Building Innovation 2017: Registration is Open!

In less than four months, representatives from the entire building industry will come together to share insights and ideas for developing solutions for the built environment. This is your chance to be there where Science meets Design® to take an active role in Collaborating for a High-Performing Future during Building Innovation 2017: The National Institute of Building Sciences Fifth Annual Conference & Expo. Join us January 9-12, 2017, at the Mandarin Oriental in Washington, D.C., and get involved in problem-solving; take advantage of quality credit-building educational sessions; hear from expert keynote speakers; explore the latest advances in building science and technology; get inspired during two award presentations; sit in on productive board, council and committee meetings; and network with your industry colleagues. Early registration saves you up to $250 off onsite rates and keeps you from standing in line. Save money and time by registering before October 31, 2016. Register now! Find out more.

Sponsor, exhibitor and advertisement spaces are still available. Support the Institute in its efforts to improve the built environment and present your solutions to industry stakeholders. Claim your sponsorship or exhibitor space now! Download the Conference prospectus.

October 6 Webinar to Focus on Outcome-Based Pathway to
Achieve Energy Performance

The National Institute of Building Sciences will host a free webinar Thursday, October 6 from 1:00 to 2:00 pm ET, to highlight an emerging energy performance concept—outcome-based pathways. This new approach to achieving efficient energy use addresses the needs and challenges of numerous stakeholders in the building industry.

Across the United States and internationally, communities are increasingly interested in achieving energy use reduction targets. Yet, as currently written, energy codes do not provide an effective means of assuring achievement of such goals. The Institute has led an effort to incorporate an “Outcome-Based Compliance Pathway” in the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code. The webinar will provide an overview of this new energy performance approach. Learn more about the webinar. Register now.

OSCC Meets after Offsite Construction Expo

Members of the National Institute of Building Sciences Off-Site Construction Council (OSCC) meet in Washington, D.C. September 22. Many of the members were in town for the second annual Offsite Construction Expo at the Convention Center. The Institute co-hosted the event and had a booth at the exhibit.

Institute Briefs Congressional Staff on Incentives for Resilience

Kevin Mickey (standing) provides U.S. resilience data during a briefing to Congressional staff. Seated, from left, Leanne Tobias, Phil Schneider, Ryan Colker and Andrea Martin from Rep. Carson’s staff also presented and answered questions.

Representatives from the Multihazard Mitigation Council (MMC) and Council on Finance, Insurance and Real Estate (CFIRE) headed to Capitol Hill September 22 to brief Congressional staff about updated research and recommendations on incentivizing mitigation. Earlier this year, the Institute gave testimony based on the MMC-CFIRE white paper, Developing Pre-Disaster Resilience Based on Public and Private Incentivization, to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management. Subcommittee Ranking Member André Carson (D-Indiana) requested this follow-up briefing to help educate staff.

MMC Chair Kevin Mickey, CFIRE Immediate Past Chair Leanne Tobias, MMC Director Philip Schneider, CFIRE Director Ryan Colker and MMC Project Manager Jiqiu Yuan gave the staff an overview of the original white paper, talked about the supporting Addendum to the White Paper, handed out a summary document, discussed recommendations and answered questions. About 30 staff members from the offices of multiple congressional members and the Congressional Research Service, as well as representatives from the Small Business Administration, National Emergency Management Association and private-sector participants, attended the event.

Sign up Now for Cybersecurity Workshops October 18 & 19
Learn the Techniques to Better Protect Building Control Systems

The National Institute of Building Sciences is sponsoring introductory and advanced Cybersecurity Workshops Tuesday, October 18, and Wednesday, October 19, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, to help facility professionals learn how to make their buildings more secure and reduce the risks. The Introduction to Cybersecuring Building Control Systems Workshop and the Advanced Cybersecuring Building Control Systems Workshop, both taught by Michael Chipley of The PMC Group LLC, are geared to help architects, engineers, contractors, owners, facility managers, maintenance engineers, physical security specialists, information assurance professionals—essentially anyone involved with implementing cybersecurity in the facility life cycle—to learn the best practice techniques to better protect their facilities. Learn more.

New Survey Looks at Energy, Water Performance of Sports Venues
Input Wanted from Stadium, Arena Operators and Managers

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Green Sports Alliance and National Institute of Building Sciences have launched a survey to get the input of sports venue owners and operators about their facilities’ energy and water usage. The purpose of this ground-breaking initiative is to identify opportunities to reduce energy and water use, save money and lead the way towards the possible development of a new ENERGY STAR® score and certification for stadiums and arenas. Results from this survey will be reported only in the aggregate; individual responses will remain confidential. The report of the findings is expected to be released by early 2017. The first 25 valid submissions will be entered into a raffle for a one-year complimentary Green Sports Alliance standard membership (valued at $500) or a discount of $500 if already a premier member. Read the announcement. Take the survey. Listen to the webinar for more info.

Still Time to Nominate a Project for a Beyond Green™ Award

There is only one month left to nominate the newest buildings, initiatives and innovations that are shaping, informing and catalyzing the high-performance planning, design, construction and operations processes. The National Institute of Building Sciences Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC) Beyond Green™ Awards are a great way to recognize those projects and activities that contribute to making high-performing, resilient buildings and communities.

National BIM Guide for Owners Now Available for Public Review
Comments Due by October 31

The National Institute of Building Sciences has completed development of a new guideline to help building owners and their design teams utilize building information modeling (BIM). The National BIM Guide for Owners (NBGO) draft defines an approach to creating and fulfilling BIM requirements from the owner’s standpoint. The NBGO builds on the premise that BIM, in and of itself, is not the end but rather the means to a number of potentially valuable project delivery outcomes for the owner. It offers a toolset addressing three broad areas the owner should understand in order to work effectively with the Project BIM Team: process, infrastructure and standards, and execution.

The current 36-page draft of the National BIM Guide for Owners is now available for download. Please download the Excel worksheet provided on the website, fill in your comments and e-mail your completed sheet by October 31 to Stephanie Stubbs at sstubbs@nibs.org.

FHWA Issues Report on Information Modeling for Bridges
Institute, FHWA Release BrIM Exchange Specification

Following a two-year effort, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), with the help of the National Institute of Building Sciences, has issued a report, Bridge Information Modeling Standardization, which sets a path to implement the use of computer modeling for bridge construction in the United States. The FHWA’s goal was to build on the progress that the buildings sector has made in building information modeling (BIM) standardization, to advance the standardization of digital information for bridges—otherwise known as bridge information modeling (BrIM). The resulting report, which is available in four sections, includes example component models of steel girder and reinforced concrete box beam bridges (two typical highway bridge styles) for use to exercise available approaches and determine capabilities and shortcomings. Read the announcement. Download the FHWA report.

In addition, FHWA and the National Institute of Building Sciences are releasing a comprehensive BrIM exchange specification, IFC Bridge Design to Construction Information Exchange (U.S.), to support implementation by software vendors. View and download the BrIM exchange specification.