Introduction

CIB stands for”Conseil International du Batiment pour la Recherche l’Etude et la Documentation” or in English”International Council for Building Research Studies and Documentation”

 

Since 1953 CIB has been a forum for cooperation and a unifying force in construction worldwide, fostering innovation and the creation of workable solutions to technical, economic and social problems.

Why and How?

Institutions and professionals engaged in the construction process are confronted with a variety of tasks each with shifting emphasis according to changed conditions. New housing and buildings, maintenance and modernisation, conservation of energy and other resources, higher productivity, more effective management, applications of the latest information technologies, environmental issues, climate and comfort, all present a challenge for which new and improved knowledge is called for.

This in turn requires worldwide cooperation in building research for which CIB is the unique catalyst and vehicle. It comes to grips with these problems by channeling the unrivaled collective expertise of its member organisations through a network of Working Commissions and Task Groups.

A complete listing is found under Working Commissions, and it should be emphasized that new ones are continuously set up if the demand is there. Their subject matter extends over the broadest possible spectrum as the following division into main areas shows

• Structural Engineering; Building Materials; Building Technology
• Architectural Research
• Building Physics; Energy; Health
• Management, Organization and Economics in Construction
• Housing and Planning
• Developing Countries
• Information and Documentation; Computer Applications
• Quality Management

Construction Research

Information and Documentation

Building documentation and information management and transfer occupy a highly prominent role in CIB. Indeed the Organisation began life as an international building documentation association. Within the Commissions that are engaged on information matters are to be found a variety of practice oriented groups. The accent throughout is on modern information technology.

Congresses and Symposia

Most Commissions and Task Groups come together annually or at least every two years.

CIB, through one of its member institutes, mounts a World Congress every three years which has long been recognized as among the key events in the international building research calendar.

In addition there are many major symposia, Seminars and Workshops taking place at regular intervals, often attracting an international participation of several hundred specialists (practitioners as well as researchers).

Publications

CIB considers it to be a prime task to give permanent form to the results of its activities. So a steady stream of technical reports, proceedings, recommendations, registers etc. is published. There is a bi-monthly Information Bulletin featuring highlights in CIB’s life. Proceedings from the Congress and Working Commissions Symposia are published.

Who are Members?

Membership is predominantly by institutions but individual membership is certainly possible. With almost 500 members around the world, virtually every major building research Institute is part of the CIB family. Recent years have seen CIB Membership develop in interesting new directions. 150 Universities and Polytechniques, as well as important professional associations and government agencies have joined.

What is especially significant is the way that CIB has latterly strengthened its contacts with industry: a number of large or medium sized multinational contractors and multi-disciplinary professional practices in the fields of consultancy, surveying, the provision of financial and legal services have concluded that joining CIB yields benefits for themselves. This enhancement of its Membership is also advantageous for CIB.

Categories

There are three categories of Membership those of
• Full Membership
  is for those organisations engaged on a genuinely substantial scale in the fields of interest of CIB
• Associate Membership
  is for those Institutions engaged on a somewhat lesser scale
• Individual Membership
  is for persons, some quite eminent, who for one reason or another find it impractical to join through an institution

Secretary General

Wim Bakens
CIB secretariate
Box 1837
3000 BV Rotterdam
The Netherlands

+31-(10)411 02 40 (tel)

+31-(10)433 43 72 (fax)