Institute Honors Industry Leaders during Annual Awards Ceremony

Washington, DC – (RealEstateRama) — Each year, the National Institute of Building Sciences hosts an Awards Reception and Dinner to recognize individuals and organizations that have provided outstanding service to the Institute, the building community and the nation. Institute board, staff and members honored the 2016 award winners at an annual awards ceremony held on Wednesday, January 11, 2017, during Building Innovation 2017: The Institute’s Fifth Annual Conference and Expo, at the Mandarin Oriental in Washington, D.C.

The 2016 Institute Member Award Goes to…

The Institute Member Award goes to a member of the Institute who has made a substantial contribution in support of the mission, goals and objectives of the Institute. The 2016 Member Award went to Ryan E. Smith, Associate Professor and Director of Integrated Technology and Architecture, University of Utah. Though not present to receive his award, Smith was recognized for his work and leadership on the Off Site Construction Council (OSCC). As the founding chair of the OSCC, Smith’s vision and strategic planning fostered a productive start to the Council, which kicked off in 2013. He has since helped to establish the OSCC as a valued research, education and outreach center for relevant and current information on off-site design and construction.

The 2016 Institute Honor Award Goes to…

Ernie Conrad, PE, BOMA Fellow accepts the National Institute of Building Sciences Honor Award on behalf of the National BIM Guide for Owners Committee. “I’m privileged to work with these people who make it all happen,” he said about his fellow committee members.

The Institute Honor Award goes to individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to the nation and the building community. Institute Board Chairman Stephen T. Ayers, AIA, LEED AP, presented the 2016 Honor Award to the committee responsible for creating the first building information modeling (BIM) guide for building owners, the Institute’s National BIM Guide for Owners Committee. The Committee received the award in recognition of its work creating the first National BIM Guide for Building Owners (NBGO). The NBGO is a comprehensive, easy-to-follow guidance document to assist owners through the BIM process, standards and infrastructure required, and BIM execution.

Responding to the needs of increasingly savvy and project-involved building owners, a carefully balanced, integrated team—under the auspices of the Institute, the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International and ASHRAE—worked together to create the NBGO. Beginning in October 2015, the multidisciplinary team worked collaboratively to bring the 50-page guide from kick-off to final draft review in eight months.

Ernie Conrad, PE, BOMA Fellow, who represented BOMA International on the NBGO Committee, accepted the award on behalf of the team. “I’m privileged to work with these people who make it all happen,” he said about his fellow Committee members.

The 2016 President Award Goes to…

“What an honor and pleasure to work with people who care so deeply…to make our communities more safe and resilient,” said Judge Alice C. Hill, upon accepting the National Institute of Building Sciences President’s Award.

The Institute President’s Award is given to an individual or organization in recognition of extraordinary efforts to assist in advancing the mission of the Institute. Institute President Henry L. Green, Hon. AIA presented the 2016 President’s Award to the Honorable Alice C. Hill, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Resilience Policy on the White House National Security Council during the Obama Administration. President Green recognized Judge Hill for “her passion for improving the built environment and as a consistent force in carrying the message to improve how, as a nation, we can address the many perils that face our environment and our communities.”

Judge Hill served as the principal advisor on preparedness and resilience issues arising from climate change. In 2016, she provided leadership in promoting the advancement of building codes and resilience. The White House Conference on Resilient Building Codes offered a unique opportunity for diverse stakeholders to highlight the direct impact that building code development, adoption and administration have on the economic well-being of communities. Through her leadership, the White House also held forums on Smart Finance for Disaster Resilience and a National Preparedness Roundtable.

“What an honor and pleasure to work with people who care so deeply…to make our communities more safe and resilient,” said Judge Hill, upon accepting her award. “We all know there are huge risks…but it’s up to us to take the knowledge out there to make things better.”

The 2016 Mortimer M. Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award Goes to…

The Mortimer M. Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award, the Institute’s highest honor, goes to someone who has demonstrated a lifetime of dedication to the mission and goals of the Institute. Established in 2011 and named after the organization’s first member, this award is bestowed upon those who exhibit the passion upon which the Institute is founded. Chairman Ayers presented the 2016 Mortimer M. Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award to Gerald H. Jones, PE, in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to improving the seismic safety of the nation’s buildings and their occupants.

Jones worked from 1969 to 1983 for the City of Overland Park, Kansas, serving as the code administrator there before becoming the first director of code administration for Kansas City, Missouri, from 1983 to 1994. He was appointed in the 1970s to serve on the Advisory Committee for the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program by the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and went on to chair the Institute’s Building Seismic Safety Council. As the chair of the Multihazard Mitigation Council, he was instrumental in the development of the 2005 study, Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves: An Independent Study to Assess the Future Savings from Mitigation Activities. Jones served on the Institute’s Board of Directors from 1993 until 1999, holding positions on the Executive Committee for all six years, including two years as chairman. His decades of participation have demonstrated a long commitment to the goals and mission of the Institute and exemplify the meaning behind the Marshall Award.

“To me, it’s been many years of fun. Back when the Douglas Commission was created, the issue was to study the housing problem,” said Jones, upon receiving his award. “The beauty of this organization is the charge of developing consensus. (We don’t get anything unless we develop consensus.) The beauty of the system is watching them all come together in the meeting room and battling it out…It’s been fun.”

Earlier in 2016, the Institute issued a call to industry for nominations to identify potential award recipients. An Awards Committee reviewed the submissions and selected winners from the nominees, based on how their work meets the mission, objectives and goals of the Institute.

The Awards Committee will solicit nominations for 2017 awards in late spring of 2017, with nominations due in July.