FEMA, HUD, DOE, HHS, and other federal agencies are engaged in the White House National Initiative to Advance Building Codes (NIABC), which encourages state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments to adopt modern building codes.

Adopting the latest building and energy codes and standards addresses climate change impacts, reduces disaster risk, and enables communities to be more resilient to natural hazards regardless of social, economic, or other challenges.

All market sectors, including concrete, are disclosing sustainability-related products or enterprise
information in response to market demand. This is mostly due to stakeholders wanting to make more
informed and responsible decisions when selecting building materials.

The construction industry has high numbers and rates of fatal and non-fatal, work-related injuries. Nearly 20% of all workplace fatalities in the U.S. occur in the construction industry, while construction workers represent approximately 7% of all U.S. workers. Designing out a hazard is the most reliable and effective way to protect workers.

Prevention through Design (PtD) is a concept that encourages architects and design engineers to consider the safety of construction and maintenance workers early in the design phase of a project.

Decarbonization of the built environment is a nationwide goal; it has been adopted by many states and municipalities. In Massachusetts, it is mandated by law and the recently-adopted Stretch Energy Code and Specialized Opt-In Code require compliance with a series of absolute metrics.

Propel your project success with the AIA Framework for Design Excellence — the defining 10 principles of design excellence. No matter your role as an architect, engineer, consultant, or owner, this presentation will examine how Framework principles apply across project lifecycle and advance progress toward a zero-carbon, healthy, just, resilient, and equitable built environment.

The General Services Administration (GSA) employs over 11,000 workers and manages about 8,700 federal and leased properties across the federal government. As with most agencies during the pandemic, GSA’s employees largely worked outside the office and have been operating in a more hybrid structure than before COVID, even with the shift back to the office in 2022.

A recent GAO Report (GAO-23-106200) found that federal office buildings continue to be chronically underutilized, leading to significant energy and cost implications.

Precast concrete is a durable material that is well known for its strength and resilience and ability to protect the lives, livelihoods, and lifestyles of people and communities. Part of that equation is contributing to safe and healthy spaces where occupants can live and work.

Learning Objectives:

Join the U.S. Green Building Council and industry experts for a discussion around the next iteration of the LEED green building certification system for new construction and existing buildings, LEED v5. As part of this new rating system, we have gathered a select group of project teams across diverse projects to provide critical feedback and support in shaping the system. USGBC intends to drive the built environment toward a low-carbon future that is equitable and resilient and promotes the wise, safe utilization of all resources.

We feel the need for speed! The American Institute of Steel Construction has a big, hairy, audacious goal – our goal is to increase the speed at which a steel project (either a building or bridge) can be designed, fabricated, and erected by 50% by the end of 2025. The steel construction industry already has made significant progress to achieve this goal.

The design, construction and operation of buildings account for roughly 40 percent of global energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Energy codes have been an effective strategy in reducing operational energy, but additional activities to address how design strategies and material choices influence the GHG emission impacts of buildings are needed. Reducing those emissions to meet community and industry climate goals will require a comprehensive approach that addresses all stages of the building lifecycle.