Building Innovation 2015 Keynote Speakers to Focus
on Community Resilience
Attendees of Building Innovation 2015: The National Institute of Building Sciences Conference and Expo will hear a variety of unique perspectives focused on Creating High-Performing Resilient Communities when they attend the scheduled keynote addresses during the four-day event, to be held January 6-9, at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park in Washington, D.C. On Tuesday, January 6, James “Tim” T. Ryan, CBO, chairman of the Institute's Board of Directors will keynote the luncheon, sponsored by the International Code Council. On Wednesday, January 7, Bryan Koon, president of the National Emergency Management Association and director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, will kick-off the educational/technical portion of the Conference with the opening keynote address. Thursday, January 8, the winners of the Beyond Green™ High-Performance Building Awards will be honored during the Beyond Green™ Awards Luncheon, sponsored by Tremco. On Friday, January 9, Norman Dong, commissioner of the Public Buildings Service (PBS) for the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), will keynote the FEDCon® Lunch, sponsored by Lehigh Hanson. View the full schedule of events.
Submit an Abstract for the June 2015 JNIBS Issue
The editors of the Journal of the National Institute of Building Sciences (JNIBS) are beginning the process of compiling articles for the June 2015 edition, which will offer a special focus on building information modeling (BIM). Additional feature stories will include: Facility Maintenance & Operations; the National Performance Based Design Guide (NPBDG); Integrated Facility Management; and more. Abstracts are due December 1. Submit an abstract for the issue. Interested in advertising? View the 2015 JNIBS Media Kit.
Institute’s First Female Board Member Dies at 89
Charlene Marie Frazier Sizemore passed away on Thursday, October 30, 2014, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Huntington, West Virginia. Appointed to the National Institute of Building Sciences’ founding board of directors by Presidents Carter and Ford, Sizemore served for 11 years, representing consumer interests within the building community. She was a national leader and activist for consumer protection and developed numerous programs to educate consumers about product quality and their rights. She helped thousands of West Virginia families resolve consumer complaints against businesses selling inferior products.
Prior to her appointment to the Institute’s Board, Sizemore founded the Consumer Association of West Virginia and became its first president. She worked closely with Ralph Nader and Virginia Knauer, Special Assistant for Consumer Affairs, during the Nixon Administration. She received two 3-year appointments from West Virginia Governor Arch Moore to serve as chairman of the Consumer Advisory Council of West Virginia and numerous other appointments, including 10 years with the Consumer Advisory Council of Underwriter Laboratories.
Sizemore skipped two grades in high school and entered Marshall College at age 16. She graduated with honors in 1946 with a degree in Mathematics and Social Studies. She went on to teach high school math before going to work for Sylvania Electric Products, where she trained as a statistical engineer in charge of Quality Control. During the Korean War, Sizemore received a secret clearance from the United States Government and, at age 26, achieved a major accomplishment for her time by securing a salary comparable to men. As the first female member of the Institute’s Board of Directors, Sizemore advocated for the safety and rights of residents and occupants of the nation’s buildings. Read the obituary.
CEOs Will Discuss Efforts to Advance Resilience during
Institute’s Plenary Symposium
Leaders from building industry organizations and corporations will come together during the Plenary Symposium: Creating High-Performing Resilient Communities to discuss their current efforts to advance resilience within their organizations and the steps necessary to work harmoniously to realize the achievement of national and regional goals. Achieving high-performing resilient communities requires development and implementation of a multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary solution that engages all aspects of the built environment, along with corporate and government representatives. The Symposium will be held Friday, January 9, 2015, 8:30 am – 12:00 pm, as part of Building Innovation 2015: The National Institute of Building Sciences Third Annual Conference and Expo.
Don’t miss this inside look at how the industry is addressing the important topic of resilience. The panel will include William R. Calhoun, Jr., Vice Chairman & Executive Vice President, Clark Construction Group; Randy Fiser, CEO, American Society of Interior Designers; Robert Ivy, FAIA, Executive Vice President/CEO, American Institute of Architects; John Selldorff, President & CEO, Legrand North America; and Joseph Stettinius, Jr., CEO, Cassidy Turley. Henry L. Green, Hon. AIA, President, National Institute of Building Sciences will serve as the moderator. View the opening questions and the schedule of the event.
Industry Leader Ron Burton Dies at 67
William "Ron" R. Burton, a member of the National Institute of Building Sciences and the Building Owners & Managers Association International (BOMA) representative on the Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC), High Performance Building Council (HPBC) and Consultative Council, passed away of a sudden heart attack November 9, 2014.
Born and raised in Texas, Burton received his bachelor’s degree in 1969 from East Texas State University and married Linda Louise Dudley in 1966.
