Common language
The International Alliance of Interoperability (IAI), an independent organization working to develop global standards for the automated exchange of data among computer applications in the construction industry, has merged with the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS). IAI will operate as a council of NIBS under its current name.
WTC study online
A copy of the "World Trade Center Building Performance Study," compiled by the 25-member ASCE/FEMA World Trade Center assessment team, can be viewed online on ASCE's Web site. Team leader Gene Corley, senior vice president of Construction Technology Laboratories Inc., Skokie, Ill., presented the findings of the study to the House Science Committee on May 1.
Safety talk
Associated Builders and Contractors offers a series of safety "toolbox talks" for use on the job site. The 76 individual seminars, available on a CD or in paper form, focus on a variety of topics, such as accident investigations, demolition, working with lead, and working in severe weather conditions.
Fighting HVAC terrorism
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released guidelines for safeguarding HVAC systems against chemical, biological and radiological attacks. "Guidance for Protecting Building Environments from Airborne Chemical, Biological, or Radiological Attacks" was developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health with input from the Office of Homeland Security.
