WASHINGTON, DC — The International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI) recently announced that it has merged with the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS). IAI will operate as a council of NIBS under its current name. Since 1995, the North American Chapter of IAI has worked as an independent body to develop and promote use of global standards for the automated exchange of data among computer applications such as CADD, cost estimating, permitting, and scheduling.

“These standards will give us the ability to make phenomenal improvements in architecture, engineering, construction, facility management, building regulation, and related activities,” says David Harris, FAIA, NIBS’ president.

According to Henry Green, chair-man of the NIBS board of directors, “Because IAI’s member organizations — design and construction firms, software developers, product manufacturers, trade and professional associations, federal agencies and the like — are the same sectors involved in NIBS’ other programs, the NIBS/IAI merger is a natural partnership.”

The decision to become a part of NIBS was based on IAI’s continued support of and participation of IAI activities, according to Norbert Young Jr., IAI’s chairman.

“Our industry’s inability to communicate effectively has created tremendous waste and inefficiency, estimated at 30% of the total cost of each building project,” said Young. “Today, advanced computer technologies based on object-oriented data provide us with an opportunity to create synergy among each discipline’s language and make the industry information truly interoperable.”

Publication date: 06/17/2002