CONSTRUCT Session Highlight: W17

"How does Resilience in Building Materials, Energy Efficiency and Building Codes Impact Project Specifications"

Contributed by Paul Bertram, FCSI

A little known fact is that CSI, the Construction Specifications Institute, is an "Amplifier" for the Industry Statement on Resilience that was founded by the AIA and the National Institute of Building Sciences.

CSI is in good company with a long list of other supporting “Amplifiers".

How does Resilience in Building Materials, Energy Efficiency and Building Codes Impact Project Specifications?

First, how is Resilience defined? Is Resilience the new “Sustainability”? What lessons have been learned from past storms that have impacted code development, product testing and compliance? How does “Resilience” play into Performance Based project outcomes? What are emerging Resilience Design Standards? What work and references are available for more information?

All these answers are part of the CONSTRUCT W17 session "How does Resilience in Building Materials, Energy Efficiency and Building Codes Impact Project Specifications", starting 1:10 PM on Wednesday September 13th (Editor's note: this session immediately follows "Let's Fix Construction: An Interactive Luncheon").  

W17 is presented by Paul Bertram, FCSI, CDT, LEED AP BD+C, GGP, who is a Fellow of the Construction Specifications Institute and a Past Institute President with a focus on building product environmental impacts, and envelope first energy efficiency strategies with Pathways to NZE. He has extensive background in material evaluation and specification as well as building science fundamentals. His current work includes advocacy for resilient and reliable building energy efficiency and related reductions on demand side energy. In 2016 he was named to the Board of Directors of the National Institute of Building Sciences and the GSA Green Advisory Committee. Previous to PRB Connect he was Director of Environment & Sustainability for Kingspan and the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association He was also president of his Orlando based architectural graphic design firm for 28 years. He started his career in Design & Development at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida after serving 6 years in the Navy as an Electrician/Electronics technician.

This post is a special ​CONSTRUCT Session Highlight. Let's Fix Construction has recently partnered with CONSTRUCT, which you can read about here.