Stichting Bouwresearch is a Dutch knowledge institute that was dedicated to the improvement of the building and construction industry and its performance through research activities. SBR was set up in 1959 to promote and facilitate building research in new techniques, materials, and systems. This digital dissertation demonstrates that during the years the institute left a lasting contribution to the development of the construction industry within the Netherlands.
History
Founding And Early Years
SBR was established in 1959 with the primary purpose of encouraging and acting as focal point for investigations on the development of new construction techniques. During its moderately long history, the first chairman of the institute, Herman Witte, envisioned that the construction industry needed innovation. In these early years of SBR, the concentration was on identification of new construction materials, construction practices and construction technologies that would form the backbone for the future expansion of the company.
Fusion And Expansion
The following year in 2003 the institute got a new name, SBR and this brought with it a new phase of the hall and rejuvenation of collaboration. SBR merging with CURnet in the year 2013 to create SBRCURnet which not only helped organisation in enhancing research domain but also in fostering industry linkages. This particular decision allowed the institute to deal with various difficult problems and design corresponding effective strategies for construction companies.
Closure
SBRCURnet was formally dissolved as an independent company at December 31, 2017. Concerning the ground, road, and water construction activities, CROW incorporated them, and for the activities towards the built environment, the incorporation happened to ISSO in 2018. As of now, SBR is not an organization of its own, but what it has done has had a lasting impact on the construction society.
Structure And Operations
Headquarters
SBR was originally established in Rotterdam and recently centrally situated in Delft, being one of the prominent technological city of research in Netherlands. This strategic move was useful to the institute because it expanded the pool of expertise and resources available to the area.
Staff
SBR had about 50 staff members at the time of merger; researchers, scientists and industry professionals. This diverse team was very useful in both the generation of new ideas and the exchange of existing knowledge.
Leadership
Understanding this background, Herman Witte, the first chairman, is most credited for helping in putting in place SBR vision and mission. While Jeannette Baljeu became the last director of SBR, she made a pivotal contribution to the merger by transferring the organization’s activities and its body of knowledge to the agency.
Activities And Products
Research and Publications
SBR released many books and papers on material management, cost and expenses control, financing and policy planning in construction field. The institute also spread information on crucial issues such as the safety of buildings and installation vibrations.
Collaborations
SBR was in regular collaboration with the committees framing the new building and construction knowledge; it made it a point to take the research output to the practice field. The institute also carried out projects for constructing sites offering practical experience including recommendations on problems as well.
Legacy
Influence
Thus, it is necessary to indicate that within the framework of the interaction with SBR, the company’s research and innovations influenced the development of standards, guidelines, and norms in the construction industry. Moreover, the institute influencing the generations of builders, architects, and engineers have been produced by the institute work.
Impact
Previously, from this study, it is developed that SBR had played an important role in the construction history of the Netherlands apart from positively contributing in the development of the construction safety and quality improvement. In view of the circumstances, the heritage remains relevant for continuing the formation of the new generations of start recognizing the institute, specialists in the sphere, and policy-makers.
FAQs
SBR’s goal was to initiate and synchronize research in the field of new construction approaches, materials, and technologies.
SBR was established in 1959.
New research strengths and industry partnerships were created through the merger that resulted in the formation of SBRCURnet.
What happened to SBR’s activities after its closure in 2017?
Construction on the ground, road, and water fell under the Ministry of Public Works CROW domain while construction at the built environment transferred to ISSO in 2018.
The findings and works of SBR have set benchmarks that defined framework and specification, practice and recommended procedures for generations of builders, architects, engineers and the new generations of scholars, scientists, researchers and policy makers.
Conclusion
SBR or Stichting Bouwresearch was one of the earliest knowledge institutes which the construction industry will always hold a testimony about. These changes and personal and economical transformations were influenced by the works of SBR in its researching effort, innovations, as well as collaborations on the built environment. Analyzing its history and results, it is possible to realize the importance of knowledge management and innovations in the development of society and people.
