North Carolina Republicans Override Veto of Bill Overhauling Construction Code Commission August 25, 2023 On August 16, 2023, North Carolina Republicans flexed their legislative supermajority muscles and created six new laws by overriding Democratic Governor Roy Cooper’s vetoes of those bills. Of the six bills, House Bill 488 reformed the way construction codes are developed. H.B. 488, backed by the North Carolina Home Builders Association, was opposed by many other construction, design, safety, and environmental organizations. IIBEC sent a letter to every member of the North Carolina legislature urging them to let the veto stand and take up the reform effort again in the next session. Read More
IIBEC Expresses Appreciation to Washington’s Building Code Council for Improved Secondary Drainage Requirements August 17, 2023 By John Boling In an August 16 letter to Washington’s State Building Code Council, IIBEC Executive Vice President and CEO Brian Pallasch joined with IIBEC Puget Sound Chapter Vice President Darbi Krumpos to express appreciation for including more robust requirements for design of secondary drainage in a package of expedited rules expected to go into […] Read More
IIBEC Testimony Calls for Changes to Bill Promoting Solar-Panel Installation at Schools July 19, 2023 On July 17, 2023, IIBEC submitted to a Massachusetts state legislative panel testimony recommending changes to a bill under consideration that would promote installing solar panels on the roofs of eligible schools. The bill, S. 2127, was the subject of a hearing by the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy. The proposed legislation would create the Healthy and Sustainable Schools Office, which would coordinate an energy audit of all public schools and then, based on the metrics in the bill, implement the recommended energy efficiency improvements and install renewable energy systems on or near school property. Read More
IIBEC Joins Coalition Pushing to Allow 529 Plan Funds to Pay for Credential Programs July 14, 2023 In June, IIBEC became a founding member of the Tomorrow’s Workforce Coalition, which advocates for economic development policy that would strengthen the workforce now and in the future. Organized by the American Society of Association Executives, the coalition’s efforts will focus on building support for the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act (S. 722 / H.R. 1477), which would allow students, workers, and families to use their 529 savings plans for costs associated with obtaining and maintaining postsecondary credentials, such as licenses and nongovernmental certifications. Read More
Roofing Industry Calls on Congress to Fully Fund Career and Technical Education June 22, 2023 Earlier this month IIBEC joined with our roofing industry colleagues to call on the US Congress to provide more funding for career and technical education in the states. On June 8, 2023, 11 roofing industry associations signed a letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees urging them to support a robust increase in funding for Perkins State Grants for career and technical education (CTE). Read More
IIBEC Helps Restore QBS Intent for Architect and Engineering Design Work in Alabama June 16, 2023 When a coalition working to restore qualifications-based selection (QBS) requirements for architects and engineers needed support – IIBEC got the call. To help the effort, IIBEC sent a letter on June 6, 2023, asking Alabama legislators to concur with Governor Kay Ivey’s executive amendment to restore Senate Bill 309 to its original intent of requiring the qualifications-based selection (QBS) process for the procurement of architectural and engineering design services. The successful effort concluded when each chamber concurred with the governor’s request, thus clearing the legislation for her signature. Read More
Canada Calls for Proposals on Aggregated Deep Energy Retrofit Demonstration Projects June 15, 2023 By John Boling A Canadian government official announced June 13, 2023, a call for proposals under the Greener Neighbourhoods Pilot Program that focus on deep aggregated retrofit projects. The call will support up to six projects targeting clusters of low-rise community housing buildings of 100 or more units and will explore methods and approaches that […] Read More
Canadian Government Allocates Funding to Improve Energy Efficiency and Reduce Carbon Emissions June 02, 2023 On May 29, 2023, Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s minister of natural resources, and Scott Pearce, president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, announced more than $900,000 for six feasibility studies through the Green Municipal Fund’s (GMF) Community Buildings Retrofit initiative to help cities and towns across Ontario find the best approach to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions at municipally owned buildings. Read More
IIBEC Opposes Cooperative Purchasing Programs in Two States, Scores Victory in Virginia May 26, 2023 IIBEC sent two separate letters last week opposing the use of cooperative purchasing programs to sidestep qualifications-based selection (QBS) requirements. These letters reflect IIBEC’s commitment to oppose solicitations for design services that negatively affect consultants—and they are producing results. Read More
IIBEC Leaders Meet with the EPDM Roofing Association May 05, 2023 On May 4, 2023, IIBEC leaders Brian Pallasch, executive vice president and chief executive officer, and John Boling, director of government relations, met with the EPDM Roofing Association Board of Directors at its meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, to share IIBEC’s plans over the next few years and to explore areas where our respective interests overlap. Read More
