Global
Competitiveness and Productivity
A goal
of the US construction industry is to improve global competitiveness.
NIST has identified several ways it can help by developing
measurements, standards, information technology, and other
ways to improve productivity. Read on for descriptions of
what our researchers and outreach programs are doing.
NIST's
Building and Fire Research Laboratory works to enhance
both safety and performance of constructed facilities; provides
measurement methods and technology needed to support this
goal. Follow the links below for specific project descriptions.
Office
of Applied Economics -- seeks to improve life-cycle
quality and economy of constructed facilities for public
and private sector builders, engineers, and scientists by
providing economic products and services.
The
Partnership for Advanced Technology in Housing links
key agencies in the federal government with leaders in home
building, manufacturing, insurance, financial, and regulatory
communities to focus on technological innovation in housing.
Computer
Integrated Construction Environment -- works with industry
to enable cycle time and life-cycle cost reductions in delivery
of construction projects by integrating and automating near-real-time
field data and project management information; provides
performance measures, information protocols, and test-bed
for advancing sensing, imaging, simulation, and database
technologies. Contact: Kent
Reed, (301) 975-5852.
Mechanical
Systems and Controls Group -- fosters development and
use of intelligent and integrated building mechanical systems
and controls; develops standard communication protocols
for exchanging information between management and control
systems.
Cybernetic
Building System -- works on an open system to integrate
multiple building services, such as energy management, fire
and security, transportation, fault detection and diagnostics,
and control and purchase of electricity.
NIST's
Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a nationwide network
of assistance centers for small manufacturers in all 50
states and Puerto Rico, offers experts to consult with small
to mid-size manufacturing firms. Since 1988, the MEP has
assisted more than 100,000 firms, including many construction
companies.
For
example, Southland Log Homes in Irmo, South Carolina,
exports
log home kits to eight other countries. It improved production
of its log home kits with assistance from the South
Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
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Materials
Building
materials that are both easier to install and maintain hold
promise for construction firms in a tight labor market.
Below are descriptions of NIST programs aimed at improving
construction materials.
Characterization
and Measurement Group --
helps industry bring lightweight, corrosion-resistant
composites into commercial use by characterizing
composite properties and developing test methods, data,
and reference materials.
Building
Materials Division -- advances construction materials
science and technology by developing methods to measure
and predict the service life of construction materials,
and by developing the technical base for building materials
standards.
Partnership
for High-Performance Concrete Technology -- helps industry
predict and refine performance of new concrete formulas
with superior strength and durability.
NIST's
Advanced Technology Program spurs innovation in US industry
by co-funding high-risk, high-payoff projects with private
industry. Results from two ATP projects (see links below)
are likely to yield significant savings for construction
firms, utilities, and federal, state and local highway departments.
Composite
Materials for Power Transmission Towers -- Ebert Composites
Corp. of San Diego, Calif., won ATP funding for a 1995-1997
project to develop a process to construct power transmission
towers from fiber-reinforced polymer resin composite materials.
So far, Ebert's composite towers are proving much less expensive
to install and maintain than steel or wood towers.
Composite
Beams for More Durable Bridges -- Strongwell Corp. of
Bristol, Va., won ATP funding for a 1995-1998 project to
make bridge beams from strong, light-weight, corrosion-resistant
composite materials. Prototype beams have performed well
and are drawing interest from many state transportation
officials.
Office
of Applied Economics -- develops economic decision-support
models and internet software tools to help homeowners, builders,
and designers to identify more durable building materials
and components that result in lower life-cycle costs. Offers
life-cycle costing software, BridgeLCC, to help producers
of cost-effective, new-technology construction materials
compete effectively with producers of steel, concrete, and
other conventional materials. Contact: Harold
Marshall, (301) 975- 6132.
Neutron
Condensed Matter Science Group -- uses advanced neutron
measurement technology to probe process and structure of
materials; two projects are relevant to the construction
industry: probing hydration and curing processes in cement,
and resolving key nanostructures of polymer clay composites
for new flame retardants. Contact John
Rush, (301) 975-6231.
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Environment
Improving
energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and using environmentally
friendly refrigerants are excellent ways to help the environment.
NIST is helping builders develop and use new tools to minimize
the impact of buildings on the environment. Here's how:
Building
Environment Division -- seeks to improve performance
of building mechanical and control systems by providing
test methods, models, and measurements needed for advanced
computation and automation in building systems.
Indoor
Air Quality -- develops computer models and measurement
procedures to better understand how air contaminants move
through buildings; supports industry efforts to improve
environmental conditions in buildings in a cost-effective
manner.
Heat
Transfer and Alternative Energy Systems Group -- develops
data and simulation models on how air, heat, and moisture
get transferred through a building; develops tests procedures
for heat pumps and water heaters.
HVAC&R
Equipment Performance Group -- characterizes new atmospheric safe
refrigerants for energy-efficient refrigeration systems;
evaluates systems that will operate with new refrigerants;
helps industry determine performance of alternative refrigerants.
SAGE
Electrochromics and 3M used a grant from the NIST
Advanced Technology Program to develop new materials
and processes that should make large, variable tint windows
affordable.
