GAITHERSBURG, Md. - In a public meeting of the National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee today, members of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) team investigating the 2021 partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Florida, announced that its draft report is projected to be ready for public review in 2026 instead of 2025.
"We remain committed to taking the necessary investigative steps to ensure that we have as sound an understanding of the collapse as is technically feasible and to develop strong and actionable recommendations for improvements to building codes, standards, and practices that incorporate the lessons from the Champlain Tower South tragedy," said investigative lead Judith Mitrani-Reiser. "Unfortunately, we have faced technical and programmatic delays that have caused us to adjust our timeline. We will issue our report for public comment as soon as the science permits, and we will continue keeping communities in Surfside and Miami-Dade County informed of our progress."
In a virtual public meeting, Mitrani-Reiser and investigation associate lead Glenn Bell reported that the team has completed over 1,000 tests and examinations of concrete and reinforcing bar (rebar) samples taken from the collapse site. The results of the tests are enhancing the NCST team's computer simulations that characterize the building's ability to resist forces experienced prior to the partial collapse.
With completion of that work, Mitrani-Reiser said that NIST has initiated the process to return custody of the evidence specimens to the Miami-Dade Police Department.
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