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- The Building Insider: March 2026
The Building Insider: March 2026
Lance Luke
February 27, 2026
March is a time to prioritize safety and proactive building management. This month’s newsletter focuses on awareness and technical guidance, highlighting timely articles on High-Rise Survival: What You Need to Know and Strengthening Your Building Against Fire, two critical topics for homeowners, boards, and property managers.
We also feature Lance’s book, Fire/Life Safety in High-Rise Buildings, which provides practical guidance to help identify potential hazards, understand the risks they pose, and make informed decisions that protect occupants, property value, and long-term liability.
Stop by our booth at the Building Expo March 4 and 5 at NBC. To register, go to https://tradeshowshawaii.com/
Happy Prince Kūhiō Day!
Prince Kūhiō Day is a time to honor the legacy of Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole and his dedication to the health and safety of the Hawaiian community. It serves as a reminder that a strong community is built on a foundation of care and proactive protection for the places we call home.
This month’s newsletter focuses on high-rise safety and proactive building care, helping homeowners and associations make informed decisions that protect their investments and ensure a safe year ahead—because a strong foundation is the best tribute to a legacy of service.
Featured Book
Fire/Life Safety in High-Rise Buildings offers a comprehensive and essential guide to the complex safety systems required for vertical living. This book provides a clear, expert roadmap for understanding how high-rise structures are designed to protect occupants from fire and smoke, and what critical steps must be taken during an emergency to ensure life safety.
A must-read guide from Building Expert Lance Luke, filled with decades of forensic construction experience to help property owners, boards, and residents identify potential vulnerabilities, maintain active and passive safety systems, and create a culture of preparedness that saves lives.
Download available for 30 days only.
High-Rise Survival: What You Need to Know
 | Living or working in a high-rise offers great views, but it also comes with unique responsibilities when it comes to fire safety. Unlike a single-story home, you can't just jump out a window (unless you're an action movie star, and even then, I wouldn't recommend it). |
Strengthening Your Building Against Fire
 | While individual safety is vital, the structural integrity and preparation of the entire building are what truly prevent a disaster. Strengthening a building against fire isn't just about having extinguishers in the hallway; it’s about a comprehensive approach to "fire hardening" that protects the investment and, more importantly, the lives within it. |
National Building  Introducing the | Webinars  Explore our | Expert  Enhance your building's safety with Lance Luke's |
Q&A: Ask the Building Expert
Question: We live in a high-rise built in the late 1980s, and there is some confusion among the board about whether our stairwells are truly fire-safe. Some residents want to prop doors open for ventilation. How serious is this, and what should our priority be?
Answer: This is a critical issue that must be taken seriously. In a high-rise, fire doors are designed to close automatically to prevent a "chimney effect," where smoke and heat quickly travel up the stairwell. Propping these doors open bypasses the building's passive fire protection and puts every occupant at risk. Your first step should be to educate residents on the "Stay or Go" dilemma and the importance of compartmentalization. Next, engage a qualified professional to inspect your fire-rated assemblies and ensure all self-closing mechanisms are functioning properly. Addressing these risks proactively helps protect occupants, limit liability, and support informed decision-making by the board.
Stop by our booth at the Building Expo March 4 and 5 at NBC. To register, go to https://tradeshowshawaii.com/
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