by Shane Henson — March 2, 2012—Executives within the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the organization that serves U.S.-based architects worldwide, and the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS), an organization that brings together representatives of government, the professions, industry, labor and consumer interests to identify and resolve building process and facilities performance issues, recently signed a memorandum of understanding underscoring the two organizations’ mutual interest in the design, construction, operations and maintenance of high-performance buildings and the desire to collaborate on issues surrounding these topics.
According to both entities, one of the first projects the two organizations will work on collaboratively is the joint development of an online portal for building industry research and knowledge. Intended to be accessible to the public, this initiative will include the participation and contribution of a variety of building science and performance disciplines. NIBS and AIA anticipate this partnership will culminate in providing a centralized location for the knowledge and research efforts underway that are relevant to the building industry.
Later this year, NIBS and AIA will also collaborate on an industry summit bringing together leaders in the fields of architecture, construction and engineering. The summit will focus on elevating awareness and understanding of how design adds value to the building process, whether it’s expressed through increased property value or the health, safety and welfare of the building’s users.
Additionally, AIA and NIBS are working together on High Performance Buildings: Combining Field Experience with Innovation, the third Building Enclosure Science & Technology (BEST) Conference, set for April 2-4, 2012, in Atlanta.
