The following is an Aug. 26 press release from the National Institute of Building Sciences announcing the details of its annual Building Innovation conference. The Sept. 27–29 virtual event will feature keynote speakers Renée Cheng, FAIA, dean of the University of Washington College of Built Environments; Edward Mazria, FAIA, founder and chief executive officer of Architecture 2030; Daniel Kaniewski, managing director of Public Sector, Marsh McLennan Advantage; Jamie Gentoso, global head of solutions and products Business Unit, Holcim; and Thomas W. Smith, III, executive director of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
The workplace – its culture and workforce – will be a key track for Building Innovation 2021: Virtual Edition, the annual meeting of the National Institute of Building Sciences.
BI2021 takes place September 27-29, 2021. Building Innovation allows everyone who impacts the built environment to discuss challenges and find solutions. In addition to workplace, BI2021 will include two other tracks: resilience and technology.
“Diversity, equity and inclusion should be the cornerstone of our workforce and the plan for growth and success,” said Lakisha A. Woods, CAE, President and CEO of NIBS. “If we focus on a diverse and inclusive leadership, we will improve our culture, provide solutions to our workforce shortage, and increase innovation in our space. It’s what the industry demands, and the direction every company and organization must take in order to succeed.”
Workplace session highlights include:
- Designing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policies on Purpose for Greater Impact – Daniel Villao, Intelligent Partnerships, Inc.
- Simulation Platform for Energy-Efficient Design – Benjamin Welle, Perkins&Will
- ESG & DEI: Best Practices for Building Industry Applications – Vicki Worden, Green Building Initiative; Brenna Walraven, Corporate Sustainability Strategies; and Zahn Patin, The Wonder Group
- The Drive for the Rural Youth Technopreneurs Development Model Through an Innovative Sanitation System Implemented at Qweqwe Village in the Eastern Cape Province – Tshiphiri Tshivhasa, Department of Human Settlements
- Cybercrime Vulnerability in Buildings and Critical Infrastructure – Dana Smith, DKS Information Consulting, LLC/Chinook Systems Inc./Building Cyber Security/Office of the Principal Cyber Advisor to SECDEF; Daryl Haegley, GISCP, OCP; Wanda Lenkewich, Chinook Systems, Inc.; and Lucian Niemeyer, Building Cyber Security
Building Innovation keynote speakers will include Renee Cheng, Dean, University of Washington College of Built Environments; Edward Mazria, FAIA, Founder & CEO, Architecture 2030; Daniel Kaniewski, Managing Director, Public Sector, Marsh McLennan Advantage; Jamie Gentoso, P.E., MBA, Global Head of Solutions & Products Business Unit, Holcim; and Thomas W. Smith, III, ENV SP, CAE, F.ASCE, Executive Director, American Society of Civil Engineers.
BI2021 conference registration includes access to all keynotes and educational programming. Registration is free for members of the National Institute of Building Sciences. View more information about Building Innovation 2021.
