IIBEC Provides Maine Legislative Panel With Comments on Solar-Ready Mandate April 12, 2023 IIBEC submitted testimony to a Maine legislative panel as part of the panel’s April 4 discussion of solar-ready mandates for future commercial buildings, ensuring that building enclosure consultants’ interests were made known to the panel. Read More
Canadian Government Confirms Support for Transition to Net Zero March 23, 2023 Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault outlined Canada’s support for a net-zero emissions economy through the fostering of economic environmentalism and a range of policies, including the launch of the independent Net-Zero Advisory Body, which will provide advice on the most likely pathways for Canada to reach net zero. Guilbeault made his remarks during a March 20, 2023, speech at the Americana 2023 environmental conference. Read More
Canada Opens Applications for Two Initiatives to Accelerate Building Retrofits February 16, 2023 On February 9, 2023, Natural Resources Canada issued a statement announcing Calls for Applications for two new initiatives to accelerate building retrofits: the Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative (DRAI) and the Greener Neighbourhoods Pilot Program (GNPP). Read More
IIBEC Asks North Dakota Senate Panel to Protect QBS in Cooperative Procurement Bill February 16, 2023 On February 8, 2023, IIBEC submitted to the North Dakota Senate State and Local Committee testimony in support of qualifications-based selection (QBS) for the procurement of construction design services. Specifically, IIBEC asked the committee to amend SB 2370 “to protect taxpayers and ensure compliance with state requirements regarding the procurement of architecture, engineering, and land surveying services, as outlined by N.D.C.C. Chapter 54-44.7, by inserting a provision prohibiting the purchase of such services via a cooperative purchasing program.” Read More
Canadian Advisory Body Submits Report to Achieve Net-Zero Emissions by 2050 February 03, 2023 On January 27, 2023, Steven Guilbeault, minister of environment and climate change of Canada, announced that the Net-Zero Advisory Board had submitted its first annual report, “Compete and Succeed in a Net-Zero Future.” The report contains 25 recommendations to speed Canada’s transition to net-zero emissions by 2050. Composed of nine experts from across Canada, the board was authorized by the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act. Read More
IIBEC Scores a Victory as Alabama DOT Changes Procurement Regulation December 01, 2022 By John Boling IIBEC is pleased to report that the Alabama Department of Transportation (AL DOT) agreed to modify regulations implementing changes to the state’s procurement law. The revised regulation that becomes effective on January 14, 2023, eliminates provisions requiring the procurement of architecture, engineering, and design services based on price (low-bid) for state-funded projects […] Read More
IIBEC Organizes Opposition to Proposed Alabama Regulation Gutting QBS November 09, 2022 In early October IIBEC became alarmed after reading Alabama Department of Transportation (AL DOT) proposed draft regulations overhauling state procurement procedures. Specifically, the proposal instituted a new procedure for architecture, engineering, and design services based on price (low-bid) for state-funded projects, while maintaining the requirement that qualifications-based selection (QBS) is used for projects that use federal funds. IIBEC reached out to organizations in the state that also support QBS to raise the alarm and confirm the proposal was, in fact, gutting QBS for state funded projects. IIBEC submitted comments on November 4, 2022, opposing the proposal. Read More
IIBEC Joins Industry Letter Warning of Unintended Consequences of Low Carbon Mandates November 03, 2022 IIBEC joined the National Roofing Contractors Association and Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association on a November 3 letter responding to the US General Services Administration’s (GSA) request for information regarding construction materials with substantially lower embodied carbon. The response seeks to assure GSA that Environmental Product Declarations for materials used in the building enclosure sector are increasingly widely available and that designers base their material selection decisions on numerous factors. The letter makes this unambiguously clear by stating, “We oppose policies that restrict choice among design professionals and building owners based on environmental impacts alone.” Read More
IIBEC Encourages IRS to Use IIBEC-Credentialed Professionals to Oversee Commercial-Building Energy Efficiency Projects November 03, 2022 The Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently asked for comments on a series of questions to determine how to best implement Section 179(D)—the commercial building energy efficiency tax credit that Congress recently passed. IIBEC began its comments reminding the IRS that “one of the concerns that helped convince Congress to expand and revise Section 179(D) was that the tax credit was underused and in order to achieve nationwide energy efficiency goals, the provisions needed to be more flexible and accessible.” This theme runs through IIBEC’s comments. Read More
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Brooks Act October 27, 2022 On this day, October 27, in 1972, US President Richard Nixon signed into law legislation providing for qualifications-based selection (QBS) of architecture, engineering (A&E), and related services, including surveying and mapping. It was 50 years ago today the Brooks Act became law. At the time of its enactment, the Brooks Act was a radical departure from the norm of lowest bid in federal procurement. It set a precedent that enabled qualitative factors to become commonplace in various contemporary acquisition procedures. In other words, A&E was for past performance and best value before it was cool. Read More
