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About Us

The U.S. Institute of Building Documentation (USIBD) is a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering excellence of building documentation on an international scale by promoting, educating, guiding and supporting stakeholders with an interest in the built environment in a way that cultivates networking and information sharing.

Our PURPOSE

The USIBD was founded to promote and facilitate:

  • Building documentation as a distinct industry; establishing standards, guidelines and best practices to foster excellence in the productivity, quality, and safety of the documentation process.
  • The codification of ethical practices to support and further the growing network of professionals dedicated to building documentation.
  • Cooperation and the exchange of information among documentation professionals who are responding to growing interest in building documentation by owners/operators, service providers, government agencies, and the public.
  • The establishment and promotion of “Building Documentation Professional” certification (BDP).
  • Recognition of individuals for outstanding documentation and service to the building documentation profession.

Why the USIBD?

With over thirty years of experience in building surveying and documentation, we’ve recognized a crucial gap in the U.S. building documentation profession – the absence of a national organization to foster, guide, and support the industry. The evolving landscape of building documentation services has led to a diverse range of stakeholders, including architects, engineers, technicians, and land surveyors. Unlike land surveying, there are no licensure or certification requirements for building documentation in the U.S., resulting in a fragmented mix of service providers.

We established the U.S. Institute of Building Documentation (USIBD) to address these gaps and advance the building documentation profession. Join us in this initiative!

 

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Our History

The idea for the USIBD originated from John Russo’s frustration with the construction industry. He faced challenges in finding a reliable source for standards, best practices, education, updates on new technologies, opportunities for connection with peers in the building documentation field.

Upon exploring various building industry membership organizations, he realized that there was no dedicated organization in the United States specifically catering to the needs of the building documentation community. In 2008, he had the initial thought that there should be a centralized hub where people can access the resources necessary to foster the growth of their businesses.

In speaking with colleagues, he soon discovered there were many others facing similar challenges. In a 2010 conversation with Tom Greaves, the founder of the SPAR Conference, John suggested such an organization should be formed. Tom asked, “why not present your idea in a session at the next SPAR Conference?”

Left to right: Joe Romano, John Russo, Kevin Kianka, Bryan Merritt

Founding Board Members

  • John M. Russo, AIA – President
  • Bryan Merritt, PLS – Vice President / Secretary
  • Joseph Romano, PLS – Treasurer
  • Kevin Kianka, P.E. – Director

Seed money funding was generously donated
by the following companies:

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