Final Report on Federal Construction Council Activities for 1977-1978 and Planned FCC Technical Program for 1978-1979 (1979)

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FINAL REPORT ON FEDERAL CONSTRUCTION COUNCIL ACTIVITIES FOR 1977-1978 AND PLANNED FCC TECHNICAL PROGRAM FOR 1978-1979 PREPARED BY THE FEDERAL CONSTRUCTION CoUNCIL BUILDING RESEARCH Apvisory BoaRD CoMMISSION ON SOCIOTECHNICAL SYSTEMS NATIONAL RESEARCH CoUNCIL NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES WASHINGTON, 1).C. 1979

FEDERAL CONSTRUCTION COUNCIL of the BUILDING RESEARCH ADVISORY BOARD The Federal Construction Council serves as a planning, coordinating, and operating body to encourage continuing cooperation among federal agencies in advancing the science and technology of building as related to federal construction activities. In this pursuit, its specific objectives include: Assembly and correlation of available knowledge and experience from each of the agencies; elimination of undesirable duplication in investigative effort on common problems; free discussion among scientific and technical personnel, both within and outside the government, on selected building problems; objective resolution of technical problems of par- ticular concern to the federal construction agencies; and appropriate distribution of resulting information. The Council as such comprises ten members appointed by the BRAB Chairman from among BRAB membership, plus one member from the senior professional staff of each of the Supporting federal agencies (currently nine), also appointed by the BRAB Chairman on nomination from the individual agencies; all appointments are subject to approval by the President of the National Academy of Sciences. The Council directs the conduct of technical investigations and surveys of prac- tice, holds symposia and workshops, and arranges for interchanges of information and for monitoring of research and technical projects. FEDERAL CONSTRUCTION COUNCIL--1978-1979 Chairman Beverly A. Willis, AIA, President Willis and Associates, Incorporated San Francisco, California James M. Bayne, Director, Resources Management Division, Office of Facilities, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, D.C. Robert W. Blake, Director, Planning and Special Projects, Office of Facilities Enaineering, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, 'ashington, 0.C. James C. Day, Jr., Director, Engineering Operations Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Department of the Navy, Alexandria, Virginia David R. Dibner, Assistant Commissioner for Construction Management, Public Buildings Service, General Services Administration, Washington, D.C. G. Day Ding, Professor and Head, Department of Architecture, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois Lee S. Garrett, Chie’, Engineering Division, Military Construction Directorate, Office of the Chief of Engineers, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C. Charles P. Graves, Professor, College of Architecture, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky Paul C. Greiner, Vice President, Conservation and Energy Management, Edison Electric Institute, Washington, D.C. John C. Horning, Manager-Engineering, Real Estate and Construction Operation, General Electric Company, Schenectady, New York Kenneth J. Kerin, Director, Economics and Research, National Association of Realtors, Washington, D.C. Donald A. Koss, Director, Construction Management and Support Division, Department of Energy, Washington, D.C. Frank J. Matzke, FAIA, Consultant, Springfield, Illinois Edwin B. Mixon, Chie*, Structures Branch, Engineering and Construction Division, Directorate of Engineering and Services, Department of the Air Force, Washington, D.C. Blake J. Ratliff, Director, Research Staff, Office of Construction, Veterans Administration, Washington, D.C. bout fe Riggs, President and Director, Tudor Engineering Company, San Francisco, alifornia Harry E. Thompson, Deputy Director, Center for Building Technology, National Bureau of Standards, Washington, D.C. John Henry Wiggins, Jr., J. H. Wiggins Company, Redondo Beach, California

FOREWORD This report describes the activities carried out by the Federal Construction Council (FCC) during the 1977-1978 operating year, which ended 30 September 1978, and the activities the FCC expects to carry out during the 1978- 1979 operating year, which began 1 October 1978. The general content of and budget for the FCC program for the 1977-1978 operating year were approved in August 1977 at the annual meeting of the FCC with the administrators of its supporting agencies. The activities of the FCC during the operating year were Carried out under contract number FO-A01-78-00-3531 between the National Academy of Sciences and the Department of Commerce, which serves as the contracting agency on behalf of the nine agencies that support the work of the Council. The general content of and budget for the FCC program for the 1978-1979 operating year were approved at the August 1978 annual meeting of the FCC with the administrators of the supporting agencies.

