This course will provide a brief history of significant historical fires and how these have influenced the development of our current model building codes. Some more recent fires will be discussed, reinforcing the importance of mitigating fire propagation in cladding assemblies. A review of the five main building types will lead into a discussion of material combustibility followed by an overview of the Code requirements around flame propagation. NFPA 285 – “Standard Fire Test Method for Evaluation of Fire Propagation Characteristics of Exterior Wall Assemblies Containing Combustible Components” is now in its 4th edition. The course wraps up with a discussion of the fire propagation test, how to navigate manufacturer NFPA 285 compliance information, and when the use of engineering judgements may be required.
Dave Young brings more than 35 years of building enclosure consulting experience to his teams and projects. His capacity to demonstrate a depth of experience includes single-family homes, multi-family residential, Class-A high-rise commercial, institutional/public sector, and mission critical projects--in both Canada and the U.S. Inherently meticulous and detail-oriented, Dave leverages his ability to think holistically about new building construction and building enclosure rehabilitation, repair, maintenance, and forensic investigation. He is a trusted partner among his clients and stakeholders, known for having an unparalleled level of know-how and thoughtfulness while navigating unknowns. His notable high-performance projects include the Multnomah County Central Courthouse, the new 35-story Ritz-Carlton Tower in Portland and the custom curtainwall for the PDX Terminal Core Redevelopment at the Portland International Airport.
Dave holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and is a licensed professional engineer in OR, WA, ID, and NE. He is a Principal at RDH Building Science Inc. and is a Past-President of the Portland Building Enclosure Council.