Consultative Council to Host Briefing During High Performance Building Week
Will Highlight Its Findings, Recommendations to Improve Built Environment
WASHINGTON, D.C. – (RealEstateRama) — The National Institute of Building Sciences Consultative Council will host a briefing during High Performance Building Week to highlight its 2015 Moving Forward Report. The Congressional luncheon briefing, “Achieving a High-Performance Built Environment: Findings and Recommendations from the Consultative Council,” will be held Thursday, June 16, from noon to 1:00 p.m. at the Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2253, in Washington, D.C.
Each year, the Consultative Council brings together key stakeholders from across the industry to examine the challenges and opportunities before both the industry and the nation. This briefing will provide insight from the Council’s 2015 report and focus on assuring a strong building industry workforce, advancing community resilience and assuring policies and regulations support the cost-effective achievement of a high-performance built environment. RSVP for the event.
High-performance buildings play a central role in solving some of the nation’s most pressing challenges. The High Performance Building Coalition works with members of Congress during High Performance Building Week—to be held June 13-17, 2016—and throughout the year to expand awareness of the importance of high-performance buildings.
“People spend about 90 percent of their time indoors, and buildings are the single largest consumer of energy and water in the United States,” Dain Hansen, chair of the High Performance Building Coalition and senior vice president, government affairs at the IAPMO Group, said. “As a result, the built environment has a huge impact on virtually all aspects of American life and national security, yet few have a thorough understanding of this complex industry.
The theme for High Performance Building Week 2016 is Challenges and Solutions for Improving Resiliency, Workforce Development, Energy and Water Efficiency.
“High Performance Building Week provides a unique and important opportunity for members of the building community to organize and focus their efforts on educational talks with policymakers on the challenges of the building industry and the many benefits of high-performance buildings,” said Chairman Hansen. “In the past, dialogue generated during High Performance Building Week events has resulted in the development and passage of innovative legislation that addresses resiliency, workforce development, energy and water efficiency needs.”
The Consultative Council’s briefing is just one of a number of events scheduled for High Performance Building Week. Others include:
Monday, June 13, noon – 1:00 p.m. | 122 Cannon House Office Building
Congressional Luncheon Briefing: Federal Engagement in Efficiency Standards
The Energy Efficiency Standardization Coordination Collaborative (EESCC) published a strategic roadmap detailing the standards and conformity assessment programs needed to enable a more energy- and water-efficient built environment. Developed by over 160 public- and private-sector experts from more than 50 member organizations and four federal agencies, the roadmap established a national framework to which U.S. industry, government, standards developing organizations and others can look to enable greater energy and water efficiency capabilities for the nation’s buildings.
Tuesday, June 14, Noon – 1:00 p.m. | B369 Rayburn House Office Building
Congressional Luncheon Briefing: OMB A-119 – The U.S. Government’s Standards Policy – A Prime Example of Congress and the Executive Branch Working Together
Since 1982, the federal government has followed an Office of Management and Budget (OMB) policy of encouraging federal agencies to use voluntary consensus standards developed in the private sector, in place of government unique standards and specifications. In 1996, Congress enacted legislation to make sure the policy continued and the benefits would not be lost with changes in the executive branch. These two complimentary actions, and the updates to the original OMB A-119 circular, have created a system of governmental use of standards developed in the private sector that saves taxpayers money, improves program results and regulatory compliance and supports international trade and competitiveness. The panel will describe the current system and the benefits it delivers for taxpayers, the U.S. economy and federal programs.
Tuesday, June 14, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. | United States Capitol Visitor Center (HVC-200)
Congressional Reception
Welcoming remarks by High Performance Building Congressional Caucus Co-Chairs Representatives David McKinley (R-WV-1) and Peter Welch (D-VT-At Large) (invited)
RSVP Required. (Please RSVP no later than by 3:00 p.m., Monday, June 13.)
Wednesday, June 15, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. | 2103 Rayburn House Office Building
Congressional Luncheon Briefing: Meeting State and Local Demand for High Performance Green Residential and Commercial Buildings
Around the country, states and cities are calling for high-performance green residential and commercial buildings. But what exactly are high-performance buildings, why is there a demand, what tools are available to meet this demand, what challenges exist and how can Congress help? Join us for a fast-paced series of presentations from experts on cutting-edge trends in the building industry.
The National Institute of Building Sciences participates in High Performance Building Coalition activities and a number of Consultative Council members are also Coalition members. The High Performance Building Coalition provides guidance and support to the High Performance Building Caucus of the U.S. Congress. The Coalition supports legislation and policies that protect life and property; promote innovative building technologies; enhance U.S. economic competitiveness; increase energy and water efficiency in the built-environment; advance sustainable and resilient communities; and support the development of private-sector standards, codes and guidelines that address these concerns. More information can be found at www.hpbccc.org.
