High Performance Building Week kicks off

High performance buildings play a vital role as a part of America’s infrastructure. High Performance Building Week offers a unique opportunity for the building industry to come together to raise awareness of policy initiatives, organizational priorities and cutting-edge innovations that enhance building performance, promote resiliency and sustainability, and help spur healthy construction and building industry growth throughout the country.

The International Code Council, along with the rest of the High Performance Building Coalition, will be on Capitol Hill next week, June 12–14, to celebrate the High Performance Building Week and heighten awareness of, and inform policymakers about, the impact buildings have on health, safety and welfare, and the opportunities to best design, construct and operate buildings.

This year’s events include a full slate of briefings, receptions and a congressional lobby day to further inform and stimulate discussion with Congress. The focus and theme of this year’s event is to update policymakers on “Building the Industry of the Future” and how standards are tools for innovative infrastructure solutions.

The Code Council serves on the High Performance Building Committee and has helped organize the week’s events.

Congressional briefing

A congressional briefing — “Building the Industry of the Future — Findings and Recommendations from the Consultative Council” — will focus on how the building industry can and should evolve to meet the changing needs of society and how new technologies and practices can attract a 21st century workforce. The briefing will be held from 12:00–1:00 p.m. ET on June 12 in Room 2322 of the Rayburn House Office Building located at 45 Independence Ave SW, in Washington, D.C.

High Performance Building Caucus co-chairs U.S. Representative David B. McKinley (R-WV), P.E., and U.S. Representative Peter Welch (D-VT) will make remarks followed by presentations by Ryan M. Colker, vice president, National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS); Neil Shah, regional managing director, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors; Jenna Hamilton, vice president of national affairs, Green Building Initiative; and Anica Landreneau, director of sustainable design, HOK (Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum).

Congressional reception

A congressional reception will be held on June 13 in Room 2322 of the Rayburn House Office Building that will allow member and policymaker engagement on High Performance Building Coalition priorities. The Code Council 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 advance these priorities.

World Standards Day briefing

A World Standards Day congressional briefing — “Standards: Important Tools for Innovative Infrastructure Solutions” — has been organized by the Code Council, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Two panels “Hazard Mitigation Strategies: Lower Costs and Quicker Recovery” and “Built Environment: Incorporating Innovative Technologies into Codes and Standards” will discuss how codes and standards play a significant role in supporting strong, practicable and resilient 21st century infrastructure solutions.

The event features Bryan Soukup, executive director of the Alliance for National & Community Resilience and regional manager of ICC Government Relations, who will focus on resiliency and the significance of pre-disaster mitigation and assessing the strengths and weaknesses of our communities when preparing for unforeseen events and natural disasters.

Other panelists discussing innovative technologies and recovery strategies include Ryan Colker, vice president, NIBS; Dr. Clarissa Ferraris, leader of the Inorganic Materials Group, NIST; Martina T. Driscoll, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (presenting on behalf of ASTM International); and GP Russ Chaney, chief executive officer of the IAPMO Group and board chairman at ANSI. The briefing will be held from 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. ET on June 14 in Room 2226 of the Rayburn House Office Building.

High Performance Building Week is an annual celebration organized by the High Performance Building Coalition, a private-sector group of approximately 200 organizations that provides guidance and support to the High Performance Building Caucus of the U.S. Congress. The High Performance Building Caucus of the U.S. Congress was formed to heighten awareness and inform policymakers about the major impact buildings have on our health, safety and welfare, and the opportunities to best design, construct and operate high-performance buildings.