I. Contents Introduction. ....... 1 © © © © we te we th wt tlt lt ltl lt lt II. Report on FCC Activities During the 1977-1978 Operating. . Year A. Continuing Programs .........4.6+2688 826 eevee B. Ad Hoc Studies ..........6-e6-+58888584 5 8 © we we oe D. Financial Report ...........-2s8-+4+8+88 088 8 + III. Proposed FCC Program for the 1978-1978 Operating Year. . A. Be D. A. Basic Concept ..........0 540-628 ee se © ee ee ew oe B. Operating Rules and Procedures ...........e6e-. Cc. Implementation of the New Procedures and Scheduled. . Activities for 1978-1979 D. Federal Construction Guide Specifications. ...... E. Proposed Budget ........ 2. eee eee ee we we we Appendixes Study Plans of Ad Hoc Studies Federal Construction Guide Specifications--Publications and Assigments } Members of FCC Standing Committees, Task Groups, and Informal Panels List of Published Reports of the FCC 10 12 13 7 17 19 24 25

I. INTRODUCTION The Federal Construction Council is a special element of the Building Research Advisory Board (BRAB), Commission on Sociotechnical Systems (CSS), National Research Council (NRC). Its central purpose is to foster continuing cooperation among federal construction agencies in advancing science and technology as related to the design, construction, and operation of federal government facilities. Under policies established by the BRAB, the FCC promotes the interchange of construction-related knowledge and experience among federal construction agencies, works to minimize duplication of effort on technical studies by federal construction agencies, provides a forum for the free discussion of matters of mutual interest among federal agency personnel and technical specialists from the private sector and other levels of government, and proposes solutions to problems of common interest to federal construction agencies when controversy exists or value judgments are required. The Federal Construction Council comprises 19 menbers appointed by the BRAB Chairman, with the approval of the Chairmen of the National Research Council and its Commission on Sociotechnical Systems. Ten of the members are selected from the members of ERAB and nine from nominations made by the agencies providing financial support for the FCC from among their senior professional personnel having continuing technical responsibility for federal construction. The Chairman of the FCC is appointed by the Chairman of BRAB from among the FCC members who also are BRAB menbers. The FCC Chairman serves a term Of one year, with a maximum of two consecutive terms. Members are appointed for terms of three years or until retirement from BRAB, in the case of BRAB members, or until transfer or retirement from the construction agency, in the case of government members. The FCC is responsible to BPAB for the plamning, organization, and management of the Council's program. (Specific projects usually are carried out by standing committees or task groups composed of technical

specialists nominated by the agencies and appointed in accordance with the procedures of the National Research Council.) In connection with its broad management responsibilities, the Council periodically reviews its goals to ensure that they reflect the real needs of the supporting agencies and its procedures to ensure that maximum benefit is being received for the funds invested. Such reviews have resulted in significant changes in the operations of the FCC over the years. The latest of these self-critiques was completed during the 1977-1978 operating year. On the basis of its analysis, the FCC concluded that the operating procedures it had been using did not maximize the principal benefit of the FCC to the supporting agencies (i.e., the opportunity it affords for agency | professionals to exchange technical information and to discuss solutions to problems of mutual concern). In order to correct the situation, the FCC decided to alter in a fundamental way the thrust of its program and its method of operation, starting with the 1978-1979 operating year. A detailed description of the new procedures and the work expected to be carried out under them is presented in section III. Presented in section II below is a report on work carried out during the 1977-1978 operating year. It should be noted that the mode of operation described was superceded at the end of the year.

II. REPORT ON FCC ACTIVITIES DURING THE 1977-1978 OPERATING YEAR The Federal Construction Council's technical program for the 1977-1978 operating year (which began 1 October 1977) included three broad categories of activities: continuing programs, ad hoc studies, and other activities. Detailed information on work carried out during the operating year is presented below for each of the three major activity ~ categories. Also presented below is a financial report on FCC activities for the operating year. A. CONTINUING PROGRAMS During the 1977-1978 operating year, the Federal Construction Council carried on eight continuing programs: the Federal Construction Guide Specifications program, the Cost Engineering program, the Computer Technology program, the Design Criteria program, the Information Exchange program, the Fire Technology program, the Facilities Safety program, and the Procurement Policy program. When established, these programs were expected to continue indefinitely; however, in accordance with the FCC decision to institute new operating procedures, all except the Federal Construction Guide Specifications program were terminated at the conclusion of the 1977- 1978 operating year. Although all but one of these programs have been abolished, most of the responsible committees will be continued, and it is expected that some committees will elect to continue some of the work they have been pursuing under the programs. 1. Federal Construction Guide Specifications Program Under its Federal Construction Guide Specifications (FCGS) program, the FCC is coordinating the development and dissemination of a series of federal construction guide specifications covering the majority of work items encountered on federal construction projects. The Program is administered by the FCC Standing Committee on Federal Construction Guide Specifications with the assistance of the BRAB staff. The work associated with preparing and maintaining FCGS is actually performed by those supporting agencies of the FCC that prepare guide specifications for agency-wide use. In other words, each specification section selected for

