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J U N E 2 0 2 2 | 43 Doors & Hardware P H OTO G R A P H Y CO U RT E S Y T R I L L I U M A RC H I T EC T U R A L P RO DU C T S LT D. Smart, secure, and accessible are the keywords of 2022 in the doors and hardware industry by NATALIE BRUCKNER O nce upon a time, the door to your home was considered a status symbol: having a bronze door elevated your social status. We've come a long way since then, however one thing that hasn't changed is the emphasis placed on doors and hardware. Today, there are so many different styles and fixtures available to meet the diverse needs of 21st-century home- owners – spanning from aesthetic to security requirements, and beyond. Take the concept of accessible and universal doors, which just a few years ago was considered a niche issue – an afterthought, if you will. Today, however, thanks to experts in the industry who have been committed to educating own- ers, developers, and architects on their importance – as well as standards under The Accessible Canada Act and Canadian Standards Association (CSA) – includ- ing barrier-free access to communities, workplaces, and services for all is now a discussion you will likely hear during the early stages of design. Creative Door Services, a proud leader of residential garage door and com- mercial and industrial overhead door products and services across Western Canada, has been a thought-leader in this regard. The team not only advises commercial clients on door widths and thresholds, but drills down deeper, offering advice and a range of options for often overlooked aspects, such as materials and hardware. "The surface of manual pedestrian doors must be smooth on the push side and have no protruding hardware within 10 inches of the floor or ground. This requirement prevents walkers, canes, wheelchairs, and other devices from get- ting caught on anything sticking out from the bottom face of the door," explains Creative Door in its blog on this very subject. As for hardware, Lana Winterfield, marketing manager says door hardware such as handles, pulls, latches, and locks should not require fine finger control, tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist to operate. Additionally, pedestrian door handles must be between 34 and 48 inches above the floor and shouldn't protrude more than four inches from the door. "Moreover, the handle must not require more than five pounds of force to open and be easy to grasp and manipulate with one hand. D-shaped door handles, ladder pulls, and lever-operated door handles are suitable. However, knobs and thumb-latch handles should be avoided. In addition, door handles should be usable from both sides and have a pronounced colour contrast to dif- ferentiate them from the door itself," explains Winterfield. Representing a wide range of brands and with a team passionate about finding a unique solution for every project, Creative Door Services continues to demon- strate that a door these days is so much more than just an entrance/exit way. LOCK IT DOWN Staying competitive in the multifamily market isn't easy – it requires owners to consider how they can successfully differentiate a property to potential residents. One answer, according to Allegion Canada, is to go beyond the glitz and glamour and provide residents with smart hardware technology that makes life that bit easier. Smart locks are a great option as they are equally useful to the resident as they are to the property manager. "By seamlessly integrating your property management system and access control system into one application, you can start to add additional services like dog walking and grocery. You can charge a premium rent because you're essentially unlocking services and amenities to residents that make their tenant experience better, especially when mobile is used," Allegion explains in its blog. Smart locks and smart apartment technologies allow properties to offer enhanced experiences and take advantage of new ways of working, like unat- tended showing and remote monitoring. "These things can contribute to leases increasing, which means more revenue from operating at a higher efficiency. It also contributes to lower operating costs because staff can be used in new, more efficient ways," Allegion adds. One great product offered by Allegion is the Schlage LE wireless mortise lock, designed to affordably extend electronic access control deeper into the building GETTING A HANDLE ON THINGS Rockwood's PDU exit devices.

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