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 Building Processes Group -- promotes advancements in the capabilities of the U.S. building industry by developing measurement science, methods, protocols and testbeds related to information, communication, sensing and automation technologies and improved work processes.

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. (.pdf; download Acrobat Reader)

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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.

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