In November of 1994, CERF initiated the Partnership for Building Innovation to develop a proposed strategy to enhance the entry of building innovation to the marketplace. A Phase I Partnership study laid the foundation for a new approach and proposed that an enhanced evaluation process for new building technology be developed with the following characteristics: uses the best expertise targeted to the specific technology being evaluated; can evaluate technology to other than code requirements; is recognized by the international community; uses advanced information technology; is utilized by public and private building owners; and can evaluate all types of technologies and systems. Phase II of the program, initiated in November of 1995, expanded the Partnership to a broader range of industry stakeholders and sought their input into an action plan for an enhanced evaluation process and its implementation. In June of 1996, this process was presented at a national workshop and consensus was reached on key implementation recommendations.
This report presents the results of this planning effort and outlines an action plan for an enhanced national evaluation process which meets the goals outlined above, and recommendations for its implementation. The Partnership for Building Innovation project is sponsored by CERF, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).