Office
of Applied Economics -- provides software, training,
and consulting in life-cycle costing to promote cost-effective
energy and water conservation in buildings. Offers a software
tool, BLCC5.0, to help users make cost-effective decisions
about energy and water conservation. Also offers BEES, a
software tool to help select building products that are
both cost-effective and reduce negative environmental impacts.
Contact: Harold
Marshall , (301) 975-6132.
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Safety
Direct
fire losses in the United States topped $10 billion with
more than 3,500 deaths in 1999. Direct losses from wind
and earthquakes exceed $12 billion per year on average.
The loss potential for a single extreme earthquake or wind
event can be as much as $80 billion. These and other hazards
can cause significant loss of life and property damage.
NIST research on fire safe materials, fire sensing and extinguishing
systems, advanced fire measurement and predictive methods,
earthquake engineering, and wind engineering helps reduce
these losses.
Fire
Research Division -- develops, verifies, and utilizes
measurements and predictive methods to quantify the behavior
of fire and the means to reduce the impact of fire on people,
property, and the environment. The division's programs
provide leadership for advancing the theory and practice
of fire safety engineering, fire fighting, fire investigation,
fire testing, fire data management, and intentional burning.
Contact: William
Grosshandler, (301) 975-2310
Fire
Research Information Service -- an online research tool
for fire protection engineers, scientists, and fire service
personnel; contents include publications from the NIST Building
and Fire Research Lab, an online bibliographic database
of 55,000 fire research journal articles, conference proceedings,
books, and audiovisual productions.
Materials
and Construction Research Division --
works with industry to enable innovative construction
systems
and processes,
and
to enhance
structural
safety under extreme loads, such as earthquake, wind, fire,
and explosive blasts; provides measurement and prediction
tools underpinning performance standards, and a neutral
test-bed for evaluating advanced materials, sensing,
imaging,
simulation, control, and automation technologies. Contact:
S. Shyam Sunder, (301)
975-6061.
National
Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program -- conducts research
to improve seismic design and construction standards; conducts
post-earthquake investigations.
Office
of Applied Economics -- collects and compiles information
on construction worker illnesses and injuries; evaluates
how safety practices and other best practices affect construction-related
injuries; develops economic decision support models and
software tools to help facility managers, designers, and
safety officers identify cost- effective fire safety solutions
that comply with the Life Safety Code of the National Fire
Protection Association; provides specific software tools
for health care facilities and prisons. Contact: Harold
Marshall, (301) 975-6132.
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Tools
and Equipment
NIST's
Manufacturing Extension Partnership has helped many
tool and equipment producers improve their processes and
efficiency. The MEP consists of a network of extension centers
in every state and Puerto Rico. Read on for examples of
MEP assistance to tool and equipment manufacturers.
Willo
Products of Decatur, Ala., is a leading equipment manufacturer
and construction contractor for the detention industry.
The company greatly improved efficiency with assistance
from its local NIST MEP center, the Alabama
Technology Network. Read
more.
Tyler
Steel of Tyle, Texas, produces structural steel components,
as well as stairs, handrails, angles, channels, beams, and
pipes. The company contacted the Texas
Manufacturing Assistance Center when it heard about
the success other East Texas manufacturers were having with
TMAC services. Process flow improvements recommended by
TMAC have helped Tyler Steel triple jobs from $1 million
to $3 million. Read
more.
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Other
Resources
NIST
outreach programs work directly with business and industry
to boost US economic competitiveness. Many aerospace companies
and parts suppliers have benefited by taking advantage of
these programs.
NIST's
Advanced Technology Program spurs innovation in US industry
by CO-funding high-risk, high-payoff projects with private
industry.
Smaller
manufacturers face many challenges in our technology-driven
environment. To help meet these challenges, NIST started
the Manufacturing Extension
Partnership program in 1998. This nationwide network
of centers, now in all 50 states, has assisted more than
10,000 US firms, including construction firms.
Organizations
that apply for the Baldrige Award must address seven key
criteria: leadership, strategic planning, customer and market
focus, information and analysis, human resource focus, process
management, and results. Each applicant receives a feedback
report citing strengths and opportunities for improvement.
Award recipients and applicants alike say the application
process can yield significant process improvements and is
good for the bottom line. In fact, a fictitious 'Baldrige
Index' made up of winning company stock has consistently
outperformed the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. And thousands
of other companies have used the Criteria
for Performance Excellence to assess and improve their
overall performance.
The
Baldrige National Quality Program recognizes performance
excellence and quality achievement by US manufacturers,
service companies, educational organizations, and health-care
providers. Construction firms have been competing for the
Baldrige Award since it was established in 1988. In 1995,
Armstrong
World Industries Building Products Operation was named
a Baldrige Award winner. In 1992, Granite
Rock Company won a Baldrige Award.
Federal
Research to assist the Construction Industry--Coordinating
and focusing work of 14 federal agencies to enhance the
competitiveness of the US construction industry, the National
Science and Technology Council's Subcommittee on Construction
and Building was formed in 1994. It coordinates R&D; efforts
to improve efficiency, worker safety, and environmental
quality.
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