NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

The National Bureau of Standards' was established by an act of Congress March 3, 1901. The Bureau's overall goal is to strengthen and advance the Nation's science and technology and facilitate their effective application for public benefit. To this end, the Bureau conducts research and provides: (1) a basis for the Nation's physical measurement system, (2) scientific and technological services for industry and government, (3) a technical basis for equity in trade, and (4) technical services to promote public safety. The Bureau consists of the Institute for Basic Standards, the Institute for Materials Research, the Institute for Applied Technology, the Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology, the Office for Information Programs, and the Office of Experimental Technology Incentives Program.

THE INSTITUTE FOR BASIC STANDARDS provides the central basis within the United States of a complete and consistent system of physical measurement; coordinates that system with measurement systems of other nations; and furnishes essential services leading to accurate and uniform physical measurements throughout the Nation's scientific community, industry, and commerce. The Institute consists of the Office of Measurement Services, and the following center and divisions: Applied Mathematics - Electricity - Mechanics - Heat - Optical Physics - Center for Radiation Research oratory Astrophysics - Cryogenics Electromagnetics - Time and Frequency'.

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THE INSTITUTE FOR MATERIALS RESEARCH conducts materials research leading to improved methods of measurement, standards, and data on the properties of well-characterized materials needed by industry, commerce, educational institutions, and Government; provides advisory and research services to other Government agencies; and develops, produces, and distributes standard reference materials. The Institute consists of the Office of Standard Reference Materials, the Office of Air and Water Measurement, and the following divisions:

Analytical Chemistry - Polymers - Metallurgy Inorganic Materials - Reactor Radiation - Physical Chemistry. THE INSTITUTE FOR APPLIED TECHNOLOGY provides technical services developing and promoting the use of available technology; cooperates with public and private organizations in developing technological standards, codes, and test methods; and provides technical advice services, and information to Government agencies and the public. The Institute consists of the following divisions and centers:

Standards Application and Analysis - Electronic Technology - Center for Consumer Product Technology: Product Systems Analysis; Product Engineering - Center for Building Technology: Structures, Materials, and Safety; Building Environment; Technical Evaluation and Application Center for Fire Research: Fire Science; Fire Safety Engineering.

THE INSTITUTE FOR COMPUTER SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY conducts research and provides technical services designed to aid Government agencies in improving cost effectiveness in the conduct of their programs through the selection, acquisition, and effective utilization of automatic data processing equipment; and serves as the principal focus wthin the executive branch for the development of Federal standards for automatic data processing equipment, techniques, and computer languages. The Institute consist of the following divisions:

Computer Services Systems and Software - Computer Systems Engineering Information Technology.

THE OFFICE OF EXPERIMENTAL TECHNOLOGY INCENTIVES PROGRAM seeks to affect public policy and process to facilitate technological change in the private sector by examining and experimenting with Government policies and practices in order to identify and remove Government-related barriers and to correct inherent market imperfections that impede the innovation process.

THE OFFICE FOR INFORMATION PROGRAMS promotes optimum dissemination and accessibility of scientific information generated within NBS; promotes the development of the National Standard Reference Data System and a system of information analysis centers dealing with the broader aspects of the National Measurement System; provides appropriate services to ensure that the NBS staff has optimum accessibility to the scientific information of the world. The Office consists of the following organizational units:

Office of Standard Reference Data - Office of Information Activities - Office of Technical Publications
Office of International Standards Office of International Relations.

1 Headquarters and Laboratories at Gaithersburg, Maryland, unless otherwise noted; mailing address Washington, D.C. 20234. Located at Boulder, Colorado 80302.

Library

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Juanita M. Kreps, Secretary

Dr. Sidney Harman, Under Secretary

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS, Ernest Ambler, Acting Director

Issued June 1977

KF5701
N23

1976

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 77-8273

National Bureau of Standards Special Publication 473
Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), Spec. Publ. 473, 504 pages (June 1977)

CODEN: XNBSAV

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON: 1977

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, D.C. 20402

Stock No. 003-003-01775-2

PREFACE

The National Conference of States on Building Codes and Standards (NCSBCS) and the
National Bureau of Standards worked together to conduct the first major national Confer-
ence on research and innovation in the building regulatory process. The conference was

held on September 21-22, 1976, in conjunction with the Ninth Annual Meeting of NCSBCS in
Providence, Rhode Island.

The purpose of the conference was to provide a forum for a variety of different
researchers from industry, universities, and governments to review what is known so as
t、 assist in the establishment of a systematic understanding of the Nation's building
regulatory processes and for building officials and administrators to obtain information
of innovative practices among building regulatory agencies. The conference was an
occasion for the building community and the research community to better acquaint
themselves with the entire field of building regulatory research particularly as it is
practiced in a variety of settings. It is hoped that through the interaction between
meaningful research findings and practical application of innovations, significant
understanding and improved effectiveness of the building regulatory process through
public policy will evolve.

The Proceedings represent the twenty-six papers presented at the various technical
sessions and include the opening remarks and Keynote Address as well as a summary of a
panel discussion on the future of building regulatory research. The program for the
conduct of the Conference corresponds to the Table of Contents of these Proceedings.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The editor gratefully acknowledges the cooperation and assistance of the following
NCSBCS State Delegates and members of the NBS Staff who served as moderators for the
technical sessions.

NCSBCS Delegates

Mr. Charles J. Dinezio (Massachusetts)

Mr. James M. Hicks, Jr. (California)

Mr. Trevor Jacobson (Oregon)

Mr. C. Sutton Mullen (Virginia)

NBS Staff

Dr. Francis T. Ventre, Scientific Assistant to the Director,
Institute for Applied Technology

Mr. Robert J. Kapsch, Office of Building Standards and Codes Services
Mr. Charles T. Mahaffey, Office of Building Standards and Codes Services
Mr. James H. Pielert, Office of Building Standards and Codes Services

Also assisting in the successful conduct of the Conference and the publication of the
Proceedings were Ms. Sandra A. Berry and Mr. Robert M. Eisenhard of the NBS Office of
Building Standards and Codes Services.