The National Institute of Building Sciences has
simplified its membership dues structure to facilitate cross-participation and
involvement in its numerous programs. Increased involvement will allow
the Institute to more effectively tackle the many different industry
issues and areas of interest on which it focuses.
In the past, all of
the Institute’s councils and committees maintained separate memberships
with multiple dues categories. Members who wanted to participate in
more than one program were required to sign up for multiple memberships
and pay multiple dues.
Under the new dues
structure, members pay one annual fee for membership to the Institute and that single fee makes them eligible to
participate on any or all of the following Institute councils with no
additional dues payments required (although there may be additional
requirements for participation in some activities):
-
Building Enclosure
Technology and Environment Council (BETEC). BETEC focuses on the
building enclosure system to make buildings higher performing, more
energy efficient and environmentally responsible.
-
Building Seismic
Safety Council (BSSC). BSSC develops earthquake risk mitigation and
regulatory provisions for the nation’s buildings and other structures
and provides a national forum for advancing earthquake-resistant design
and construction.
-
buildingSMART
alliance. The Alliance is streamlining the way buildings are designed,
constructed and operated by tackling the complete building life-cycle
process through information sharing, cultural change and technology.
-
High Performance
Building Council (HPBC). HPBC works to define what constitutes high
performance buildings, emphasizing life-cycle issues rather than initial
costs, to facilitate design, construction and operations.
-
Multihazard
Mitigation Council (MMC). MMC works to reduce the effects of natural
disasters and other extreme events by promoting pre-disaster mitigation
at the community, state, regional and national levels.
Members interested in focusing on a specific area of the Institute’s work may elect to
contribute additional financial support through restricted donations to
the program of their choice. Members who wish to extend their support to
all of the Institute’s programs may provide additional support
through non-restricted contributions.
The new structure has
five membership categories. They are as follows:
Public Interest Sector
Member: Open to any individual employed by or otherwise affiliated with
government, consumer organizations, non-profit research and educational
organizations, or the media; architects, professional engineers and
other design professionals who are not employed by or have a financial
interest in corporate organizations that produce, sell, distribute or
install building products or materials; and individuals retired from a
public interest or industry sector group. Annual contribution: $75
Industry Sector
Member: Open to any individual not qualifying for membership in the
public interest sector and including persons employed by or otherwise
associated with construction, labor organizations, home builders,
building or construction contractors; producers, distributors or
manufacturers of building products; trade and professional associations;
organizations engaged in real estate, finance or research and testing of
building products; and code and standard organizations. Annual
contribution: $150
Student Member: Open
to any individual enrolled in an educational institute, college, or
university. Annual contribution: $25
Sustaining
Organization (Public or Industry): Any corporation, trade or
professional association, government agency, non-profit organization,
individual or other entity desiring to provide additional support for or
participation with the Institute to achieve the goals and objectives
established by U.S. Congress (Public-Law 93-383). Sustaining
organizations may designate up to five (5) individuals from their
organization to be Institute members. Annual contribution: $1,000
Contributing
Organization (Public or Industry): Any organization that makes
additional restricted or non-restricted contributions to the Institute will be accorded the same rights and privileges as a Sustaining
Organization and may designate up to five (5) individuals from their
organization to be Institute members. Annual contribution: $5,000 or
more
