Building Innovation 2014 Conference & Expo Recap

Though weather delays and a slew of flight cancelations impeded arrivals at the beginning of the week, Building Innovation 2014—The National Institute of Building Sciences Second Annual Conference and Expo was an overall success. Held January 6-10, 2014, at the Marriott Washington Wardman Park in Washington, D.C., the event brought hundreds of building professionals together to focus on Advancing Life-Cycle Performance. With a final registration tally of 700-plus registrants; more than 120 speakers; 26 committee and council meetings; 22 exhibitors; 20 sponsors; 10 symposia; four keynote speakers; two workshops; two receptions; an educational session; a challenge; and a banquet, the week-long event was packed full of educational and networking opportunities. During the Conference, the Institute looked back on its 40 years of leadership and advocacy, and presented an informative agenda that highlighted its activities and programs for developing innovative solutions for the built environment.

Monday, January 6, 2014
District’s Energy “Game Change” Topic of Keynote Day One: Building Innovation 2014 Conference Begins

The National Institute of Building Sciences kicks off Day One of Building Innovation 2014. The day begins with the Healthcare Facilities Life-Cycle Workshop: Moving Data through Early Planning into Design and Operations, where professionals from the public and private sectors learn how different federal agencies are integrating facility management (FED iFM) into their programs. Then, Sam Brooks of the District of Columbia’s Department of General Services Energy and Sustainability Division keynotes the luncheon sponsored by the National Insulation Association. Brooks, who served as the replacement speaker for Michael Feldman, speaks about the “game change” the District Government is making to reduce energy usage by 20% in 20 city buildings in 20 months. In the afternoon, the Cybersecurity of Buildings Workshop: OT and IT Convergence — A New Paradigm, brings together representatives of the federal agencies and the private sector to discuss what is happening in the way of standards, guidelines and tools to address cybersecurity in buildings. In addition, the Off-Site Construction Council, Commercial Workforce Credentialing Council, Multihazard Mitigation Council Board of Direction, buildingSMART alliance Board of Direction, and the National Building Information Modeling (BIM) Standard and United States National CAD Standard Project Committees all meet during the day.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014
VAFM Transformation Initiative Focus of FEDCon Keynote: Building Innovation 2014 Day Two

On Day Two, the Conference continues with the MMC Symposium—Life-Cycle Performance: Moving Forward to More Resilient Communities, which focuses on the barriers to mitigation in the nation’s local residential and commercial sectors. The Information Exchange Working Group hosts its January 2014 buildingSMART alliance Challenge, beginning the day with an introduction of the new information exchange (IE) standards and continuing through the afternoon with manufacturers demonstrating compliance verification at sessions for design and construction software. During the FEDCon® Luncheon sponsored by Lehigh Hanson, Dennis Milsten, Associate Executive Director of the Office of Program and Plans, Office of Construction & Facilities Management, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), talks about how VA’s Facility Management (VAFM) Transformation Initiative is moving VA’s Construction Program into the 21st Century. Other activities during the day include a simulation demonstration by the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Program of its Facility Operations program module; and meetings of the Consultative Council, the Building Seismic Safety Council Provisions Update Committee, the WBDG Whole Building Design Guide® Board of Direction and Advisory Committee; the Facility Maintenance & Operations Committee (FMOC) and a joint meeting of the High Performance Building Council (HPBC) and High-Performance Building Congressional Caucus Coalition (HPBCCC). In addition, the Exhibit Hall opens, with an evening Exhibitors Reception sponsored by GRAPHISOFT and the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials. The sold-out exhibit space gives networking attendees a first-hand look at the latest in building technologies and a chance to win a Nest Thermostat. Find out who wins the prize.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014
SBIC Beyond Green™ Awards Presented: Building Innovation 2014 Day Three

