good, they actually perform. So selecting the right materials is also important to ensure that these finishes have long-lasting strength, especially that's what commercial spaces need. So with the right choice, hardware can blend, you know, into the architectural design more like seamlessly, and they should really be elegant, durable, and obviously they really, really have to be built to last.

Peter, what is the challenge behind getting multiple manufacturers to design and match finishes? The challenge there is even if you're a large manufacturer, and some people assume because it's all under one name, that their finishes are going to match up, and that's not necessarily true, because even with the large factories, you're dealing with 10 or 15 different locations making the same kind of hardware. So my advice to anybody where the finish has got to be absolutely perfect is to get physical samples and have them compare, and then if they're off, try to specify a wall number that you've seen and that the manufacturers can match up. The concern that happens there, of course, is lead times go pretty crazy if you change any manufacturer's methods.

So between all the manufacturers we particularly deal with, we try to work with them when it has got to be critical, early in the stages, make sure they know this job's coming, make sure that the order is in time so that if the lead time does get out to that 12, 16, even 20 weeks, we can cover it before it hits the job, and it will resolve all the issues. Q. How does access technology affect user experience? Access technology has evolved. It enables users not just about unlocking a door, it's actually about empowering people to link an identity with the physical access of a space and also allow them to manage access very easily.

So for example, when a user can enter a space with a fob or a code or even their phone, their smartphones, while managers can grant access remotely within seconds, all of these create a very smooth and very personalized experience for everyone, different roles. So when it's the access technology done right, they make the security almost invisible, right? People feel the convenience, not the complexity. So it's a perfect blend of the safeties and simplicity and without sacrificing the design.

Q. And why should access technology be considered not just for security, but design as well? That's a great question. Because access technology today does so much more than just keeping people out or letting them in. It's part of this overall experience of the space.

So when you think about it, the door is often this first interaction, right? People have to get into a building. And how that door looks, feels, responds, it says a lot about the space behind it. So with the modern day access technology, the user experience of using the technology become part of that design.

So a door access should be combining that door, the hardware design, but also the usage, the experience of it has to be intuitive and welcoming. And that is very important. Q. So the balance between form and function seems to really be a reoccurring theme here.

Can you share some examples of where Access Hardware elevated the design outcome of a project? A. Absolutely. One great example that comes into my mind is Salon by James C. franchise. They created upscale shared salon suites.

And so design and privacy of those really important to their brand. So in their locations, we used a sliding door, farm doors, equipped with smart locks. The hardware become part of the design.

It's clean, it's modern, and it gives the space savings. But it also provided individual access control for each stylist and their clients, who the stylists are the tenants of these suites. And then their clients also can visit the suites.

So each suite could be locked or unlocked with a phone or a file or passcode. And then they can manage remotely through the cloud platform. So what's exciting is that the hardware didn't just add security.

It elevated the design. The sliding doors brought openness and flow. And the smart locks kept the look clean and elegant.

So this is a perfect blend of the technology and the design. Now we've talked a little about technology, but let's dig a bit deeper into it. Access control has entered a digital age with IoT enabled systems and mobile credentials.

Doors have really become smarter than ever. So for those who might not know, can you tell us what exactly is IoT? IoT stands for the Internet of Things. In simple terms, it means everyday physical devices can be connected to the internet, which allow them to collect and share and act and analyze on data, right? So think of the IoT technology as something like modern day.

Your laptops or even your phones versus in the old time, there was mainframes where a lot of computers are connected with big wires and large networks. And the internet has connected a lot of the wireless laptops or computers together. And nowadays, it connects everybody's phone together.

So similar concept now, instead of just the computers and the phones being online, now things like your locks, thermostats, or cameras, light switches, or coffee machines, even baby monitors, right? They can all communicate through the cloud. And that's the fundamental IoT technology concept. So what are the key differences between smart technology and traditional electronic locks? That's a great question.

Because people often think that smart locks and electronic locks, they're the same. They're actually quite different. The traditional electronic locks, they're usually standalone.

They might have a keypad or also a card reader, but they don't communicate beyond that door opening. Any programming or updates will have to be done manually right at that door. So the smart locks, on the other hand, they're connected.

