Building Innovation 2015 Conference Presentations Now Available

The informative presentations delivered at Building Innovation 2015: The National Institute of Building Sciences Third Annual Conference & Expo in January are now available online. Almost all of the speaker sessions from the four-day event, which related to Creating High-Performing Resilient Communities, are included. If you attended the Conference but missed some of the presentations, you may have access to them. Attendees may email nibs@nibs.org with "Attended Building Innovation 2015" in the subject line from the email address used when registering to obtain a discount code and access to the PowerPoint presentations in PDF for free. The Building Innovation 2015 presentations are available to non-attendees for only $150. Purchase your download today.

Save the Date – Building Innovation 2016, January 11-15

Be sure to mark your calendar to save January 11-15, 2016, for Building Innovation 2016: The National Institute of Building Sciences Fourth Annual Conference & Expo. Join us again at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park in Washington, D.C., where the Institute will explore solutions for Achieving a Resilient Future. Building Innovation 2016 gives building professionals the chance to witness the Institute’s impact on the industry, interact with industry experts and innovators, gain a wealth of information through educational programs, earn continuing education units (CEUs), share their expertise and experiences, and participate in developing solutions. Don't miss the chance to see the Institute in action and take part in compelling programs, credit-building educational sessions, idea-sharing networking events and inspiring award ceremonies. Save the dates now! Stay tuned for more information. Sign up to receive conference announcements.

Consultative Council Wants to Hear Building Industry Priorities
Industry Feedback to Serve as Basis of 2015 Report to the President

The National Institute of Building Sciences Consultative Council is seeking input from all members of the building industry as it begins to compile its 2015 report to the President of the United States. All building industry stakeholders—including individuals, corporations, professional groups, trade associations and advocacy groups—are welcome to provide input.

Webinar to Look at Financing Small Commercial Building Energy Performance Upgrades

The National Institute of Building Sciences Council on Finance, Insurance and Real Estate (CFIRE) will host a webinar March 10, from 1:00 to 2:00 pm EDT, to look at the financing of energy performance upgrades in small commercial buildings. CFIRE recently issued a report that examined why there is such a limited investment in retrofitting this sector. The webinar will highlight existing programs that are successfully supporting retrofits for small commercial buildings; identify the significant opportunities presented by this segment of the industry; and cover the report’s findings and recommendations, which are aimed at government, retrofit providers and building owners. Space is limited. View the webinar agenda and register to attend.

Future of Code Officials Town Hall Meeting Report Now Available
Summarizes Code Officials’ Discussion of Impending Workforce Crisis, Offers Solutions

The International Code Council (ICC) has released the report, “Raising the Profile, Filling the Gaps: Report from a Town Hall Meeting on the Future of Code Officials,” which summarizes the findings of a Town Hall Meeting held during the 2014 ICC Annual Conference. The report is available online and includes recommendations for individual code professionals and guidance for ICC.

During the summer of 2014, ICC engaged the Institute to conduct a nationwide survey of building code compliance professionals. The results of this first-of-its-kind demographic survey of code professionals confirmed the growing concern within the building industry about a pending retirement exodus. ICC and the Institute hosted the Town Hall Meeting, inviting code professionals and other interested industry professionals to discuss the actions necessary to address this impending crisis. View the Town Hall Meeting Report. Download the report of survey results.

BSSC Colloquium on 2015 NEHRP Provisions Gets Strong Turnout

The National Institute of Building Sciences Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC) recently hosted a colloquium on the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) 2015 NEHRP Recommended Provisions for New Buildings and Other Structures update process. Held in Burlingame, California, February 11, the BSSC Colloquium “Seismic Design Technology for New Buildings—The 2015 NEHRP Recommended Seismic Provisions,” was a success. Experts in the seismic field gave well-received presentations about updates to the Provisions and the latest seismic-related technologies to the 90 registered attendees.

One participant remarked, “It was a packed agenda, filled with excellent talks by skilled presenters discussing important information that will help improve the practice of seismic design.”

Under the sponsorship of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), BSSC administers an ongoing consensus-based process of updating and maintaining the NEHRP Provisions. Learn more about the 2015 Provisions.

BEST4 Conference: Time and Spaces Running Out

With only 7 weeks to go before the National Institute of Building Sciences and the Building Enclosure Council-Kansas City delivers the fourth BEST Conference Building Enclosure Science & Technology™ (BEST4), time and spaces are running out. BEST4, which will take place April 12-15, 2015, in Kansas City, Missouri, is on a streak to sell out faster than the previous three BEST Conferences.

