Building Innovation 2015 Conference Begins

Jan 7, 2015 -- Today, the National Institute of Building Sciences kicked off Day One of Building Innovation 2015—its third Annual Conference and Expo—convening a host of council and committee meetings and holding the first keynote luncheon of the four-day long event.

The day began with a dusting of snow in Washington, D.C., as well as annual meetings for the Council on Finance, Insurance and Real Estate (CFIRE); the Building Enclosure Technology and Environment Council (BETEC) Board of Direction; the WBDG Whole Building Design Guide®; the High Performance Building Council (HPBC); and the National Council of Governments on Building Codes and Standards (NGCBCS). During their meeting, CFIRE issued a new report, Financing Small Commercial Building Energy Performance Upgrades: Challenges and Opportunities, providing recommendations and findings to address the commercial buildings (generally defined as less than 50,000 square feet) that make up the majority of the nation’s building stock.

The first keynote speaker, James “Tim” T. Ryan, Chairman of the Institute’s Board of Directors and Code Administrator for the City of Overland Park, Kansas, addressed the Tuesday luncheon, which was sponsored by the International Code Council.

Ryan, who has witnessed a number of natural hazard events during his three decades working for a jurisdiction, reinforced the importance of this year’s conference theme, Creating High-Performing Resilient Communities. “I personally know what it means,” Ryan said, as he discussed two devastating tornadoes that had hit Kansas in the past decade. “We’re talking about homes and communities.”

As the Institute wraps up its 40th Anniversary celebration, Ryan also talked about setting priorities of the Institute’s future and the value of tapping into the enormous wealth of knowledge at the Institute’s disposal. He highlighted topics brought up at a brainstorming session that the Board convened to discuss the organization’s future direction and priorities, from the importance of thought leadership, inclusion and representation of the full industry, to codes and standards and the need for metrics and data. He also emphasized the importance of the work of the Institute’s councils and committees, and thanked the volunteers who serve and bring so much to the Institute and the nation.

In the afternoon, the annual council and committee meetings continued, with the Facility Maintenance and Operations Committee (FMOC), the Commercial Workforce Credentialing Council (CWCC), the Multihazard Mitigation Council (MMC) Board of Direction, the Low Vision Design Committee (LVDC), the Off-Site Construction Council (OSCC), the buildingSMART alliance, the Commissioning Industry Leaders Council (CxILC), the Building Research Information Knowledgebase (BRIK) and the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC). The bSa also issued an update to its membership.

Day Two of the Conference will begin with the Keynote Opening Plenary, featuring Bryan Koon, President of the National Emergency Management Association and Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, followed by the Consultative Council meeting, and two symposia: the Security & Disaster Preparedness Symposium and the Information Resources & Technology Symposium. In addition, the Exhibit Hall opens, with two great opportunities to meet with exhibitors and see the latest in industry solutions: the Exhibit Hall Walking Lunch and the Exhibitors Reception.

Walk-in registration is still available. View a full list of conference activities.

About the National Institute of Building Sciences

The National Institute of Building Sciences, authorized by public law 93-383 in 1974, is a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that brings together representatives of government, the professions, industry, labor and consumer interests to identify and resolve building process and facility performance problems. The Institute serves as an authoritative source of advice for both the private and public sectors with respect to the use of building science and technology.

An Authoritative Source of Innovative Solutions for the Built Environment