So they're connected through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or another communication modules. And people hear Z-Wave, Zippy. These are all different communication modules.

So the smart locks have these modules of communication that connecting them all to a cloud platform. And what this means is that now you can manage access remotely, right? And you can also monitor the activities in real time. And also it even integrates systems that with some of the other building technologies.

So in short, electronic locks, they give you basic keyless functions. But the smart technology gives you more intelligence. It gives you more visibilities.

It allows people to actually do beyond just access control of one door. It actually gives you an overall access management of multiple doors or even multiple buildings. So how should design professionals evaluate whether cloud-based or on-premise systems are best for their project? That's a really good question.

It's one that the design and security team are asking more often now with us. So the choice between cloud-based and on-premises access system really comes down to the project scale, its infrastructure, and also the end-users management style. So cloud-based systems, they're ideal.

When you need the flexibility and the remote management, for example, multifamily buildings, right? Or schools or multi-location businesses like the franchise I mentioned about earlier. So you can actually update your credentials. You can also monitor these door status.

Is the door closed or open? And also you can manage these access from anywhere in the world. Also with lower upfront costs and a very easy scalability. So this is the cloud-based systems today with the technology of the IoT can support very easily.

So on-premises system, it still has its merit. On the other hand, instead of a scalability, instead of remote management, it makes sense for high security environments that needs to keep the data local, right? For example, for governments, defense or critical infrastructure. But they do require more IT resources and also maintenance.

So the key is to have the collaboration early in the design phase when architects, the integrators, and the owners or facility management can align their goals for the usabilities, for the security needs, and also for their long-term scale or expanding plans. And also how the management conducts their processes or their procedures of managing the building. So then the right system will become clear.

What role do mobile credentials, FOBs, et cetera, what role do those play in shaping today's user expectations for access? Good question. Mobile credential and FOBs, they kind of have changed people's expectation from the access control, particular access control. So we're living in a world of convenience, right? People unlock their cars, they start their coffee machines, and they watch the baby monitors from their phone, right? So many things are done from their phone.

So naturally, they expect the same simplicity for the building access too. So instead of the access control being a sort of a back-end system, right? Something that it's only the IT professionals or the low-voltage professionals can manage, can use, can set up the codes or can schedule things. It's now become part of that everyday user experience.

It's something that users expect to have a system that's really simple to use. A system that's seamless, seamless between a lock, right? A smart lock on every door within the building, as well as that reader at the front entrance of the building. So users' expectations are, I need security, but I also need simplicity.

I need the access to be easy to manage from a desktop system platforms, but also from a mobile phone when I'm traveling. And so all of these are part of the expectations, and also that personalized interaction, right? With every door, with setting up every devices, setting up every user, and customized roles and permissions, and even the different level permissions, all of those which used to be extremely complex and difficult and require a lot of complexity. Now the expectation is it needs to be very simple and intuitive to use and to interact with.

So this isn't something that's specific to new construction. What are some best practices for integrating smart locks into retrofits? Excellent question. Most projects today are retrofit, absolutely true.

So the key is to start by understanding the existing infrastructure for a retrofit project. For example, the type of doors, type of frames, what wiring has already in place, or is there any wiring at all? Is there internet? Is there connectivities within the space? So the goal is to integrate smart locks and access control systems smoothly without the major construction or disruption of the current tenants, or tear things down, tear things apart, right? So choosing wireless battery-powered type of smart locks makes a huge difference. Because these, they don't require new cabling, unlike the traditional access control, so that it really keeps the installation very fast, very cost-effective, and the deployments or the system initializations are extremely fast and easy.

So most importantly is that all these easy-to-implement systems will minimize that disruption for the tenants' everyday life. So it is also crucial to plan and find the hardware that matches the existing door or lock prep. And because that will reduce the, again, reduce the necessity of having to reprep the door, or sometimes even change the door, right? Which is another huge cost.

So the other very important part is making sure you're choosing the hardware that meets all the code compliance requirements. Your fire code, your performance code, your ADA code, your life safety code. And so that's why a commercial smart lock is important to be used for commercial properties, also multi-tenant properties, versus a residential smart lock, for example.