If you wish to be there where Science meets Design™ and take part in the critical discussions on Performance-Driven Architectural Design, act now! Seats are selling out and early-bird registration rates end this Saturday, February 28. Register now online to reserve your place and take advantage of the substantial savings off onsite registration. View the updated program, which offers 18 AIA CEUs.

If you want to show off your company’s products for meeting tomorrow’s challenges and demonstrate your commitment to the industry, don’t wait! Only three sponsorships remain to shine a spotlight on your organization and give you the chance to reach the audience of industry leaders and design and construction decision makers. Get your sponsorship now!

If you want to get the BEST rate on your accommodations, do it now! Rooms are filling up and the hotel discount rate ends March 11. The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center, the location for the BEST4 Conference, is offering a discounted conference rate of $179 for BEST4 attendees. Reserve your room today to secure the rate and availability.

Stay Over at BEST4 for a Sneak Peek at the BECx Workshop

The National Institute of Building Sciences Building Enclosure Technology and Environment Council (BETEC) will launch a new building enclosure commissioning (BECx) course to help bring the building industry up to speed on the commissioning requirements that will be enforced in new building codes and building rating systems. For a sneak peek of the course, industry professionals can attend the BECx Education Workshop Preview on Thursday, April 16, immediately following the fourth BEST Conference Building Enclosure Science & Technology™ (BEST4), April 12-15, 2015, in Kansas City, Missouri. Find out more.

COBie, WBDG, FMOC and 3 Days of Education and Product Discovery
NFMT is Free to Institute Members

There’s still time to register for the National Facilities Management and Technology Conference and Expo (NFMT), to be held March 10-12 at the Baltimore Convention Center. NFMT is a great place to keep up with best practices and innovations in facility management (FM) and operations, including energy management, sustainability, building technologies, communication and data infrastructure in the built environment. Plus, don’t miss the chance to learn about National Institute of Building Sciences activities and strategies relating to the Facility Maintenance and Operations Committee (FMOC), Construction Operations Building information exchange (COBie) and WBDG Whole Building Design Guide®.

Institute, DOE Present at Getting to Zero National Forum

The National Institute of Building Sciences (Institute) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) were among the presenters at New Buildings Institute’s (NBI) recent Getting to Zero National Forum, held February 1-3 in Washington, D.C. The “From Policy to Practice” breakout session brought lessons learned from North Carolina and Massachusetts on getting their policies, projects and practitioners from ideation to implementation and the steps on their path to net zero. One issue in changing the market to zero is clarification and consistency of definitions. Roger Grant of the Institute and Sonia Punjabi of DOE shared findings from the recent public draft, “A Common Definition for Zero Energy Buildings.” The Institute is assisting DOE in establishing terms, methodologies and metrics for a Zero Energy Building future. Following the public commenting process, which closed February 20th, the Institute and DOE will analyze the results and produce a final set of zero energy building definitions to help address the need for nationally accepted and understood methods on how to measure and achieve zero energy performance. Converging on an industry-accepted national definition will support program and policy goals and encourage commercial new construction and major renovation projects to design, construct and operate buildings that achieve a high level of energy efficiency. View their presentation.

A related article by Cathy Higgins of NBI entitled, “Nothing Beats Zero: Trends in Zero-Energy Commercial Buildings,” appeared in the February issue of the Journal of the National Institute of Building Sciences (JNIBS). At the forum, Higgins presented an interim update on the numbers and trends in zero energy buildings. Subscribe to JNIBS for free to read the article. View NBI’s 2015 update on the “Numbers and Names” of Zero Energy Buildings.

WBDG Parking Facilities Building Type Receives Major Revision

The WBDG Whole Building Design Guide® has updated the content of its Parking Facilities Building Type. One of 15 Building Types covered within the WBDG, the Parking Facilities Building Type provides an overview of parking facilities, as well as their building attributes, the emerging issues, relevant codes and standards, and major resources. It includes updated photos and expanded content covering a number of topics, such as mixed use structures, automated facilities and electric vehicles. Take a look.

BIM Academic Symposium Looks at the Future of a BIM Education

The 9th BIM Academic Symposium, sponsored by the National Institute of Building Sciences buildingSMART alliance, will be held Tuesday, April 7, 2015, followed by a BIM Job Task Analysis Review on Wednesday, April 8, in Washington, D.C. Representatives of different academic programs and industries will come together to discuss the technology-based collaboration among the AECOO industry. Be there to explore how BIM educational activities, incorporated at different levels of college curriculum, are affecting the attainment of educational outcomes through credentialing, accreditation or certification. Then stay for the Job Task Analysis Review to discuss the initial findings into what knowledge, skills and abilities are needed for BIM positions in the workplace. The abstracts have been reviewed and presenters will be finalizing their papers for submission in early March. Register now to reserve your space.