NRC Institute for Research in Construction (NRC-IRC)

(Ottawa, Ontario and Regina, Saskatchewan)

Bringing Quality to the Built Environment

NRC-IRC develops and maintains the core competencies and the knowledge base critical to the needs of the Canadian construction sector, supports the development, commercialization and implementation of leading-edge technologies, and fosters the provision of safe and sustainable built environments through the development of codes and standards.

Key thrusts include:

Building Envelope and Structure: developing and applying technologies for design, construction, and operation of durable, energy-efficient, and cost-effective building systems. These technologies address both new construction and repair or renovation, for all types of buildings and some concrete structures.

Codes and Evaluation:

• A national code centre supporting the development of the National Building Code and other national model codes on which construction regulation across Canada is based.
• A national evaluation service determining the suitability of innovative construction products and technologies.

Installation of highway drainage systems, Osgoode, Ont.

Fire Research: fire modeling and experimentation in fire resistance, fire detection and suppression, fire development, smoke production and movement, human factors and fire risk assessment and developing methodologies and technologies that will save lives and reduce the total cost of fire in Canada.

Indoor Environment: improving the technologies and tools to design, operate, and maintain indoor environments for acoustics, thermal comfort, lighting use and air quality in all types of buildings.

Urban Infrastructure: developing technologies to design, construct, maintain and manage buried utilities, roads and surface structures (Ottawa). Developing technologies for sustainable infrastructure for water and wastewater systems (Centre for Sustainable Infrastructure Research, Regina).

InfraGuide (National Guide to Sustainable Municipal Infrastructure): With partners, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and Infrastructure Canada summarizing the best experience and knowledge in Canada in best practice reports which aid informed, smart decision-making for maintaining, repairing and upgrading municipal infrastructure.

Sustainable Built Environment and Climate Change: developing tools that integrate technologies from all of NRCIRC's programs, to address environmental and economic impacts of construction.

Technology Transfer: turning knowledge into practical technical information for the construction sector.