So lastly, standardize the platform, meaning that you have a one system that can manage all types of locks, right? Your commercial locks, like maybe a cylindrical smart lock, a mortise smart lock that was already in the building, a panic device, exit device that has the lock, glass doors that require a lock, sliding doors that require a commercial lock. And of course, also you have your reader, controller, hardwired type of locks at the entrance. All of these should be connected with a more unified cloud-based type of systems.

And that will actually allow the property management, the tenants have a more easier way to manage the access with a more unified dashboard, and also allow the tenants to use a single credential, like a fob, or using their phone to go through the whole building. And so those are the importance for retrofit projects. So there's really another layer, another component to all of this, and that's compliance.

So let's talk a little bit now about how codes and standards are evolving alongside smart access. Peter, how can divisions 8 and 28 combine to bring clarity to specifications and help define responsibilities between design teams, contractors, and installers? Yeah, the traditional method for division 8 and 28 is to go in their own little worlds and produce a product at the same time. And the problem with that, of course, is no one knows what the other one's doing on the other side of the fence.

What is gonna happen in the future is that we're going to bring certain software to the market. So the traditional system is it gets specced, RFIs come in, submittals are done, and changes are made late in the job. So whatever has been specified is not necessarily what ends up in the job at the end of the day.

So what's supposed to happen to the owner is at the end of it, they will get a bunch of documentation of what kind of locks, what kind of security was put in the building. They'll have tons of data from digitally sent to them. So those files get put into a computer 10 years go later, nobody remembers what happened on that job.

With the current software that's coming on the market, it will be called as built, which means that everything will be updated in the software to present what is actually in the building today. So if an owner goes back to an open that has been detailed correctly between eight and 28, and he has his tablet and he's looking at a door and he hits the tablet, all the cut sheets, all the product that's on there, and the last time it was even touched and updated or maintained will be recorded on this. So this is a living document and a breathing document of a building.

So 28 and 28, both now are working together on the same platform to do this. So that if I'm doing the door hardware and Johnny's doing the 28, I can see where his wires are coming. He can see where my products are.

He can see that I have electric strike here. I've got latch retraction here. I got smart locks over here so that we can coordinate all that on the same platform live so that it's not like BIM.

BIM is done to create the building as they're going to build it. What I'm saying, this will take it the next step so that the owner will know everything and the coordination will be resolved at a live format as we're doing the job. It's an amazing new way to go to market.

And which cuts and standards and should design professionals be most familiar with when specifying hardware? Well, ADA is the top of it. If you don't have the correct low energy operators or high energy when it's used and the difference between low energy is you push it a couple of times a day and the operator opens. High energy is like your Walmart.

You walk up to a sensor and the door automatically opens at a high speed. So people have to be careful of those two because you can't put a low energy in a high energy operation because you'll blow out the units. They can't handle it.

So you got to be very careful when you're laying out a job on that. And then, of course, some of the other codes are Nancy, BHMA, which is Builders Hardware Association, American Standards. They've all got to come into it if you're working overseas, then you've got all the European.

And then even within the states, California has higher rigid set around, but hardware requirements. And then if you look at one action to get out of a door. So if you're in an apartment, you need, if you have a deadbolt and a lever, one action retracts both of those in Europe.

Now that's required in the Northeast and a lot of states in the country. Texas doesn't require that. You have to do a deadbolt and a lever to get out.

So it's two actions to get out. So you've got to check every state code because they do vary from place to place. If I'm writing a spec, I always put in interconnect to lock or mortise locks, and I don't have this issue and I don't have to worry about that.

So those are probably the two main ones. It's the ADA and then all the fire codes, of course, that we talked about earlier. And are there unique access and code challenges in multifamily housing compared to commercial facilities? Yeah, we've got to be careful of the access control.

Most buildings want to be friendly to their tenants so that there's no challenges of moving from floor to floor, meaning that the doors are always open. If you want to go up to the sixth floor, you just get and go up to the sixth floor. Occasionally we'll have a client that wants to have everything locked down.

