Respectable Knowledge Sharing Network for Urban Planners

Performing studies and fundamental research of national and international public relevance for the development of building sciences, the National Institute for Research and Development in Construction, Urban Planning and Sustainable Spatial Development – URBAN-INCERC is specialized in constructions and economy of buildings, urban and territorial planning, as well as habitat and sustainable development. It is the only national R&D institute of its kind in Romania, with national and international recognition (IAFOR, IAESTE, RED, ENBRI, UEAtc, WFTAO, EOTA). Set up in 2009 as a merger between INCERC (National Institute for Building Research), URBANPROIECT (National Research Institute for Urban Planning) and a documentation centre, INCD URBAN-INCERC is now a public owned institute with five branches in four important cities of Romania: Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timisoara and Iasi. With a background of 65 years, the Institute provides theoretical and experimental research in the field of products, processes and technologies in construction. As engineering experts for building physics and building systems, the Institute also has a background of more than 30 years in energy use, energy performance evaluation, façade and systems performance improvement and efficient/low-energy buildings.

INCD URBAN-INCERC’s activities are focused on two key directions: safety (fire, earthquake, extreme climate conditions, strategic territorial planning); and efficiency (energy, acoustic, urban planning). Its main activities include: fundamental and applied research to substantiate specific regulations, policies, programs and strategies; in situ and laboratory testing on building elements and structures; development of technical and economic regulations for quality assurance in constructions and appliances, including energy efficiency; documentation, tests, audit, prototypes, analyses, syntheses, models, experiments; development of databases with R&D and urban planning information; consultancy and services in urban and territorial planning and construction, etc.

INCD URBAN-INCERC has more than 100 researchers which are carrying out studies in 18 research & testing laboratories in order to substantiate the European and Romanian policies regulating constructions and spatial planning. The research in its areas of expertise is carried within national programmes (National Research, Development and Innovation Plan, studies funded by the central and local administration) and international research (NATO, SEE, ESPON, FP7). With its various experimental facilities, vast portfolio of national and international research projects and ability to carry out life-long learning activities, the Institute provides the secretariats of specialized technical committees and professional attestation commissions for civil engineering specialists and serves as an organism for certification of construction products & management systems.

INCD URBAN-INCERC promotes the development of strategic solutions, the analysis and transfer of best practices and the optimisation of realisation processes. Publications, conferences and panels serve the transfer of knowledge and the dialogue with an informed public. Furthermore, the Institute has two scientific & technical libraries with 55.000 books and over 200.000 periodicals.