PURPOSE

Our Mission and Vision

The Building Research Service was established “to foster and undertake integrated research, and advisory and information dissemination in building and housing in the Philippines” (811th BOR Meeting, 1971). Albeit changes in the times, the need of the country for decent and affordable housing remains to be a nagging problem. The growing threat of disaster and climate risk is also an important consideration at present.

UP BRS shall be a renowned institution for research and technical advice, a think tank, on matters relating to building, housing, and other structures. We shall be at the forefront of developing solutions that advance safety, resilience, and sustainability in the way we design, construct, operate, and maintain our buildings in the country.

Over the next five years we will focus on four thematic areas as follows:

• Building safety and structural integrity
• Sustainable building systems and technologies
• Modernization of the housing and construction sector through advances in construction methods and technologies
• Advances in construction and building materials

We shall undertake research and extension projects, publish in high-impact engineering journals, present in prestigious conferences and, possibly, develop novel products and systems that could be applied for intellectual property protection. This warrants adequate, highly-qualified technical personnel who will see these goals to fruition. Within the next five years, we shall endeavor that the Center would have eight (8) full-time technical personnel – two (2) per thematic area above-mentioned, supported by additional project-based personnel. At present the center has three (3) University Research Associates positions attend to the first three thematic areas. To jumpstart the activities on the fourth key area, we shall be hiring personnel on contractual basis to attend to the current research and extension activities, while request for plantilla items is under way.