In 1985, Burton started his own custom home building firm. While the firm did not survive the 1980’s real estate market, Ron’s passion for the construction and real estate industry was born. After relocating to the Washington, D.C., area in 1990, Burton continued his work through advocacy, federal legislation and regulatory programs, and the development of building codes and standards for both residential and commercial buildings. Ron served for over 10 years as the senior staff vice president, construction codes and standards for the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). He then served as vice president of codes, standards and regulatory affairs for BOMA for the next decade. In 2012, he launched his own successful advocacy and consultation firm, PTW Advisors, LLC that he continued until his death. Read Burton’s obituary.
Industry Statement on Resilience Sparks CEO Discussion
As a follow-up to the Industry Statement on Resilience signed earlier this year, chief executive officers (CEOs) and staff from leading building industry organizations met November 14 to discuss opportunities to work together as an industry to create a resilient built environment. Harriet Tregoning (left), Director, Office of Economic Resilience at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development kicks off the discussion by talking about HUD’s efforts around resilience, including the National Disaster Resilience Competition and how the building industry can best engage with partners at the federal, state and local level to support resilience. (Photo by Jim Darling Photography)
President Proclaims November Critical Infrastructure Security
and Resilience Month
Emphasizing how essential America’s critical infrastructure is to our national security and economic growth, President Barack Obama has proclaimed November to be Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Month.
This month and throughout the year, the National Institute of Building Sciences works on a number of projects that directly focus on achieving such goals. Institute programs include: the Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC); the Integrated Resilient Design Program (IRDP), including the Owner's Performance Requirements Tool and the Integrated Rapid Visual Screening Program; the Multihazard Mitigation Council (MMC); the WBDG Whole Building Design Guide®.
In addition, the Institute hosts a number of events to educate the building industry on ways to improve resilience. Upcoming events include: Cybersecurity of Buildings Workshops; Building Innovation 2015: The National Institute of Building Sciences Third Annual Conference and Expo focusing on Creating High-Performing Resilient Communities; and the MMC Hazard Mitigation Webinar Series. Read the release.
December Workshops to Address Security Issues
of Increasing Concern to Organizations
Institute Cybersecurity Workshops Return December 3-4
Cybersecurity is a key issue for a growing number of organizations as the nation’s buildings are increasingly relying on building control systems (otherwise known as operational technology) that are Internet-enabled. The National Institute of Building Sciences sponsors a series of workshops on cybersecurity to provide essential training and information on protecting building control systems. The Institute will repeat these educational workshops taught by Michael Chipley, The PMC Group LLC on December 3-4, 2014. The Introduction to Cybersecuring Building Control Systems Workshop and the Advanced Cybersecuring Building Control Systems Workshop address critical information on protecting the Internet-enabled building control systems relied on by an increasing number of the nation’s buildings. The Institute is offering these workshops at a discount of 50% off the full rate with the code CYBER50. Register now for the Introductory Workshop and Advanced Workshop.
Ten Years after “Mitigation Saves”
Building Innovation 2015 Special Session to Examine Private-Sector Investment in Mitigation
A decade after the release of the seminal study, Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves: An Independent Study to Assess the Future Savings from Mitigation Activities, this Special Session, Ten Years after “Mitigation Saves”: An Examination of the Value of Private-Sector Investment in Mitigation, will bring together experts to discuss development of a second, complementary work. The Special Session will be held Friday, January 9, 2015, 1:30 pm – 5:30 pm, as part of Building Innovation 2015: The National Institute of Building Sciences Third Annual Conference and Expo.
Presenters at the Special Session will discuss a vision for developing Version 2.0 of the 2005 MMC study, which will focus specifically on private-sector investments to resist natural and man-made hazards, and evaluate their effectiveness in terms of resilience. A panel of private-sector representatives will describe motives for mitigation and provide insights into the Version 2.0 vision. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with speakers, the panel and each other. View the speaker list and session descriptions.
PUC Meets in Burlingame, CA
The Provisions Update Committee (PUC) of the Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC) met September 16-17 in Burlingame, California, to continue assessing proposals to update the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program’s (NEHRP) 2009 NEHRP Recommended Seismic Provisions for New Buildings and Other Structures, and specifically to further assess the results of Membership Organization (MO) Ballot 2, assess MO Ballot 3 and prepare for a new PUC Ballot G. Following the two-day PUC meeting, the BSSC Board of Direction met by teleconference on October 7 and voted to allow all but one of the MO Ballot 3 and the remaining MO Ballot 2 proposals reviewed by the PUC to be included in the 2015 NEHRP Provisions, and, based on a successful PUC Ballot G, to conduct MO Ballot 4 to the BSSC member organizations. See what was included in the vote.
