NEx: An ACI Center of Excellence for Nonmetallic Building Materials is pleased to welcome ICC Evaluation Service as a new Allied Organization. NEx has signed a MOU with ICC Evaluation Service to create a partnership in advancing the use of nonmetallic building materials.

ICC-ES is the leading evaluation service for innovative building materials, components and systems and is a member of ICC-ES solutions. This agreement will support NEx’s vision to provide the industry with better materials and solutions and accelerate adoption of nonmetallics in codes and standards. The agreement will create a platform for more collaborations to advance sustainability, quality and integrity of nonmetallic building materials.

The signing ceremony was held in Brea, California, on Oct. 20. It was attended by ICC-ES President Shahin Moinian, ICC-ES Vice President of Marketing Anna Mullen, ICC-ES Senior Staff Engineer Dr. Mahmut Ekenel, Aramco Nonmetallic PMO and NEx president Waleed Al-Otaibi, NEx Board Director Riyadh Shiban, NEx Executive Director Dr. Jerzy Z. Zemajtis and ACI/Aramco Liaison Director Gusai AlAithan.

“Sustainability and safety of nonmetallic construction materials are the main focus of NEx’s strategy – this MOU with ICC-ES sets the stage for promising collaboration to develop new testing and qualification requirements for better serving the construction industry,” Al-Otaibi said.

This exciting new collaborative effort means that ICC-ES will join NEx on its mission to collaborate globally to expand and accelerate the use of nonmetallics in the built environment to drive innovation, research, education, awareness, adoption and deployment. This also includes development of Acceptance Criteria to promote the use of nonmetallic materials in construction.

“ICC-ES is uniquely positioned to develop ACs for new materials, technologies and processes for innovative products, such as nonmetallic materials in concrete construction,” Moinian said. “We are honored to be an Allied Organization of NEx and advance the safety and sustainability efforts of the built industry.”

“We are excited to welcome ICC-ES as our new Allied Organization Member and look forward to working together and collaborating globally on the quality and integrity of nonmetallic building materials,” Zemajtis said.