Obama Nominates Verner, Maxman to Institute Board
President Barack Obama has announced his intent to nominate Mary B. Verner and Susan A. Maxman, FAIA, to key Administration posts as members of the National Institute of Building Sciences Board of Directors. Verner was one of 27 intended appointees announced by the White House on September 6. Maxman was one of four announced on September 23. They join James "Tim" Ryan, CBO, as intended nominees pending approval by the U.S. Senate.
Verner is the current mayor of Spokane, Washington. As the city’s chief executive officer, she is responsible for directing the activities of the city’s two thousand employees and managing a $600 million annual budget. Maxman is a nationally recognized advocate and expert on the principles of sustainable design and historic preservation. She is founder of the Philadelphia-based firm, SMP Architects, and served as the first female president of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Read the releases for
Verner and
Maxman.
Institute Board of Directors Votes on 2012 Members
The National Institute of Building Sciences Board of Directors convened for its September meeting last week. The Board renewed several members for additional terms, elected three new members to the Board and voted in new executive officers.
The Nominating Committee proposed candidates to fill four positions expiring in 2011. The Board reelected members Carl F. Baldassarra, PE, FSFPE, and John P. Kelly and elected new members Wally Bailey; Cheryl R. English, LC, FIES; and Thomas Mitchell, Jr. for three-year terms.
The newly elected 2012 Board Officers include R.K. Stewart, FAIA, Hon. FRAIC, as
chairman; James "Tim" Ryan, CBO, as vice chair; John P. Kelly as secretary; and Edward Soenke, FCSI, AIA, CCS, NCARB, as
treasurer.
Learn about the Institute’s Board.
New Institute Award Will Honor Founding Member
Every time the National Institute of Building Sciences presents its new Lifetime Achievement Award, the organization will be honoring a founding Institute member at the same time that it highlights a well-deserving recipient.
The merit-based award, named in honor of Mortimer M. Marshall, Jr., FAIA, FCSI, NOMAC, will recognize members that demonstrate exceptional service to the Institute, the Board of Directors and/or the organization.
The first paid member of the Institute, Marshall was involved in the Institute’s founding 35 years ago. He was elected to two terms on the Institute Board of Directors and has been instrumental in the formulation of many programs at the Institute.
Learn more about Marshall.
Brock Named President of Aluminum Association
Heidi Biggs Brock, a current member of the National Institute of Building Sciences Board of Directors, has been named the new president of The Aluminum Association, effective October 1. Ms. Brock will succeed Steve Larkin, the Association's president since 1998, who announced his plan to retire at the end of 2011.
Most recently Ms. Brock was vice president of federal and international affairs for the Weyerhaeuser Company. She previously served as Weyerhaeuser's e-business vice president, and held roles in the company's government affairs group and strategic planning organization. Prior to Weyerhaeuser, Ms. Brock was a legislative assistant to former United States Senators Daniel J. Evans and Slade Gorton, responsible for natural resource issues.
Brock serves as a member of the Institute’s Executive Committee. She also serves on the
Board and Executive Committee of the U.S.-Japan Leadership Program.
View the announcement.
Dallas AIA Awards Sealy Lifetime Achievement Award
The Dallas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has awarded Institute Chairman Jim. W. Sealy, FAIA, NCARB, HFES, Hon. ICC, with a Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of his many years of leadership and dedication. The award recognizes Sealy for his inspiration and enhancement of the architectural life and culture of Dallas. Sealy, who is an architect and consultant in Dallas, will receive the honor at a special dinner in January 2012.
Institute Bids Farewell to Heider on her Retirement
Institute Chairman Jimmy Sealy (left) presents Vice President Claret Heider a plaque in recognition of her 22 years of service to the Institute. Heider, who oversaw the Multihazard Mitigation Council and Building Seismic Safety Council, retires at the end of the month.
How Building Sciences Have Changed Since 9/11
In tribute to the tenth anniversary of September 11, 2001, the National Institute of Building Sciences distributed a news release earlier this month reflecting on how building sciences have changed over the past decade. The piece highlighted the Institute’s work with federal agencies and the building industry to improve the safety, security and resilience of the nation’s buildings.
Assisting the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to translate the World Trade Center investigation’s recommendations into changes to model codes and standards; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with developing Integrated Rapid Visual Screening (IRVS) tools for buildings, tunnels and mass transit stations; and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with developing criteria to provide physical security for healthcare facilities are just some of the activities the Institute has worked on to support federal agencies.
To find out what else the Institute has done to advance building sciences in the last decade,
see the full story.
Provide Input for a National Commercial Buildings Database
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is polling industry stakeholders on what they view are the information and resource gaps in high-performance commercial building design and operation. Please take a minute to share your thoughts on what is currently out there that you like, what could be improved and what should be created. Your input will help inform the development of a national High-Performance Green Building Clearinghouse, which will be a comprehensive and interactive one-stop-shop on high-performance green commercial buildings, including technical information, case studies, standards, guidelines, tools, and resources.
The questionnaire expires on Tuesday, October 4.
Take the questionnaire now.
DOE FEMP Releases New Guide for Federal Construction
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) has launched the
Guide to Integrating Renewable Energy in Federal Construction, a new resource for federal agencies and private-sector partners. The FEMP guide helps walk users through renewable energy options to help select appropriate types of renewable energy technologies and integrate these technologies into all phases of new construction or major renovation projects. Training information and additional resources are also provided.
See the guide.
Institute Speaks to Asia-Pacific Building Leaders
Representatives of the economies participating in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperative (APEC) and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) gathered in Singapore earlier this month to discuss green building activities and opportunities to enhance trade within the
 region. The meeting, which served as the kick-off of Singapore Green Building Week and the International Green Building Conference,
was hosted at the Singapore Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Academy for the Built Environment. Among the speakers at the APEC/ASEAN Workshop was the Institute’s own Ryan Colker, Director of the Consultative Council and Presidential Advisor, who presented a session and moderated a panel.
Read about it.
Ryan Colker (right), the Institute’s Director of the Consultative Council and Presidential Advisor, moderates a panel during an APEC/ASEAN Workshop on Green Buildings and Green Growth.
BIM/FM Research Study: Call Scheduled for Oct. 4
Don’t forget to call in. Potential sponsors interested in learning more about the "Synthesis of BIM and Facilities Management Research Studies and Survey Results" Summary Report project will have an opportunity to participate in a conference call October 4, at 2:00 pm EST (1:00 pm CST, 12:00 pm MST, 11:00 am PST). Birgitta Foster, Angela Lewis and other bSa representatives will review the project objectives, schedule and budget and answer questions with interested parties.
Find out more about the project. Contact
Birgitta Foster to get log-in information.
WBDG Adds Resources Pages for Renewable Energy Technology
The Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG) has 15 new renewable energy technology resource pages available for reference. The pages correspond to the new
Guide to Integrating Renewable Energy in Federal Construction, recently released by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP). Each technology page contains crucial details on renewable energy technologies as a complement to the guide, including design, cost, life cycle and more. The WBDG resource pages accompanying the Guide can be accessed from the ‘WBDG Focus’ box on the WBDG homepage.
View the pages now.
COBie Training Available Online
Looking to find more about the Construction Operations Building information exchange (COBie) in a quick, easy-to-view format? A new course, "COBie 101: Introduction to COBie," developed by COBie Chair Bill East, is available to view on YouTube.
COBie 101 is designed to help designers, builders, commissioning agents, facility managers, facility owners and federal agency representatives understand how COBie can reduce the cost of doing business today. To achieve this goal, the rationale for the COBie project and the contents of COBie deliverables are described in detail.
Watch the training.
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