So you do not have access off the elevators or even the stairwells to get into another floor. That's very unusual, but you've got to look and see what the owner's doing. I've got a case right now where it's a very unique family situation and it's locked down as close to a prison as you can get.

And I can't explain the job because it's too unique and I don't want to expose it. But in most cases, multifamily is far more challenging. You've got to deal with every age group that you've got in there from your toddlers up to your grandparents and how they move through a building.

If it has a lot of physically challenged people in the building, we're going to address that differently. We may even put low energy operators on their units. We're doing that with the housing authority here in Massachusetts right now.

And we've got far more readers than we typically use in the United States. We're not as robust on our ADA as which sounds kind of weird because it's American Disability Act. It's Canada.

Canada has their low energy operators on any major door going to any kind of building. So if it's a gas station, it has to have a low energy operator. If it's a small retail shop, it has to have a low energy operator.

We don't do that in the United States. We'll have levers out there, but we don't go as far on that. So between the two components of commercials versus the multifamily, you've got to look at it differently.

And it's all about the access control, the security, and it depends where it's located. If it's out in the suburbs, we have a tendency to use less security. If we're in the inner cities, there's more security because of the situations that happen on the street.

Let's turn a little bit towards sustainability now. Another area where hardware plays maybe a bigger role than many might realize. Peter, how do retrofit-friendly platforms reduce material waste and extend the life cycle of doors and hardware? There's a couple options you have.

If it's a large-size facility and they want to move from traditional locks into smart locks, well, there's always been that you have to redo the doors. You have to bring in new hardware, meaning new locks. Depending on the complexity of it, then you're pulling wires, or if it's RFID or Bluetooth, then you're not pulling wires.

So you're doing a lot of damage to the facility as you go through. There are products that are coming out on the market now that do not use batteries, which is another issue, and do not use any wires to activate smart technology. It goes on the existing hardware.

It is operated by the smartphones so that it literally turns your lever so that when you get to your door, that door is unlocked as you activate it through the smart technology. That's relatively new in the market. It's not cheap, but it does take away all the waste, all the new hardware, all the batteries that are being tossed on smart technology or in buildings.

And we do have where we know when to replace a battery and when not to replace a battery. So there is an extended period now. I mean, two years ago or three years ago, I would have told you, you got one year of life and you got to replace everyone in the building.

And then it became two years. Today, I would say you can get four and five years out of some batteries because it's not being used that much. If you got an apartment with somebody goes and leaves in the morning, comes back at night, and they're just pretty much staying in their place, that battery is not being worn down.

But if it's got three kids and a couple of parents and they're going in and out all day, that battery is going to wear down shorter, shorter time frame. Thus, being notified that the battery actually is under 20 percent or 10 percent prior to replacing the batteries takes care of all that waste. Hugh, how does smart access technology enhance the experience for property owners and managers? For property owners and managers, it's really all about controlling access.

It's about visibilities and the efficiencies in managing access. So the smart access technology can transform their processes and operations to achieve all of the above. So with the cloud-based systems, they can grant or revoke access instantly.

They can monitor the activities in real time. They can check the door if the door is actually closed or locked or open, in addition to if the lock is locked or unlocked. They can also manage multiple properties from one location, one dashboard, and without having to be on site.

So this has significantly reduced their headaches of managing tons of keys, loss of keys, cost of repeating, also coordinating schedules, with tenants moving, move out, or maintenance teams. A lot of these can be handled digitally. A lot of systems support a mobile access management system, which is also very secure.

So at the end of the day, this is not just about the securities. It's about providing the property owner and managers an easier way to manage all of the access to improve their security so that they feel they're more in control. They save valuable time.

It gives also their residents a smoother experience, which then, of course, supporting their property management processes that the property owners and managers do every day. Peter, how does the choice of finishes and coatings affect long-term environmental and occupant health outcomes? Yeah, that's a very interesting question because we've had so many changes over the course of the 40-plus years I've been in the business that most of the coatings today on door hardware are not really done in the United States with a few exceptions because we're not allowed to. Our codes for environment have stopped that from happening.

So the reality is you can take a finish like 630, which does not have a coating. It's the real material and it'll last longer. It'll never lose its wear.

