Diverse Group of Representatives Testify at Hearing on Productivity and the Workforce

 

The National Institute of Building Sciences is still accepting written testimony for the Representative Hearing on Productivity and the Workforce, held this past Friday, September 25, at the Institute’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. A total of nine speakers representing a broad group of industry organizations testified at the hearing. Industry representatives and media also participated.

The purpose of the hearing, which was sponsored by Autodesk and supported by the International Code Council, was to provide an opportunity for representatives from the planning, design, construction, operations, ownership, finance, insurance, regulatory, manufacturing, academia and other segments of the U.S. building industry to speak about the challenges they face and offer potential solutions.

A panel consisting of Dorothy Robyn, Past Commissioner of the Public Buildings Service at the U.S. General Services Administration; Institute President Henry L. Green, Hon. AIA; and Charles L. Greco, President of the Associated General Contractors of America and Chairman of Linbeck, presided over the hearing.

The speakers and the topics of their presentations were as follows:

• “Taking Responsibility for the Future of the AEC Industry,” Nancy Wiegers Greenwald, Construction Institute, University of Hartford
• “Productivity: Past, Present and Future,” Stacy Scopano, Autodesk
• “ICC: Codes, Standards and Challenges,” Bryan Soukup, International Code Council
• “Accelerate Energy Productivity 2030,” Dan Bresette, Alliance to Save Energy
• “Making the Workplace Green and Productive,” Bob Best, Jones Lang LaSalle
• “Prevention through Design in Construction,” Joe Visgaitis, Southland Industries/American Society of Safety Engineers
• “IPD: Performance, Expectations, and Future Use,” Markku Allison, Scan Consulting/University of Minnesota
• “Off-Site Construction: Increasing Productivity in Project Delivery,” Ryan Smith, University of Utah
• “Smart Cities and the Internet of Buildings: The Transformative Role of Architects and Engineers,” Paul Doherty, The Digit Group

The Institute, which is accepting written testimony until October 10, urges industry to consider the topics presented and to submit testimony to fill any gaps not yet covered by the current submissions to the record. The Institute is particularly interested in receiving input from organizations that have moved beyond traditional approaches to address needs related to advancements in productivity, safety and project certainty. Case studies, best practices and data on the benefits of such approaches are encouraged.

Sue Klawans, Past Institute Board Member and Director of Operational Excellence and Planning at Gilbane Building Company, served as an industry advisor for development of the hearing and will assist in the resultant outputs. Expect a report to be released in the coming months.

Written testimony must be submitted by October 10. To view the submission procedures, download the Guidelines.

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.