Who We Are

IBTS employees working in a conference room in our Brooklyn, NY office.

IBTS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit built on government partnerships with the goal of strengthening communities. We provide services to local, state, and federal governments that combine public sector credibility with private sector innovation.

What does the Institute for Building Technology and Safety mean? What does IBTS really stand for?

Institute: Ideation. Innovation. Investment in programs, procedures and the communities we serve. As a nonprofit organization, we focus our thought leadership and subject matter expertise on large-scale goals and challenges instead of shareholder profit demands. We have a long history of sharing our knowledge through teaching and training others. It’s about mission over margin. Good governance and guidance. Vision and value.

 

Building: Bungalow. Brownstone. Bridge. And all points in between. Our work touches almost every aspect of the built environment. We are building resilient communities by reducing risk, enhancing public safety and improving quality of life. We balance social, economic and environmental priorities, whether manufactured housing, major infrastructure project or local government services.

 

Technology: Tools. Techniques. Tricks of the trade. We bring them all to bear on every project we touch. Some are tried, tested and true. Others are new innovations, like using live mobile video to conduct inspections or drone technology to survey a site. Emerging technologies are on our horizon too. How can they help us improve the built environment?

 

Safety: Security. Sustainability. Shelter. Life safety building codes and standards. Trusted third-party advisor. Provider of local government services. Much of our work involves helping communities become resilient, or to recover after a disaster. We understand that the physical, emotional and economic wellbeing of a community depends on its ability to provide citizens with the services and resources they need to thrive in a safe, secure environment.

Our Services

Since its inception, IBTS has worked to constantly expand its repertoire of services to meet the evolving needs of local, state and federal governments. We have a proven record of consistently providing quality services, including impartial evaluations, research, and technical assistance.

Our services include:

Our Mission

Our mission is to deliver quality services to meet the challenges of governance at all levels while enhancing public safety, economic development, and the general welfare of the community.

Our Vision

IBTS is recognized by international, federal, state and local governments, industry, and foundations for accelerating economic development while improving public safety and quality of life.

IBTS increases the cost efficiency and effectiveness of programs, reliability of and confidence in the standards and regulatory requirements being implemented within the governmental services and built environment.

As the preferred national compliance and program management service organization, IBTS develops and implements leading practices to meet government and private sector needs by providing services that combine public sector accountability with private sector flexibility.

Our History

During a 1996 needs assessment, the National Conference of States on Building Codes and Standards (NCSBCS), along with the Council of State Governments and the National Governors Association, identified a lack of resources in the building codes and public safety field. As federal, state, and local governments downsized, many jurisdictions struggled to efficiently and cost-effectively enforce building codes.

From this need, the Institute for Building Technology and Safety was born. Established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, IBTS was tasked with undertaking contract, grant, and cooperative agreement work on behalf of government entities across the nation.