In a recent article reference was made to various publications by the Building Research Establishment. Is it possible to provide more information on the range of material available?
The Building Research Establishment is the main UK organisation carrying out research into building and construction and the control and prevention of fire. It was established 70 years ago, and since then its main role has been to carry out research for government departments on all technical aspects of buildings, including fire- and building-related environmental issues. It became an executive agency of the Department of the Environment in April 1990.
The BRE operates from four locations: its main site at Garston, near Watford in Hertfordshire; the Fire Research Station at Borehamwood, Herts and Cardington, Beds; and the BRE Scottish Laboratory at East Kilbride, near Glasgow. Some idea of the size of the organisation can be gauged from the fact that it employs a staff of about 700 and has an annual budget of £30m. At present it is engaged on well over 200 current projects.
Most surveyors will be aware of the existence of the BRE through its publication output. While the transfer of information to professionals concerned with all aspects of the design, construction and use of buildings is a key activity, this output is the direct result of the research and technical consultancy undertaken.
The BRE is organised in five separate groups: geotechnics and structures; materials; environment and energy; construction and application; and the Fire Research Station. Although these are distinct divisions, there are considerable overlaps between them and it is probably easier to consider the work undertaken by the Building Research Establishment in terms of its three main areas of activity, which can be identified as research, technical consultancy and the transfer of information.
Research
This is arguably the prime function of the establishment and the one on which its reputation is based. Traditionally, much of the research has been centred on investigations of the engineering performance of structures and the behaviour of building materials. This includes theoretical and laboratory investigations as well as full-scale field work.
Environmental issues are again becoming a major concern and this is reflected in much of the research activity currently in progress. Bearing in mind that 50% of the nation’s energy consumption arises from the occupation of buildings, this is not surprising. The Environment and Energy Group is concerned with the three levels at which buildings interact with the environment: global, internal and external. So current research includes work on energy conservation in buildings and the contribution of buildings to the greenhouse effect by emissions of carbon dioxide and CFCs. It is also concerned with the local effects of buildings in terms of noise pollution and wind as well as the effects on the internal environment by various air pollutants. The BRE has recently collaborated in the development of separate schemes for the environmental assessment of new office buildings (BREAM) and the energy labelling of housing.
BRECSU, the BRE Energy Conservation Support Unit, in a programme sponsored by the Energy Efficiency Office, is currently looking at the improvement of energy efficiency in all building sectors by identifying case studies of good practice. In a joint project with EEO and Wimpey Homes, the BRE is investigating the marketing of energy-efficient design.
Other environmental issues currently being examined include landfill gas problems, sick building syndrome, radon, the impact of chemicals in building materials, ventilation and indoor air quality.
At the Fire Research Station’s Cardington laboratory (originally built as an airship hangar, 245m long, 80m wide and 55m high) full-scale fire and explosion experiments are undertaken. In addition, the FRS carries out smaller-scale experiments on the performance of materials in fire, and computer fire-simulation models as well as the investigation of actual fires.
The Construction and Application Group investigates the way in which buildings are specified, designed and constructed. It considers new building, maintenance and refurbishment, assessing all aspects of condition. This includes laboratory testing as well as field investigations. For example, field investigations of 30 different types of steel-framed and steel-clad houses have now been completed, providing detailed reports identifying the parts of the structure which are subject to deterioration and which should be given particular attention on inspection. The reports also give advice on maintenance, repair and improvement.
Extensive research on the identification, behaviour, assessment and specification of building materials is undertaken by the Materials Group, covering traditional materials such as timber, cement, concrete and metals as well as plastics and other new materials. The Geotechnics and Structures Group carries out investigations of the engineering performance of structures and foundations, including the performance of system-built housing, foundations in shrinkable clay subsoils and the loading of structures.
Much of the research is used in the development of the Building Regulations, in British Standards, and in setting European standards through work on CEN (Comite European de Normalisation) committees and the International Standards Organisation.
BRE Technical Consultancy
Having established a broad-based reputation in terms of its main function of providing a service to the DOE, the BRE in 1988 launched its Technical Consultancy to make its expertise readily available to private-sector clients. The Technical Consultancy, originally focused on four specialist services, wind engineering, fire technology, building advice and construction products, and was extended during 1989-90 by the addition of two further specialist services. These were building refurbishment, providing advice on refurbishment projects and renewal and maintenance schemes, and environmental performance, covering all aspects of non-domestic and domestic environmental performance of buildings, providing design advice, demonstration projects, diagnosis of faults and proposals for remedial measures.
Projects undertaken by the consultancy include the analysis of wind loads on structures and claddings, the wind environments around buildings and ventilation characteristics, the prevention, detection and causes of fire as well as the limitation of damage to structures and contents, and the minimising of injury in the event of fire.
Building experts are available to give advice on all aspects of construction to architects at design stage and to surveyors who want assistance in the diagnosis and correction of defects in existing structures. The consultancy also provides advice on the development and evaluation of existing materials and components and new products.
In short, the whole range of BRE expertise and technical capabilities is available, including the Building Research Advisory Service, which is now part of the Technical Consultancy.
Publications
Findings from research activities and expertise are transferred to the appropriate property professionals in a number of different forms. Publishing operations form a significant part of the activities of the Building Research Establishment and this output is widely regarded as a key source of technical literature for professionals concerned with buildings.
BRE Publishing is appointed by the PSA as its publisher of technical publications. In 1990 it published 80 new titles including 24 research reports and 55 technical leaflets.
For surveyors involved in the inspection of residential and non-residential buildings BRE publications provide an essential source of reference material covering all aspects of building, maintenance and repair. The following is an outline of the different types of publication available:
- Books and reports: containing detailed accounts of research findings.
- Digests: Concise reviews of building technology. A reference source for building industry professionals containing a synthesis of BRE knowledge in specific areas.
- Information papers: Results of recent research and advice on its practical application. Circulated to selected audience groups appropriate to each subject. Interested parties can be placed on the BRE mailing list.
- Good building guides: A new series giving practical guidance on building design and construction.
- Defect Action Sheets: Produced by the BRE Defects Prevention Unit to advise on ways of avoiding some of the troublesome defects affecting housing in recent years. Intended for design and site staff, they identify common faults, how to avoid them and specifications for remedial work.
- BRE News: A regular newsletter highlighting continuing research, forthcoming seminars and courses, new books, videos and software. Published five times a year.
- BRE Update: For an annual subscription the Update package provides a monthly mailing of practical guidance, technical reviews and research findings. It includes all digests, information papers, news and publications guide.
- BRE Publications: A complete list of all currently available titles. A comprehensive guide to all publications available for purchase.
- Audio-visual and software: As well as printed material the BRE produces a range of video and audio tapes, slide sets and wall charts as well as software packages.
- Databases: The BRIX database provides references to 150,000 articles, reports and books on construction research. There is also a fire research database, FLAIR.
Information is also made available through the BRE Conference and Seminar Unit, events with CPD accreditation from the RICS and the Institute of Building and other professional bodies. It is almost certain that any defect encountered in practice will be covered by available published material. All surveyors should therefore be aware of the content of this output and of the fact that information and advice is also available through the BRE Advisory Service, which handles 40,000 letter and telephone inquiries each year.
Further information
Further information on the work of BRE is available from BRE Technical Consultancy, Garston, Watford WD2 7JR: a price list of all publications is available from the BRE bookshop at Garston.
