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The National Construction Safety Team (NCST) Advisory Committee advises NIST on carrying out investigations of building failures conducted under the authorities of the NCST Act. The NCST Advisory Committee will hold a web conference on September 23, 2026 from 1 pm - 5 pm and on September 24, 2026 from 9 am - 5 pm Eastern Time. The primary purposes of this meeting are to update the Committee on the progress of the NCST investigation focused on the impacts of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, progress of the NCST investigation focused on the Champlain Towers South partial building collapse that occurred in Surfside, Florida, the implementation of recommendations from previous investigations, and receive responses to the Committee’s 2025 recommendations.
Agenda
NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION SAFETY TEAM ADVISORY COMMITTEE (NCSTAC) MEETING
Web Conference
September 23-24, 2026
AGENDA
Meeting Goals:
- Review NIST’s response to the NCSTAC’s 2025 Report to Congress,
- Review Disaster and Failure Studies Program Scoring of Events and Readiness of Teams,
- Review the status of the NCST investigation of the partial collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida,
- Review the progress of implementation of recommendations from the NCST investigation of the Joplin, Missouri tornado,
- Review the status of the NCST investigation of Hurricane Maria’s effects on Puerto Rico, and
- Develop the Committee’s annual report to Congress.
| Day 1: September 23, 2026 | ||
| Time (ET) | Topic | Discussion Leader |
| Opening Business | ||
| 1:00 pm | Call to Order | Judy Bowie NCSTAC Designated Federal Officer NIST |
| 1:00 pm – 1:05 pm | Roll Call | Tanya Brown-Giammanco Director, Disaster & Failure Studies and Acting Chief, Disaster Impact Reduction Office NIST |
| 1:05 pm – 1:15 pm | Welcome Opening Remarks | Arvind Raman Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director |
| 1:15 pm – 1:20 pm | Meeting Goals & Logistics Review of Day 1 Agenda | Tanya Brown-Giammanco |
| 1:20 pm – 2:00 pm | Ethics Briefing | TBD Ethics Law & Program Office Attorney U.S. Department of Commerce |
| Disaster and Failure Studies Program Updates | ||
| 2:00 pm – 2:35 pm | NIST Response to the NCSTAC’s 2025 Report to Congress | Tanya Brown-Giammanco |
| 2:35 pm – 2:50 pm | Committee Discussion of the NIST Response to the 2025 Report to Congress | José Izquierdo-Encarnación NCSTAC Chairperson Principal PORTICUS |
| 2:50 pm – 3:05 pm | BREAK | Judy Bowie |
| 3:05 pm – 3:25 pm | Disaster and Failure Studies Program Updates | Tanya Brown-Giammanco |
| 3:25 pm – 3:45 pm | Committee Discussion of the Disaster and Failure Studies Program Updates | José Izquierdo-Encarnación |
1
| Champlain Towers South NCST Updates | ||
| 3:45 pm – 4:30 pm | Summary of Champlain Towers South NCST Investigation Progress | Judith Mitrani-Reiser Team Lead, Champlain Towers South NCST NIST Glenn Bell Associate Team Lead, Champlain Towers South NCST NIST |
| 4:30 pm – 4:50 pm | Committee Discussion of the Champlain Towers South Summary | José Izquierdo-Encarnación |
| 4:50 pm – 4:55 pm | Final Meeting Logistics | Tanya Brown-Giammanco |
| 4:55 pm | ADJOURN | Judy Bowie |
2
| Day 2: September 24, 2026 | ||
| Time (ET) | Topic | Discussion Leader |
| Opening Business | ||
| 9:00 am | Call to Order | Judy Bowie NCSTAC Designated Federal Officer NIST |
| 9:00 am – 9:05 am | Roll Call | Tanya Brown-Giammanco Director, Disaster & Failure Studies and Acting Chief, Disaster Impact Reduction Office NIST |
| 9:05 am – 9:10 am | Meeting Goals & Logistics Review of Day 2 Agenda | Tanya Brown-Giammanco |
| 9:10 am – 9:35 am | Progress on Implementation of Recommendations from Joplin tornado NCST Investigation | Marc Levitan Research Engineer, Structures Group NIST |
| 9:35 am – 9:50 am | Committee Discussion of the Progress on Joplin Implementation | José Izquierdo-Encarnación NCSTAC Chairperson Principal PORTICUS |
| Hurricane Maria NCST and NWIRP* Updates | ||
| 9:50 am – 10:35 am | Summary of Hurricane Maria NCST Investigation Progress | Joseph Main Team Lead, Hurricane Maria NCST NIST Maria Dillard Associate Team Lead, Hurricane Maria NCST NIST |
| 10:35 am – 10:55 am | Committee Discussion of the Hurricane Maria Summary of Progress | José Izquierdo-Encarnación |
| 10:55 am – 11:10 am | BREAK | Judy Bowie |
| Committee Business and Closing | ||
| 11:10 am – 11:30 am | Public Comment Period | Judy Bowie |
| 11:30 am – 11:45 am | Summary Remarks | Joannie Chin Director, Engineering Laboratory NIST |
| 11:45 am – 12:45 pm | LUNCH | Judy Bowie |
| 12:45 pm – 2:45 pm | NCSTAC Preparation of Annual Report to Congress | José Izquierdo-Encarnación |
| 2:45 pm – 2:50 pm | Final Meeting Logistics | Tanya Brown-Giammanco |
| 2:50 pm | ADJOURN | Judy Bowie |
*National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program