“I haven’t seen anything like it,” said IAS executive board member Isam Hasenin, upon touring the NAHB Research Center’s state-of-the-art product testing laboratory and market research facility in May.

The NAHB Research Center recently hosted a meeting of the International Accreditation Service (IAS) Board of Directors while the group was in Washington, D.C. for Building Safety Week. IAS, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the International Code Council (ICC), accredits testing and calibration laboratories, inspection agencies and programs, building departments, and fabricator inspection programs. It is one of the leading accreditation bodies in the United States and a signatory to several international mutual recognition arrangements (MRAs) worldwide.

The IAS board was excited to get an inside look at the NAHB Research Center, an IAS-accredited organization. The visit included a presentation on the Research Center’s capabilities and a tour of the new laboratory and market research facility. Bob Hill, the Research Center’s director of laboratory and certification programs, and Kevin Tilley, manager of market research, led the tour.

Highlighted during the tour of the 42,000-square-foot lab were structural testing of beams, uniform load testing, the wind-blown debris simulator (or air cannon), the Hot Box for large-scale thermal testing, and product certification for OSB, plumbing fixtures, and insulation materials. IAS board members also had an opportunity to experience the integrated 6,000 square-foot market research suite and observation gallery overlooking the testing floor, a unique feature of the Research Center’s facility that allows for combining applied market research, focus groups, and roundtables with real-time installation observation capabilities. This feature, which distinguishes the NAHB Research Center from all other research firms in the building industry, allows manufacturers to get a much richer perspective on product user/installer perception of their products. This, in turn, makes for easier management of testing and introduction of new building products into the marketplace.

Hasenin was very impressed with the integrated capabilities offered by the Research Center. “This facility really goes right to the heart of what we do as building officials,” he said. “After seeing this facility, IAS is confident in the NAHB Research Center’s ability to provide excellent quality services and testing.”

Pat McCullen, vice president of the IAS board of directors, said, “As far as the specialty areas go, this is one of the best facilities I’ve seen. What’s nice is how much the NAHB Research Center is doing for their clients in helping them produce quality products. That’s very important and impressive.”

The NAHB Research Center is a one-stop shop for a wide range of housing research expertise. To find out how the Research Center might be able to help your company with product innovation or commercialization, visit their website or call (800) 638-8556. For more information on IAS, visit their website.

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