The virtual meeting of the National Institute of Building Sciences takes place August 18-19

(WASHINGTON, DC, July 13, 2020) – The best information around building resilience, technology and workforce development will be presented online for attendees of Building Innovation 2020: Virtual Edition.

The annual meeting of the National Institute of Building Sciences takes place August 18-19.

“Our conference is where a broad cross section of the building industry come together to learn and network,” says Lakisha A. Woods, CAE, President and CEO of NIBS. “Our virtual event will include great opportunities to connect through networking lounges and learn from experts. My team has gone to great lengths to ensure the BI2020 experience would not be diminished.”

BI2020 attendees will be able to earn up to eight AIA-approved CES/HSW credits for full conference attendance.

Keynote presentation highlights include:

• 3D Printing as a New Paradigm for Affordable, Resilient Housing with Evan Loomis, Co-Founder and Chairman, ICON. In 2018, ICON delivered the first 3D-printed home to receive a building permit in the U.S. Loomis’ presentation will cover how ICON is using robotics, software and advanced materials to bring affordable and dignified housing to people affected by disasters, while solving for a plurality of problems, including homelessness, affordability and resiliency of homes.
• How We See Now with Billie Faircloth, Partner, KieranTimberlake. Faircloth leads transdisciplinary research, design, and problem-solving processes across fields including environmental management, urban ecology, chemical physics, materials science, and architecture. In this session, Faircloth will discuss resilience through the daily actions and diverse projects of KieranTimberlake.
• Improving Construction Safety to Recruit a Stronger and More Diverse Workforce with Nancy Novak, Chief Innovation Officer, Compass Datacenters, and Doug Mouton, General Manager, Global Datacenter Procurement and Construction at Microsoft. Presented by the Women Executives in Building Summit, this keynote will explore how the topic of safety in the construction industry and the need for efficiency and better production are closely related. Among the takeaways: How an enduring safety culture creates safe workers and jobsites, and how adopting and enforcing safety practices eliminates project disruptions.

Building Innovation is a premiere event and brings together architects, engineers, code officials, manufacturers, innovators, public and private sector representatives, officials from building and construction, and local, state and government leaders.

BI2020: Virtual Edition will feature 16 sessions, covering topics like zero energy, building performance, design and resilience, mitigation, green jobs, workforce development, and the challenges that COVID-19 brings to the built environment.

The event presenting sponsor is the International Code Council.