September 23, 2026
George Guszcza, President and CEO of the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS), has been appointed to the National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee (NCSTAC), which advises the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on major building failure investigations and related construction safety issues.
The appointment brings Guszcza’s experience in the built environment, infrastructure resilience, disaster recovery and emergency response to a federal advisory committee focused on learning from major building failures and improving public safety.
The National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee advises NIST on responsibilities established under the National Construction Safety Team Act. The Act authorizes NIST to establish expert teams to investigate major building failures in the United States.
The advisory committee reviews investigation procedures and reports and provides recommendations concerning the work of National Construction Safety Teams. Committee members are selected for their professional service, technical expertise and knowledge relevant to building failure investigations.
Lessons from these investigations can help inform research and improvements to building codes, standards and construction practices. NIST itself does not mandate the adoption of building codes or standards, but its research and investigation findings can provide a technical basis for improvements developed and adopted by other organizations and jurisdictions.
Guszcza leads NIBS as President and CEO and brings more than 25 years of built-environment experience spanning the public, private and nonprofit sectors. His career has included leadership and work involving infrastructure, disaster recovery and resilience initiatives.
“It is an honor to serve on the National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee,” Guszcza said in the NIBS announcement.
He emphasized the importance of understanding why buildings fail and applying those lessons to safer approaches to building design, construction and operations.
The appointment aligns with NIBS’ broader work supporting safety, resilience and improved performance across the built environment. Through technical programs, committees and industry collaboration, the organization connects public- and private-sector expertise around issues including building codes and standards, resilience, sustainability and emerging technologies.
The NCST Advisory Committee’s work is particularly relevant as NIST continues major disaster and building failure investigations.
The committee is meeting virtually on September 23–24, 2026, with discussions covering NIST’s investigation into the partial collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida, the impacts of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, implementation of recommendations from the Joplin tornado investigation and preparation of the committee’s annual report to Congress.
Guszcza’s appointment adds NIBS leadership and built-environment expertise to a committee whose work helps NIST examine lessons from major failures and identify opportunities to strengthen building safety and resilience.
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