December 2003 and January 2004

BFRL Monthly Highlights

November 2003

January 2004

February 2004

March 2004

April 2004

PAST Highlights

---

BFRL Launches Economic Tools for Homeowner Durability Decisions

BFRL economists have developed a decision model that helps homeowners select the most cost-effective level of durability. The model has been incorporated into a suite of Internet decision tools called National Economic Service-life Tools (NEST) that is available at http://www.PATHNet.org.

The initial public release of NEST in September 2003 features the first two tools, NEST Builder and Durability Doctor. NEST Builder lets users specify the details of their house including its location, size, layout, and the materials they have for the major components of the external shell: roof, siding, windows, and garage doors. Durability Doctor allows users to compare different building materials based on cost and durability. The tool lets users analyze and compare different views of their virtual house with materials based on three criteria: the greatest durability, the lowest installation cost, and the lowest monthly life-cycle cost. After studying these views, homeowners can customize their house with the materials they prefer.

Tools planned for future releases of NEST will let users budget for future replacements of major housing elements, predict when major housing elements are likely to fail, and learn about the risk of significant natural hazards in their location.

Contact:
Laura Schultz
301-975-4918

 

BFRL Hosts CIS/2 Developers Workshop

BFRL hosted the 10th CIMsteel Integration Standards (CIS/2) Developers Workshop on Nov. 6-7, 2003. The workshop was co-sponsored by the American Institute of Steel Construction and Georgia Tech. The approximately 20 non-NIST participants included representatives from software vendors who have or are planning to implement CIS/2, leading users of CIS/2, academia, and consultants. Many advanced issues were discussed including workflows using managed data, the exchange of information for MIS systems, a demonstration of a Web-based CIS/2 relational database, and plans for the upcoming North American Steel Construction Conference. A virtual real-ity demonstration for steel structures was held in ITL’s immersive virtual reality facility.

Contact:
Robert Lipman
301-975-3829

 

 

 

Privacy Policy/Security Notice/Accessability  |  Disclaimer  |  FOIA NIST is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce