Dr. Sherif Barakat

Vice-President, Engineering

NRC appointed Dr. Sherif Barakat as its Vice-President Engineering effective 24 October 2005. Since January 2005, Dr. Barakat has led NRC's Renewal Initiative, sharing his broad research background and extensive experience in the management of large, complex and strategic projects. Prior to these appointments he held the positions of Director General of the NRC Institute for Research in Construction (NRC-IRC) and Acting Director General of the NRC Institute for National Measurement Standards (NRC-INMS).

As Director General of the NRC Institute for Research in Construction (NRC-IRC), Dr. Barakat was responsible for the leadership and management of Canada's centre for construction technology, employing over 220 skilled staff. He started working at NRC-IRC shortly after completing his doctorate in mechanical engineering at the University of Manitoba in 1977 where he had also obtained his M.Sc. in 1973. He became responsible for NRC-IRC research on passive solar heating in 1980 and program manager for the ventilation and air movement in buildings program in 1985. He was appointed head of the building performance laboratory in 1988, director of the indoor environment program in 1995 and Director General of NRC-IRC in 1998, after having acted in the position over the previous year.

A member of the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario, he also takes an active role in national and international committees and associations, serving as President of the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB), and sitting on the Management Board of the CIB Development Foundation, and on the Boards of Directors of Continental Automated Building Association (CABA) and the Canadian Construction Research Board (CCRB). He is also the past Chairman of the Executive Committee for the International Energy Agency's (IEA) Energy Conservation in Buildings and Community Systems program.

In 1994, Dr. Barakat earned an NRC Outstanding Achievement Award for his contribution to the Energy Code Project that culminated with the publication of the Model National Energy Codes. Throughout his distinguished career, he has also won NRC-IRC awards for his research expertise and administrative and operational achievements.