Building Research Council 
School of Architecture  University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

 

 The Mission of the Building Research Council

Mission Statement

The mission of the Building Research Council (BRC) is to improve the quality of the built environment in the United States, particularly housing, through research, public service, education, and publications.

Goals

The Council's research efforts reflect its mission and involve faculty, staff, and students in analyzing building materials, construction, design, and performance; and in understanding the complex needs of diverse building users through pre-design programming and post-occupancy evaluations. Each component of the mission is mirrored in the work of the Council.
  • To identify emerging issues in building and housing research

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  • To cooperate with industry, government agencies, private foundations, and other organizations interested in sponsoring research about buildings and housing

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  • To improve the quality of buildings and housing through scientific research that can be tested and replicated by others

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  • To serve as a source of comprehensive, scientific information on important building and housing issues

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  • To establish and maintain important links with users and providers of buildings, particularly housing

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  • To assist in meeting the educational needs of architecture students and faculty

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  • To create publications, multi-media presentations, and other products using the latest developments in information technology to document and disseminate state-of-the-art information on housing and buildings to the public, industry, government agencies, and others

Overview

Experience, teamwork, and dedication to high research standards drive the School of Architecture-Building Research Council's commitment to improve the quality of buildings in America. For over 50 years, the Building Research Council (formerly known as the Small Homes Council) has conducted housing research and provided public service to residents, home owners, builders, contractors, engineers, architects, and others in the housing industry. Today the Building Research Council continues to draw on the expertise of its own staff and a campuswide network of experts to improve the state of our built environment. 

The research conducted at BRC is often translated back into the classroom. Building Research Council faculty teaching areas in the School of Architecture include:

  • research methods in designed environments
  • problems and processes in housing design
  • social and behavioral factors for design
  • gender and racial issues in contemporary architecture
  • statics and dynamics
  • mechanics of materials
  • materials research
  • programming
  • graduate design studio
  • independent study
  • masters thesis, and

    • dissertation advising
General information about the Building Research Council: brc@uiuc.edu
Publications information at the Building Research Council:  arch-orders@uiuc.edu

Maintained by Webmaster@school.arch.uiuc.edu

 Last updated 7/26/01

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