Call for Abstracts

Theme: Aligning for Impact

America’s infrastructure is a system of systems—deeply interconnected across energy, telecom, water, transportation, and buildings. When we optimize them together, we amplify resilience, efficiency, and national competitiveness.

Conference Overview

The 14th annual Building Innovation Conference takes place May 18–20, 2026, at the Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner in McLean, VA. Leaders from government, industry, and academia will align innovations, policies, and standards that strengthen the systems underpinning the built environment.

Who Should Submit

Industry leaders with valuable insights, case studies, best practices, lessons learned, and/or remaining challenges are encouraged to submit abstracts for consideration.

Education Tracks

Innovators

Emerging research, digital transformation, and breakthroughs in design, materials, and performance measurement that enable smarter, more connected systems.

Implementers

Real-world applications: case studies, project outcomes, and lessons learned integrating resilience, sustainability, and efficiency across networks.

Influencers

Strategy, policy, standards, and cross-sector collaboration to scale systemic impact and strengthen national resilience and competitiveness.

Topics of Interest

  • Systems integration across buildings, utilities, and lifeline infrastructure
  • Resilience and climate adaptation strategies
  • Advances in codes, standards, and policies supporting alignment
  • Digitalization and interoperability
  • Innovations in materials, design, and construction that strengthen/streamline systems
  • Healthy Buildings and indoor environmental quality
  • Case studies showcasing scalable solutions
  • Community resilience
  • Response and recovery
  • Risk assessment
  • Workforce

Submission Guidelines

  • Presentation durations: 20, 30, or 50–60 minutes.
  • Formats: individual, 2-speaker, or panel (≤5 people including moderator). All speakers must be committed at submission; NIBS may organize panels or select moderators.
  • Submitting is a professional commitment; if accepted, speakers must attend or provide a substitute. 7 days to confirm participation upon notification.
  • Use NIBS-branded PowerPoint slides; speakers provide their own content.
  • No promotional talks.

Key Dates

  • Call opens: October 16, 2025
  • Call closes: December 8, 2025
  • Notifications: by February 13, 2026
  • Final slides due: May 7, 2026
  • Conference: May 18–20, 2026 — Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner (McLean, VA)

Speaker Rate

Approved speakers receive a discounted conference rate of $175.

Questions

Email events@nibs.org.

What content are you interested in?
Topics of Interest