January Conference Set to Unite the Industry on High Performance

In less than six months, Building Innovation 2017: The National Institute of Building Sciences Fifth Annual Conference & Expo will deliver a dynamic program focused on Collaborating for a High-Performing Future. Taking place January 9-12, 2017, at the Mandarin Oriental in Washington, D.C., it’s the one event where the entire industry will come together to develop solutions for the built environment. Sponsored by the International Code Council, Building Innovation 2017 is set to foster industry-wide collaboration through educational sessions, informative presentations and networking events. Plan to be there where Science meets Design® to actively participate in developing coordinated strategies for high performance and resiliency. Over four activity-packed days, you’ll hear from industry experts; take an active role in developing solutions; sit in on Institute board, council and committee meetings to see the Institute in action; get a first-hand look at the latest products and technologies on the Exhibit floor; witness two award ceremonies celebrating industry innovators; mix and mingle during networking events; and earn continuing education credits. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Sign up now. Registration opens September 1, 2016. Find out more.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

The National Institute of Building Sciences hits the big screen in Texas. The Institute is working on a project with the U.S. Department of Energy and the Green Sports Alliance to identify opportunities to influence energy and water use in stadiums and arenas. The project team held a kickoff workshop at the BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston on June 27 to bring stakeholders together. The stadium is home to the Houston Dynamo (Major League Soccer), the Houston Dash (National Women’s Soccer League) and the Texas Southern University Tigers (National Collegiate Athletic Association).

Topics Announced for Offsite Construction Expo

The planning team for the Offsite Construction Expo (OSCE) has announced the topics for the 2016 event, to be held September 21-22 in Washington, D.C. Presentations will explain offsite and modular construction and implementation strategies; look at healthcare, hotel and dormitory construction; and address shipping containers and bathroom pods.

The National Institute of Building Sciences is a sponsor of the OSCE and the Institute’s Off-Site Construction Council (OSCC) will hold a meeting during the event. Register now.

ABA Resolution Could Reduce Safety, Increase Costs
Institute Recommends Engaging in Dialogue with SDO Community

This past week, the National Institute of Building Sciences issued an open letter to delegates attending the upcoming American Bar Association (ABA) Annual Meeting in August informing of the potential long-term impacts should they vote to support a proposed resolution. The resolution—which advocates that copyrighted codes and standards incorporated by reference in legislation and regulation be made available for free—would alter the way codes and standards are developed in the United States.

August BSSC Webinar to Address Seismic Isolation Design

Seismic isolation is perhaps the most effective method available for protecting structures from earthquake damage. The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) 2015 NEHRP Recommended Seismic Provisions for Buildings and Other Structures contain updated requirements for the design and testing of seismic isolation systems and the design of isolated superstructures. The Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC) will host a free webinar on the topic, “Seismic Isolation Design with the 2015 NEHRP Recommended Provisions,” Thursday, August 11, from 2:00 to 3:00 pm ET.

This is the fourth in a series of webinars sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that highlight the 2015 NEHRP Recommended Seismic Provisions. Presenter Andrew W. Taylor, PhD, SE, FACI, will introduce seismic isolation theory and systems; review the seismic isolation design process, with emphasis on the revised requirements in the 2015 Provisions; present a design example; and discuss the properties of seismic isolation systems, including the variability of properties and seismic isolation testing requirements.

New Workshop Looks at What to Do When
Building Control Systems Get Hacked

A new workshop, sponsored by the National Institute of Building Sciences, answers the question of what to do when building control systems have been hacked or taken over by ransomware. Intended for building owners, facility managers, engineering, physical security, information assurance and other professionals involved with the design, deployment and operation of building control systems, the “Your Building Control Systems Have Been Hacked, Now What? Workshop,” to be held Tuesday, October 4, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, in Arlington, Virginia, will provide a combination of classroom learning modules and hands-on laboratory exercises to help attendees learn how to detect, contain, eradicate and recover from a cyber event.

The workshop, taught by Michael Chipley, PhD, GICSP, PMP, LEED AP; Daryl Haegley, OCP, CCO; and Eric Nickel RCDD, CEH, CEP, is built around the Advanced Control System Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) developed by the U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM), which provide detailed step-by-step guidance to respond to a cyber attack. Read the release.

Canadian Conference on Building Science and Technology
Abstracts Due October 31

The fifteenth Canadian Conference on Building Science and Technology (CCBST) will take place November 6-8, 2017, in Vancouver. CCBST, a three-day conference featuring a multi-track  technical program for building science practitioners and researchers, runs in series with the Buildings XIII Conference (December 4-8, 2016, Clearwater, Florida) and the BEST5 Conference (April 2018, Philadelphia). The CCBST technical program will feature two types of presentations: a 10-15 page technical conference paper with 30-minute presentation and a 30-minute “presentation only” track. The “presentation only” stream requires a 2-4 page extended abstract to be submitted and peer reviewed. Technical papers and extended abstracts will be published in the conference proceedings. Abstracts are currently being accepted on building science research, design and practice. The organizing committee is currently inviting both conference paper and presentation abstract submittals for the event. Abstracts must be submitted online by October 31.

Get Ready to Compete in the
2017 Race to Zero Student Design Competition

The U.S. Department of Energy will hold its next Race to Zero Student Design Competition on April 22-23, 2017, at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado. To prepare for the event, student teams can now download the 2017 Competition Guide and submit their application.

Hundreds of the best and brightest collegiate students have already experienced the excitement and creativity of the Race to Zero. The competition challenges collegiate teams to apply sound building science principles to create cost-effective, market-ready designs that meet DOE's Zero Energy Ready Homes Program requirements. The competition has four categories. One team from each collegiate institution can submit an entry for each contest: Suburban Single-Family, Urban Single-Family, Attached Housing (2-6 unit rowhome projects) or Small Multifamily (up to 3 stories). Learn more about the Race to Zero competition.

Task Group Debates Proposed Changes to COBie 2.4