Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG)

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Fulfilling Our Mission

Established under the National Institute of Building Sciences Act of 1974, the National Institute of Building Sciences was created to bring together government, industry, and the research community to advance building science and improve the performance of the built environment.

The Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG) supports this mission by connecting federal facility standards, technical guidance, and professional learning resources used by practitioners across the built environment.

As the needs of the building industry continue to evolve, WBDG is introducing a series of improvements designed to make these resources easier to discover, access, and apply in practice.

Explore the Updates

Users can explore the latest improvements across the platform through the sections below.

What's Changing

WBDG introduces several improvements designed to make it easier to discover resources, access federal facility standards, and engage with professional learning opportunities.

Key updates include:

  • Improved navigation and resource discovery
  • A centralized Learning Hub for training and education
  • Personalized dashboards to bookmark courses and Federal Facility Criteria
  • Improved access to standards and technical guidance

Streamlined Navigation

A redesigned navigation structure makes it easier to move through WBDG and explore the full range of resources available across the platform.

  • simplified navigation menus
  • clearer pathways to standards, guidance, and tools
  • faster access to commonly used resources

Enhanced Discovery

Improved search and content organization help users quickly locate relevant standards, technical guidance, and design resources.

  • enhanced search functionality
  • improved organization of technical content
  • easier discovery of related resources and guidance

 

Modern Learning Experience

The Learning Hub provides a modern, centralized space for exploring professional learning opportunities across the built environment.

  • searchable course catalog
  • streamlined course enrollment
  • tools for tracking learning progress and completion

Centralized Access

WBDG continues to serve as a central platform for accessing federal facility criteria used across the Department of Defense and other federal agencies, including Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) and Unified Facilities Guide Specifications (UFGS).

  • expanded digitization of federal facility standards
  • improved navigation within technical documents
  • ability to bookmark frequently referenced standards

Personalized Workspace

Registered users can organize and manage their activity through a personalized dashboard.

  • Easily access bookmarked content, FFCs, and Courses
  • Save Course certificates
  • Subscribe to updates to content

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I expect as WBDG continues to evolve?

WBDG will introduce enhancements that improve connectivity across standards, applied guidance, and education resources. Beginning May 1, users will experience enhancements to navigation, search functionality, content organization, and learning integration.

All improvements are implemented with reliability and long-term performance as core priorities.  As new capabilities become available, updates will be communicated here and across NIBS channels. See “How can I  stay informed?” for more information.

 

Yes. While WBDG’s mission and legislative foundation remain unchanged, the platform is advancing to deliver a more dynamic and interconnected experience.

 

Enhancements will expand access to digitized federal criteria, strengthen knowledge-sharing across disciplines, and deepen integration with structured learning and credentialing pathways.

NIBS looks forward to sharing updates as new capabilities are introduced

Yes. Federal facility criteria, guidance, and education resources remain accessible. Enhancements focus on improving organization, navigation, and digital performance while preserving trusted content.

No. Official criteria remain governed by their respective authorities. This initiative improves digital access and usability without altering governance, approval processes, or compliance requirements.

Users may notice refinements to navigation, search functionality, and content organization. Improvements are introduced in a measured manner to preserve stability and ensure continuity.

The enhanced platform supports:

  • Faster access to current federal criteria
  • Improved interpretation of standards through applied guidance
  • Greater visibility into emerging practices and innovation
  • Structured professional development aligned with federal priorities

How Can I Stay Informed?

Updates will be shared through WBDG communications channels as enhancements are introduced.

Updates are posted on NIBS social media. Follow and turn on post notifications for @bldgsciences on  X (Twitter), Facebook, and LinkedIn.  

WBDG will also launch a WBDG newsletter to provide regular updates on new features, digitized standards, learning opportunities, and platform enhancements. A subscription option will be available soon.

Sign up for the NIBS mailing list for more information:

Subscribe

Questions or Feedback

WBDG values continued engagement and feedback.

For questions regarding this modernization effort, please contact us using the following link.

Contact Us