It hasn't had any coatings on it or any chemicals put to it other than in the manufacturing of the product. So in reality, anything that I can do that's in brass or bronze and doesn't need a coating is actually a better product for long term. Nickel is used a lot in the residential communities, but nickel is basically a version of stainless steel just with a little darker of a finish because of the nickel content that's in it.

So it doesn't, you've got to play where you are, what kind of building you're working in. If I can use stainless steel, I'm going to do it versus 626, which is satin chrome. And the cost difference used to be that stainless was always more expensive.

That's not true anymore because if I coat a lever that is stainless steel, I just add a cost to it and that happens more than you think. So you're trying to get a 626 product, but you're actually using stainless steel underneath it. Or if they're using brass or bronze, they're covering it again with a coating that does not really need to be done.

At the end of COVID, I thought that we were going to have a lot more finishes kill the diseases on the levers and that never really took off. So I was really surprised that more people didn't jump on copper as a finish because copper, once you touch it within 24 hours, anything that's on it, it dies. And that's a great product, but people can't get over the color of finish of it.

And it's really hard to match up. So I couldn't do X devices or anything, but I could do levers and copper if I needed to. But at the end of the day, I still think stainless steel is the best finish to go with any commercial or any multifamily or any project if I can use it.

Q. What role does smart access technology play in reducing operational and maintenance costs? Yes, smart access technology today plays a huge role in cutting both operational and maintenance costs. First, it eliminates a lot of the manual work. No more reheating the locks, replacing lock keys, or scheduling on-site visits, you know, just to change the access.

Everything now can be done remotely through the cloud. And that saves time and labor. Second, wireless and battery-powered or wireless charging type of locks reduce installation costs.

It makes the maintenance a lot simpler. There's no need for a complex wiring or expensive system overhaul, you know, a dedicated server room with a dedicated computer. And all of that reduces, elimination of all of that reduces a huge task of maintenance.

Finally, the smart system also can provide real-time data and diagnostics. So the issues can be spotted and fixed before they become more costly problems. And this is something that the conventional mainframe type of access control systems often create is a more maintenance issues because the smaller issues of breaching of securities didn't get addressed in a timely manner.

So beyond just adding the convenience, the smart access technology can now actually help the building running way more leaner, smarter. And of course, that brings the efficiency. Can you share a case study where the application of these types of products improved aesthetics and functionality? A great example is the St. Clementi's senior living community.

The goal was to create a space that felt secure, that felt supportive, but also warm and residential, not institutional. So we use an ILOX interconnect, interconnected smart locks for the residence suites and also a smart cylindrical locks and a mortise locks for the commercial, for the common areas and the staff space, as well as a smart access control for the main entries to the lobby, some of the exterior doors. So all of these have the matching finishes so that they actually blended beautifully with the interior design.

The hardware looked very elegant and looked intentional. They're never bulky or mechanical, commercial, institutional look. Then from the function standpoint, it solves the management headaches that they used to face.

Staff now can easily manage access. They can schedule the visits for families, caretakers, and also sometimes just visitors. And they can do that through the cloud on the platform at their front desk, but they can also do it from a mobile phone.

And so that provides the ability for them to maintain the privacy for the residents, but also providing the convenience. So it's a great example of how smart access now can elevate both the aesthetics and the functionalities, but also the quality of life. So as we wrap up, I'd love to get your thoughts on what's coming next.

Technology and design are moving quickly. So let's look at how design professionals can future-proof their work. With mechanical keys fading into a backup role, how should design professionals prepare for a mobile-first future? That's a great question because we're definitely moving towards a mobile-first world when it comes to access.

Mechanical keys are still very important as a backup, but the primary experience is now digital. So for design professionals, that means thinking about technology as part of the architectural design, not as an add-on, is important. The hardware, power sources, the connectivities, all of these needs to be considered early in the design process so that they can make sure that everything works seamlessly once the building is occupied.

This really, it's about staying future-ready in terms of such as using cloud-based systems that can be updated over the air. They can expand easily as the client's adding more doors, adding more buildings, or even adding more locations. So all of these are part of the consideration of plan to have their system, their design, their buildings designed with a mobile-first future.