Outcome-Based Pathway to be Part of 2015 IgCC
New Approach Will Help Communities Achieve Expected Energy Performance
For the first time, a national model code includes a means of compliance focused on the demonstration of actual, verified performance post-occupancy. Following a year-long development process, the 2015 International Green Construction Code (IgCC) will include an outcome-based pathway for energy compliance. The pathway joins the existing prescriptive and performance pathways to offer an option for communities and design teams to determine compliance—not just on the results anticipated by a building’s design and construction, but on the actual, measured results from a year of operations. In the creation of this new pathway, the code also introduces a new method for regulation of building department requirements post-occupancy—the Post Occupancy Verification Permit. Learn more.
EPA Publishes Guidelines for Schools Integrating Indoor Air Quality, Energy Efficiency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the release of new guidance, Energy Savings Plus Health: Indoor Air Quality Guidelines for School Building Upgrades. The Guidelines equip school districts with tools to integrate indoor air quality (IAQ) protections into school energy efficiency retrofits and other building upgrade projects, thus helping schools implement important energy efficiency upgrades without compromising occupant health. Energy management and IAQ protection are critical priorities for school facility management. Renovation and construction activities can create dust, introduce new contaminants and contaminant pathways, create or aggravate moisture problems, and result in inadequate ventilation in occupied spaces. The Guidelines offer opportunities to prevent and control potentially harmful conditions during school renovations.
BEST4 Conference: Registration Now Open
Register by January 31 for the BEST Savings
Save $100 on the cost of onsite registration by taking advantage of early-bird rates to attend the fourth Building Enclosure Science & Technology Conference™ (BEST4) in Kansas City, Missouri, April 12-15, 2015. Early bird rates end January 31, 2015. This triennial event, presented by the National Institute of Building Sciences and the Building Enclosure Council-Kansas City, offers more than 60 presentations in two tracks focused on Performance-Driven Architectural Design. Delivered by building enclosure experts, BEST4's program will cover topics that concern all industry professionals: building systems that deliver high energy efficiency, good indoor climate, and long-term performance. Check out the conference program to see where you can earn up to 16 CEUs. (Please note: One-day registrants will need to self-report CEUs to AIA; NIBS will report CEUs for full-conference registratinos.)
Sponsors, exhibitors and advertisers: Spaces are filling up far ahead of the BEST3 schedule. Don't wait, make your presence known at BEST4 by reserving your space today! Show your support for BEST4 with a business card sponsorship for only $500. Download the event prospectus for more information. Find out more about BEST4 at www.thebestconference.org.
bSa Board of Direction Calls for Nominations
Nominations Due in One Week
The buildingSMART alliance™ Executive Committee is seeking nominations to fill positions on the Alliance Board of Direction. Positions include chair, vice-chair and secretary, which are currently held by Andy Smith, Bentley; Greg Ceton, Construction Specifications Institute; and David Jordani, Jordani Associates, respectively.
The Alliance Executive Committee is looking to identify Alliance Board of Direction members who are able to meet the responsibilities and duties of these high visibility positions. The nominations are due November 30. View the duties and submission requirements.
buildingSMART alliance Calls for Papers, Case Studies on BIM Education, Abstracts Are Due Monday, December 1
The National Institute of Building Sciences buildingSMART alliance is calling for papers and case studies focused on building information modeling (BIM) in education. The Alliance is sponsoring its 9th BIM Academic Symposium, to be held Tuesday, April 7, 2015, in concert with a BIM Job Task Analysis Review on Wednesday, April 8, at the Institute’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.
This two-day event brings together representatives of different academic programs and industries to discuss the technology-based collaboration among the architecture, engineering, construction, owner and operator (AECOO) industry. The Academic Workshop will explore how BIM educational activities incorporated at different levels of college curriculum are affecting the attainment of educational outcomes through credentialing, accreditation or certification.
To learn more about the paper submission process, read the full release.
COBie Advocate Angela Lewis Dies at 34
Angela Lewis, an engineer at Facility Engineering Associates and an active member in a number of National Institute of Building Sciences programs, including the buildingSMART alliance, Facility Maintenance and Operations Committee (FMOC) and National BIM Standard-United States (NBIMS-US) Vision 2021 Task Force, passed away November 3. She was 34. Lewis was a leading force in educating the public about the benefits of the Construction Operations Building information exchange (COBie).
“We are all saddened by the passing of Angela,” said buildingSMART alliance Executive Director Dana K. “Deke” Smith, FAIA. “For those who had the opportunity to know her, it is devastating, as she was such a bright young woman and so full of energy.”
Born in Wisconsin, Angela received a bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering from the Milwaukee School of Engineering in 2002, a master’s degree in Civil Engineering from Michigan Tech in 2004, a master’s degree in Engineering–Architecture from Penn State in 2009 and a Philosophical Doctorate in Facilities Management from University of Reading (United Kingdom) in 2012. She married her husband, Peter, in 2006, and had a one-year old daughter. View the obituary. |