2 preparation has been assigned to one of these agencies, on the basis of the expertise available at the agency. Use of FCGS sections by agencies is voluntary. Currently, four agencies actively participate in the Program: the Public Buildings Service, the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, the Office of the Chief of Engineers, and the Veterans Administration. The Directorate of Civil Engineering of the Air Force and the National Bureau of Standards also participate to a limited degree. The current status of the FCGS program is summarized in Table 1. As indicated in the table, 184 specifications thus far have been assigned to participating agencies for development; of these, 69 have been completed and disseminated--6 during the 1977-1978 operating year. Detailed information on the FCGS program is presented in Appendix B. During the operating year, the Standing Committee also investigated ways of significantly increasing the rate of production of specifications under the program. As a result of this investigation, the Committee recommended and the FCC approved a number of changes in the operating procedures of the FCGS program. These changes are expected to significantly increase the rate of production of specifications in the future. In addition, the Committee has been reviewing and updating its master list of specifications. The lists for 14 of 16 divisions were updated during the operating year. Work on the remaining two divisions is expected to be completed during the 1978-1979 operating year. FCC Cost Engineering Program The FCC Cost Engineering program, which was terminated at the end of the 1977-1978 operating year, comprised two parts: (a) a construction cost forecasting activity through which the Committee prepared and submitted to the FCC semiannual forecasts of future construction costs, and (b) a cost engineering technology development activity through which the Committee endeavored to advance and refine the practice of building-cost engineering in federal construction agencies by holding seminars on the subject and undertaking specific studies dealing with various aspects of cost engineering.

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In connection with the cost forecasting part of the program, two seminars were held during the 1977- 1978 operating year (in January 1978 and in June 1978). In addition to the members of the FCC Standing Committee, cost specialists from private firms and government agencies attended these seminars and gave their views on future trends in construction costs. (It is expected that the Standing Committee on Cost Engineering will continue to hold such seminars in the future.) In connection with the technology development part of the program, the Standing Committee worked on two ad hoc studies during the 1977-1978 operating year, one dealing with probabilistic estimating and another with life-cycle costing (see Apendix A, pages A-1 and A-3). A report draft summarizing the results of the life-cycle cost study was completed during the operating year. It is expected to be published during the 1978-1979 operating year. In the probabilistic estimating study, a computer program that can be used by all federal construction agencies to make probabilistic cost estimates was developed by a subcontractor (Multisystems Inc. of Cambridge, Mass.) and placed on the Federal Agencies’ Computer Time-Sharing System (see paragraph 3 below) during the operating year. In addition, a seminar on the program was held on 6 July 1978, and a draft of a users manual on the program was prepared. The manual is expected to be published during the 1978-1979 operating year. FCC Computer Technology Program The purposes of the Computer Technology Program (terminated at the end of the 1977-1978 operating year) were: ae To make available for use by all federal construction agencies, through remote terminals, an extensive library of fully validated, easily utilized computer programs dealing with a wide variety of construction- related engineering problems, and b. To promote the continual expansion and refinement of the library through the coordinated, voluntary efforts of the various agencies.

Q. Through this program the federal construction . agencies have been, in essence, pooling and sharing their computer-program resources and coordinating their computer-program development efforts for the benefit of all. The program was coordinated by the FCC Standing Committee on Computer Technology. Work associated with the development, adaptation, refinement, and validation of computer programs was carried out on a voluntary basis by participating federal agencies. The library system, known as FACTS (Federal Agencies* Computer Time-Sharing System), was installed on the GSA time-sharing computer in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1975. Approximately 75 programs had been placed in the FACTS library by the end of the 1977-1978 operating year. During the 1977-1978 operating year, the Committee investigated ways of significantly increasing the rate of expansion of the FACTS library and also of increasing library use by agency personnel. The Committee concluded that relatively little could be done to increase the rate of use or expansion of the library without greatly increasing the amount of funds allocated to the program by the FCC and that, even with more funds, it is possible that library use might not increase significantly. The ultimate fate of FACTS will be considered during the 1978-1979 operating year. FCC Design Criteria Program Under its Design Criteria Program (terminated at the end of the 1977-1978 operating year), the FCC arranged seminars on new design criteria documents that were being developed or had been published recently by federal construction agencies. In these seminars specialists from the various agencies met under FCC auspices to critique the document in question and to discuss its possible use by other agencies. The results of each seminar were summarized in minutes that were distributed to the seminar participants and the members of the FCC. The program was coordinated for the FCC by its Standing Committee on Design Criteria. During the 1977-1978 operating year, four seminars were held under the program, the first in November 1977 on the General Services Administration's Users and Managers Guide to Office Acoustics, the second in March 1978 on the Department of Energy's Solar