How can over-the-air updates and scalable platforms keep access systems future-ready? So with over-the-air updates, the access systems can automatically receive new features, firmware improvements, and also security patches. So these are the similar kind of updates that you receive on your smartphone. So this means there are less or no downtime.

There's no costly site visits, no replacing hardwares, but mostly it's to stay current. So that's why over-the-air updates it's a very important part of the modern day access systems. Now with also the scalable and cloud-based platforms, now you can easily expand.

So future-ready means in the future, your clients may have more buildings, more doors, or change of layouts, or extensions. And then so from a few doors here, maybe to a few hundreds of doors, and also from one building to an entire portfolio, and all managed from the same dashboard. So together with the over-the-air updates and the scalable platforms, and this will make sure that the investments will get smarter over the time, so they can continue keeping the buildings secure, but also efficient.

Peter, what steps can specifiers take to avoid cookie-cutter solutions, and instead tailor access systems to their unique project needs? Well, the first thing that specifiers have to do is avoid stealing from another job. Every spec should be written for every job. And in order to do that, so you're not stealing, you're not repeating something you've done in the past, because we're moving in a time where specs are changing all the time.

Codes are changing all the time. The technology that's being used today is completely different than it was a few years ago. My best suggestion to any specifiers have experts, product consultants, not salespeople, but product consultants that you can rely on so that they can bang out a spec with their technology.

As an industry, specifiers are aging out. We're going to have a major problem in a few years, and technology is the only way that we're going to be able to keep up with it. So if an architect is on a phone with me, and he's talking about a particular job with our software, we can bang out a premium of a specification in about four minutes.

And that's what you want. You want somebody that can give you a complete for your job specification. So I would tell them to build a team around them that they can count on for all the divisions, and who are on top of the newest technology.

If they're still using Word document, then they need to move up, or you need to find another person because that's where the cookie cutter comes from. On a Word document, you steal from this, you move it into that. It should be a much smoother operation, and very, very quickly.

And don't rely on AI for all your answers, because even AI makes major mistakes. And when you're dealing with life security and everything else, you can't make a mistake. You got to make sure it's right.

Q. How can project collaboration ensure that hardware supports both present and future needs? That's a really important question, because getting hardware right, it's all about collaboration. So when architects, designers, specifiers like Peter, integrators, lock manufacturers all work together early in the process, then you can align both the design intent and also the long-term functionalities. So for example, planning ahead for power.

For network connectivity. For design styles. For finishes that required for the environments.

For ADA requirements, or the scalability that part of the needs in the future. All of this ensure that upgrading to the new features like remote access, that all of this wouldn't require tearing anything out later on. So that means the hardware, it not only look right for today, but it is also built to support the technology's advancements.

It supports that expanded access needs for tomorrow. And it will pretty much, you know, supporting that both the present and the future needs. Q. To close us out today, could each of you share one final piece of industry wisdom with our audience? A. I would say that for the audience that's listening to this and smart technology, that you're going to be inundated with new manufacturers that are independent.

You're not going to know their name, but their technology is going to be better than the legacy companies that are out there. The independent manufacturers that exist in the marketplace today are far more nimble than the traditional systems. Do not be afraid of taking on somebody you don't know.

But again, go to one of your product consultants or one of your specifiers to back up what they're saying to you. And if they're right in a fair spec, they've got some of these manufacturers there anyways. The legacy companies are not catching up on technology and companies like Jingyan are doing a far better job in the industry and doing a better service for the architect's client, which is the owner of that building.

Thank you, Peter. So if I could share one final thought I've been thinking about this. I think the way that someone enters the space really sets the tone of how they feel inside it.

So when we combine really thoughtful designs with now the smart technology, we can create this space that are not only secure, but also welcoming and inspiring. So keeping the designs with the people and the experience and the future only, I think that is important. So access is really now more about experience.

And that's my final thought. Amazing. Kyu, Peter, thank you both so much for joining us today.

And having that insightful conversation, you've really helped us see how access technology touches every part of the design process. We appreciate you joining us on the Spec Shaman podcast as we continue exploring the details that make great architecture possible. See you next time.