NIBS partners to boost 'Whole Building Design Guide'

The National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) announced it has partnered with the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the Building Commissioning Association, AABC Commissioning Group, and NEBB to advance and revise the 'Building Commissioning' resources in the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG).

“The Whole Building Design Guide is a crucial resource,” explains Stephen T. Ayers, FAIA, interim CEO of NIBS. “The built environment should be informed by the latest in research. The WBDG is the only web-based portal to provide one-stop information on a wide range of building-related guidance, criteria, and technology.”

The WBDG is organized into four major categories for:

• Design Recommendations.
• Project Management/Operations & Maintenance.
• Federal Facility Criteria.
• Continuing Education.

At the heart of the guide are hundreds of resource pages with reductive summaries on a variety of topics.

The WBDG’s Building Commissioning section presents information about current approaches and processes, as well as overcoming challenges and emerging issues. It also has been expanded to address topics of "Existing Buildings" and "Ongoing Commissioning."

Development of the WBDG is a collaborative effort among federal agencies, private sector companies, non-profit organizations, and educational institutions.

Gerald J. Kettler, PE, CCP, CIAQM, TBE, BEAP, REM, CEM, managing principal and owner of Facility Performance Associates, LLC, helped spearhead the guide's commissioning section update.

“The commissioning process is an emerging and growing industry where the entire commissioning team, including design, construction and operations, needs to communicate and understand their functions to maximize the results of the project,” Kettler said. “This understanding that commissioning is not an event but a process that extends from project start through design, construction and operation benefits all team members. The commissioning industry needs to provide information and training to enhance the process as it has done in this WBDG revision.”

Visit the Whole Building Design Guide.

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