Desiqn Handbook, the third in July 1978 on a joint Army and Air Force technical manual on water supply and water storage, and the fourth in September 1978 on the National Bureau of Standards report, The Selection of Preferred Metric Values for Desiqn and Construction. F nformation Exchange Program The purpose of the Information Fxchange Program (terminated at the end of the 1977-1978 operating year) was to reduce duplication of effort among federal construction agencies on construction- related engineering investigations by promoting an interchange of information on such activities. Toward this end, the FCC published two newsletters (one on energy conservation and one on general news); prepared and disseminated listings of engineering investigations being carried out or scheduled for initiation by federal construction agencies; and devoted a portion of each FCC meeting to reports by members on developments at their agencies. The program was coordinated primarily by the FCC itself; however, an energy conservation panel assisted in development of the energy newsletter. During the 1977-1978 operating year, the FCC published two energy newsletters and three general newsletters and prepared and distributed two summaries of engineering investigations. Although the term “information exchange program" has been abolished, most of the work carried out under the program will be continued under the new operating procedures. FCC Fire Technology Program The Fire Technology Program (terminated at the end of the 1977-1978 operating year) was initiated during the 1975-1976 operating year, in accordance with FCC Technical Report No. 67. The basic purpose of the program was to promote the development and implementation of a new, more analytical approach to designing for fire safety in buildings. To do this the FCC Standing Committee on Fire Protection was expected to:

ae Stimulate and assist the research community in the development of needed analytical capability, b. Prepare and periodically update mdel guidelines and technical criteria that federal agencies can use to incorporate professional fire safety design analysis as an integral and continuing part of the design of federally owned and financed buildings, c. Encourage federal construwtion agencies to require fire-safety design in accordance with such guidelines and criteria, and d. Promote acceptance and inplementation of the analytical approach to fire-safety design by the nonfederal government portion of the building community. During the 1977-1978 operating year, the Committee held a two-day National Conference on the Systems Approach to Fire Safe Design on 20 and 21 September 1978 at the National Academy of Sciences. The conference, which was jointly sponsored by the National Fire Protection and Control Administration and the Construction Research Council, was attended by approximately 170 fire protection specialists from public and private organizations. The proceedings of the conference are expected to be published during the 1978-1979 operating year. FCC Facilit S oaram The purposes of the Facilities Safety Program (terminated at the end of the 1977-1978 operating year) were to encourage the coordination of agency studies aimed at reducing hazards in buildings and supporting facilities and the sharing of the results of such efforts. Responsibility for the program was assigned to the FCC Standing Committee on Facilities Safety. During the 1977-1978 operating year, the Committee developed a preliminary draft of a report on safety concepts to be considered during the design phase of a project; however, the report was still far from completion at the end of the operating year, and it is unlikely that the effort will be continued during the 1978-1979 operating year.

B. 8. FCC Procurement Policy Program The purposes of the Procurement Policy Program (terminated at the end of the 1977-1978 operating year) were; a. To promote a continuing interchange of ideas and views among federal agencies and between federal agencies and the private sector on laws, regulations, and procedures relating to the procurement of federal facilities and related services--including architectural and engineering work, repairs, alterations, and maintenance, and b. To propose either specific changes in the relevant laws, regulations, or procedures or further study of the subject when problem areas or opportunities for improvement in the procurement process are identified. Responsibility for the program was assigned to the FCC Standing Committee on Procurement Policy. During the 1977-1978 operating year the Committee completed a report presenting the results of its critique of the recommendations made in 1972 by Study Sroup 13-C (Construction) to the Commission on Government Procurement. AD HOC STUDIES Ad hoc studies have been undertaken by the FCC for many years to address specific problems or issues of mutual concern to federal construction agencies. Such studies, which have dealt with both technical and administrative problems confronting agencies, ordinarily have involved considerable work on the part of the responsible standing committee, task group, or panel. Published FCC reports frequently have resulted from ad hoc studies. General information on the ad hoc studies on which work was performed during the 1977-1978 operating year is presented below. A study plan for each project listed will be found in Appendix A. Three additional studies were scheduled to be initiated during the operating year (Post-Occupancy Evaluation of Federal Buildings, Water Conservation in Federal Buildings, and Review of Standards for Ensuring that Buildings Are Accessible to the Handicapped); however, when the FCC decided to revise its whole method of operation starting in October 1978, these three studies were cancelled in order to 10

