President Biden Signs Ocean Shipping Reform Bill June 17, 2022 To address the growing problem of ocean shipper consolidation—port congestion, shipping rate increases, and subsequent supply chain backlogs and shortages—President Joe Biden on June 16, 2023, signed legislation that overhauls shipping laws for the first time since 1998. “The industry has dealt with supply chain issues as products or components of products necessary at nearly every step of construction have been delayed,” noted Brian Pallasch, chief executive officer and executive vice president of IIBEC. “We are hopeful that the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 (S.3580) will give the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) the tools necessary to bring order and competition back to the industry and prevent future port congestion.” Read More
Florida Lawmakers Approve Legislation Strengthening Oversight of Condominiums and Updating Windstorm-Damaged Roof Requirements June 02, 2022 When the 124th session of the Florida state legislature adjourned on March 14, 2022, without addressing the tragedy at Surfside, Florida, the state government was roundly criticized by victims’ families and the media. Nevertheless, principals involved kept working, and the result was a bipartisan bill, SB 4-D, that passed the Florida Senate on a 38–0 vote and then the House on a 110–0 vote before being signed by the governor on May 22, 2022. SB 4-D includes provisions to strengthen oversight of condominium associations and cooperative associations, and it updates requirements for roofing damaged by windstorms. Read More
Administration Launches Initiative to Modernize Building Codes, Improve Climate Resilience, and Reduce Energy Costs June 02, 2022 On June 1, 2022, the Biden-Harris administration announced a National Initiative to Advance Building Codes to encourage state, local, and Tribal governments to adopt the latest building codes and standards. According to the White House Fact Sheet, “Modern building codes and standards provide a range of smart design and construction methods that save lives, reduce […] Read More
Roofing Industry Tells GSA to Leverage Roof Alteration Projects to Decarbonize Buildings May 26, 2022 IIBEC joined a roofing industry letter to the General Services Administration (GSA) highlighting the contributions of energy-efficient roof alterations in the effort to accelerate the rate of net-zero emissions retrofits and to improve the resiliency of federal buildings. The letter calls upon GSA to include recommendations for roof alterations within any “playbook” that is compiled for federal buildings, specifically mentioning roof alteration projects that improve passive efficiency and incorporate complementary building decarbonization and resiliency measures. Read More
IIBEC Pushes for Support of California Dept. of Justice Pro-QBS Regulations April 28, 2022 When the California Department of Justice asked for comments on a proposal to craft its own version of qualifications-based selection (QBS) for the procurement of architectural and engineering services, IIBEC jumped into action, contacting state-based allies who said they were planning on submitting comments that largely supported the regulations as written. IIBEC realized the best course of action would be to work through our coalition, the Council on Federal Procurement of Architectural & Engineering Services (COFPAES), to support the regulatory effort. COFPAES did submit comments outlining the history of QBS and why the procurement process serves the interest of taxpayers. IIBEC will continue to follow this regulatory effort and will take action if necessary. Read More
Department of Energy Issues Energy-Saving Rules for Federal Buildings March 31, 2022 Last week, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced new building energy code requirements for federal buildings. Specifically, on March 30, DOE’s press release proposed: Beginning in April 2023, all new buildings and major retrofits constructed by the Federal government must comply with the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and the 2019 American Society […] Read More
President Signs Omnibus Funding Bill with IIBEC Language Protecting Brooks Act March 16, 2022 On March 15, 2022, President Joe Biden signed into law the $1.5 trillion Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, funding the government for the rest of the fiscal year. Also included in the bill is $13.6 billion to provide emergency assistance to Ukraine and NATO allies. The funding bill arrived five-and-a-half months late, in part due to […] Read More
DOE Announces Reorganization to Implement Clean Energy Investments From Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Energy Act of 2020 March 16, 2022 By John Boling The Department of Energy (DOE) undertook a reorganization last month to implement the clean energy provisions included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Energy Act of 2020. IIBEC is a supporter of the DOE Better Building Initiative, a collaborative program seeking to make the nation’s homes, commercial buildings, and industrial plants more […] Read More
IIBEC Joins Over 200 Signatories Calling for Congress to Open Its Doors March 13, 2022 On Wednesday, March 9, 2022, IIBEC joined with 210 parties on a letter to congressional leaders asking to discuss how to safely and securely reopen Capitol Hill. IIBEC is a sponsor of the upcoming 2022 Roofing Day, happening April 5-6, which will bring industry leaders to Capitol Hill to discuss critical issues. IIBEC believes it […] Read More
Administration Launches Coalition to Reduce Existing Building Emissions January 27, 2022 By John Boling President Joe Biden announced the launch of the “Buildings Performance Standards Coalition” during remarks at the US Conference of Mayors on January 21, 2022. The partnership includes 33 state and local governments that encompass 20% of the country’s building footprint and 22% of its population. Maria Rachal, writing in SmartCities Dive, noted, […] Read More