On Day 3 of the Conference, activities really kick into high gear. In the morning, the IRD Symposium: Measuring and Improving Resilience of Existing Facilities looks at ways to identify deficiencies in resilience and a path to their mitigation, with a particular focus on the safety of schools. At the SBIC Symposium: Beyond Green™: Guidance for Life-Cycle Performance sponsored by Legrand, panelists address ways to achieve high performance across a building’s life cycle and Beyond Green™ Award Winners provide their insights on putting high performance into practice. During the FMOC Symposium: Improving Life-Cycle Savings through Intelligent Building Data, attendees become acquainted with information exchange tools to improve facility maintenance and operations. The Exhibit Hall is open for a second day, giving attendees more time to see the latest in building sciences and technologies. At the Beyond Green™ Awards Luncheon sponsored by Virginia Tech, SBIC recognizes the winners of the 2013 Beyond Green™ High-Performance Building Awards. See who won. In the afternoon, the Plenary Symposium: Advancing Life-Cycle Performance brings together leaders from the Institute’s councils and committees to discuss ways to collaborate to achieve life-cycle performance. Other scheduled activities during the day include meetings of the Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC) Provisions Update Committee (PUC) and Building Research Information Knowledgebase (BRIK); as well as the buildingSMART alliance United States National CAD Standard/National BIM Standard-United States Educational Session.

In the evening, the Institute hosts its annual Awards Reception and Banquet, where the Institute distributes the Institute Awards, recognizes new and retiring Board Members, and kicks off its 40th Anniversary Celebration. Chief Operating Officer Earle Kennett narrated his video presentation highlighting four decades of Institute activities.

Thursday, January 9, 2014
Prieto Keynote Provides Glimpse into the 7th Dimension: Building Innovation 2014 Day Four

The week’s activities begin to wind down with the buildingSMART alliance (bSa) Symposium, Commissioning Symposium, Building Enclosure Technology & Environment Council (BETEC) Symposium and Low Vision Design Committee (LVDC) Symposium. With a focus on building information modeling (BIM), the bSa Symposium: Improving Life-Cycle Performance with BIM covers the basics of BIM on through to international guidelines, informational exchanges and the benefits of thinking collaboratively. The Commissioning Symposium: Optimizing Performance through Commissioning, sponsored by the Building Commissioning Association, focuses on the process of commissioning. Presenters at the BETEC Symposium: Building Enclosures for Life: Design, Efficiency and Recycling for the Building Enclosure Life Cycle, sponsored by Tremco Commercial Sealants & Waterproofing, explore a number of topics, with an eye at improving the building envelope. At the Keynote Luncheon sponsored by Acuity Brands, Robert Prieto, Senior Vice President of Fluor presents Life-Cycle Analysis — A 7D Future, a presentation about the multiple dimensions of building information. During the LVDC Symposium: Creating Flexible Environments for People with Low Vision, sponsored by the Illuminating Engineering Society, designers present best practices; medical experts discuss how different eye conditions affect vision in different ways; and LVDC members present work on a design guideline/standard. Also on the schedule are the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC) Board of Direction and Member Meeting, Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC) Board of Direction and BSSC Member Meetings, the LVDC Meeting and Commissioning Council, as well as the CEO Summit.

Friday, January 10, 2014
Callori Keynote Shows How Technology Helps Insurance Industry Reduce Risk: Building Innovation 2014 Day Five

The conference wraps up with a look at how academia is teaching building information modeling (BIM) to the next generation of building industry professionals. At the BIM Academic Symposium: Advancing BIM in the Curriculum, speakers present various approaches that educational institutions are taking to incorporate BIM into their programs. At lunch, Brion Callori, Senior Vice President of Engineering and Research at FM Global, presents Building Innovation = Insurance Evolved, a discussion on how the insurance industry is incorporating BIM, codes and the latest technologies to reduce risk. Other activities include meetings of the Council on Finance, Insurance and Real Estate (CFIRE); National Council of Governments on Building Codes and Standards (NCGBCS); the ProjNet™ User Group and Government to Business (G2B).

From the completed surveys collected during the week, Conference attendees gave Building Innovation 2014 an overall rating of 8 out of 10 points and provided positive feedback on the quality of programs and presenters.

The National Institute of Building Sciences will hold its third annual conference, Building Innovation 2015: Creating High-Performing Resilient Communities, January 12-16, 2015. Plan to be there where Science meets Design™ . To find out more and sign up for updates, visit www.nibs.org/conference2015. To learn about sponsorship, exhibitor and advertising opportunities, email nibs@nibs.org.