The National Institute of Building Sciences is authorized by the U.S. Congress to serve the public interest as the essential forum for discussing issues and identifying opportunities within the building community. The NIBS Consultative Council assembles high-level building community leaders to make collective recommendations directly to policymakers – and by NIBS to the President of the United States – to improve our nation’s buildings and infrastructure.

In recent years, building owners and communities have increasingly focused on improving the design, construction and operation of buildings to meet enhanced levels of performance. Many people within the building industry recognize the role increased collaboration during the design and construction process can play in realizing the desired levels of performance. However, the collaborative process to date largely leaves out one important participant—the code official.

In December 2020, the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) held a social equity roundtable with over two dozen organizations representing the built environment. This conversation resulted in a recommendation to advance the work on this issue, including obtaining consistent research from across the many sectors of the built environment.