Mar 5 2007
BRE, the University of Limerick (UL) and Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) today launched BRE Ireland as the new independent, authoritative Irish body that will set the standard for sustainability, innovation and enterprise for Irish construction
BRE Ireland (www.bre.ie) will operate as a centre of excellence, providing certification for new building innovations, products and training and ensuring standards of service within the industry are maintained and developed. The organisation will work with the Government and regulators, building contractors and clients, designers and products manufactures to provide solutions through a mixture of advice and consultancy, research and development, testing and certification. The profits from BRE Ireland’s trading activity will be split between the BRE Ireland Trust and the BRE Trust and the two charities will collaborate in supporting research and education within the industry in Ireland.
“The establishment of this organisation is vital in Ireland today given the rapid growth in the level of activity in the construction sector. BRE Ireland will work towards sustainable environment innovations within the building industry, which are particularly important with the dawn of the energy rated house. We at UL are very happy to be partnering LIT and BRE in this much needed initiative,” said Professor Don Barry, President-Designate, University of Limerick.
Dr Maria Hinfelaar, Director of the Limerick Institute of Technology, in welcoming the formation of BRE Ireland, stated that the initiative has the potential to promote Limerick and the LIT and UL to the forefront in training, education and research in the Built Environment and by building on existing research strengths in partnership with BRE will develop a centre of Built Environment expertise and technology in Ireland.
Guy Hammersley, Chairman of BRE Ireland added “BREs mission is to build a better world – we plan, along with our Irish partners, to provide a range of services to the hugely prolific Irish construction industry that have become so important as the industry strives to build and refurbish in a more sustainable way – we are very excited about this venture.”
Welcoming the setting up of BRE Ireland, Hank Fogarty, President of CIF, said “BRE Ireland aims to be the focal point of partnership between the construction industry, academia and private clients – helping the industry to share its expertise, to engage in international best practice and to forge a spirit of innovation and cooperation amongst all groups involved in developing our built environment”.
The objectives of BRE Ireland are to :
- Develop and deliver a range of consultancy services specifically in regard to sustainability to meet the current and future needs of all stakeholders in the Irish Construction Industry.
- Encourage and facilitate all types of innovative practice throughout the Irish Construction Industry.
- Promote enterprising activities and facilitate the commercialisation of such practice by means of testing, and appropriate third party approval and certification.
- Undertake a range of activities including education and training that promotes a proper awareness of all aspects of sustainability.
- Seek to play a key role in relevant Government led initiatives on sustainable development or innovation in the built environment.
- Participate in strategic research to underpin the Construction Industry
- Seek to collaborate with partners from across industry and academia throughout Ireland.