ICC Evaluation Service (ICC-ES), the premier testing, inspection, and certification agency in North America, and American Concrete Institute (ACI), a leading authority on concrete materials, design, and construction, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in which both parties agree to effectively collaborate efforts on issues related to the use of nonmetallic materials in built environment.

The partnership will include ICC-ES and ACI Center of Excellence NEx working together in supporting the use of nonmetallic materials and nonmetallic concrete technologies, developing and advocating the adoption of codes and standards, and development of Acceptance Criteria (AC) 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,” said ICC-ES president Shahin Moinian. “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,” said Jerzy Zemajtis, executive director at NEx.

“Sustainability and safety of nonmetallic construction materials are the main focus of NEx 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,” said Waleed AlOtaibi, NEx president and Aramco nonmetallic material business strategy PMO.

About ICC-ES

ICC-ES is the leading evaluation service for innovative building materials, components, and systems. ICC-ES Evaluation Reports (ESRs), Building Product Listings and PMG Listings provide evidence that products and systems meet requirements of codes and technical standards worldwide, including the US, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and the MENA region. ICC-ES is a member of the ICC family of solutions.

About ACI and NEx

ACI is a standards developing organization with more than 125 technical committees that continually update its consensus information. ACI is one of the world’s foremost developers and providers of consensus information on all aspects of concrete technology.

NEx: An ACI Center of Excellence for Nonmetallic Building Materials is a catalyst for global collaboration on the use of nonmetallic building and construction materials in areas of education, awareness, research, standards development, and adoption.