permit efforts to be concentrated on completing ongoing projects. 1. 2. 3. Diese] Engine Criteria Work on this project, which was begun several years ago, was completed during the 1976-1977 operating year, and the resulting report was published during the 1977-1978 operating year (see Appendix A, page A-5). Steam nd Hot Water Geneyator Construction Criteria The objective of this study, which is being conducted by the FCC Standing Committee on Mechanical Engineering, is to develop cost- effective and energy-conserving boiler construction criteria. Work on the project was almost completed by the end of the 1977-1978 operating year, and a report is scheduled to be published during the 1978-1979 year (see Appendix A, page A-7). Formulat f RED Office Space Assignment Criteria The objective of this study, which is being conducted by the FCC Standing Committee on Architecture and Architectural Fngineering, is to develop criteria to indicate which personnel should and should not be assigned office space in R&D facilities. The study was initiated during the 1976-1977 operating year and considerable progress was made. It is expected that a report on the subject will be published during the 1978-1979 operating year (see Appendix A, page A-9). Energy Surveys; Their Nature and Cost This study, which was conducted by the FCC Panel on Energy Conservation, was completed during the 1977- 1978 operating year with transmittal of a memorandum report to the FCC summarizing the results of a one-day seminar at which representatives of various agencies described their experiences with energy surveying (see Appendix A, page A-11). 11

C. 5. Directional Graphics This study could not be completed by the end of the 1977-1978 operating year, and it was cancelled. The ojective of the study, which was being conducted by the FCC Task Group in Directional Graphics, was to develop a uniform system of vehicular/pedestrian oriented symbols that could be adopted by federal agencies for use in all federal and federally funded facilities. The study was initiated during the 1976-1977 operating year, and although considerable effort was devoted to the project, progress was slow due to differences of opinion among Task Group members as to the proper course to follow in carrying out the study. e OTHER ACTIVITIES During the 1977-1978 operating year, as in previous years, the FCC carried out various activities besides continuing programs and ad hoc studies--including dissemination of FCC documents; review and revision of previously completed FCC reports; and periodic review of the FCC operation. Particulars regarding these activities are presented below. 1. Dissemination of uments FCC documents--reports, newsletters, and federal construction guide specifications--are distributed without charge, in reasonable quantities, to all federal agencies. During the 1977-1978 operating year, approximately 1,000 copies of FCC reports, 4,000 copies of FCC newsletters, and 1,200 copies of FCC specifications were distributed to 30 agencies, including the nine supporting agencies. Many FCC documents also were made available to the general public; specifically, all FCC reports considered of general interest are offered for sale by the Printing and Publishing Office of the National Academy of Sciences, approximately 700 copies of each FCC newsletter are distributed by BRAB to nonfederal government organizations, and FCC specifications are stocked and made available to the general public by the Naval Publications and Forms Center. 12

D. 2. Review and Revision of Previously Completed FCC Re s The FCC periodically reviews old reports to determine if their distribution should be discontinued, continued, or continued after updating. During the 1977-1978 operating year, one report was reviewed. 3. Periodic Review of the FCC Operation The FCC periodically reviews its goals to ensure that they reflect the real needs of the supporting agencies and its procedures to ensure that maximum benefit is being received for the funds invested. Such reviews have resulted in significant changes in the operations of the FCC over the years, and as indicated previously, such a review was conducted during the 1977-1978 operating year. FINANCIAL REPORT Financial information for the 1977-1978 operating year is presented in Tables 2 through 4%. Specifically, Table 2 shows the funds provided for regular activities by the various supporting agencies for the operating year; Table 3 shows the original budget and estimated actual expenditures for the year; Table 4 shows the allocation of funds by project. 13