The Building Technology Institute is one of ten Research Institutes which were established at the Centre.

The Building Technology Institute (BTI) acts as the national focal point for the Built Environment in so far as Research and Development (R & D), Technology Transfer and Consultancy Services in the areas of planning, design, building materials, infrastructure, construction engineering and related activities, are concerned. As such work programmes of the institute encompasses the whole technology spectrum of our built environment.


THE GOALS OF THE INSTITUTE:

The BTI’s work is dedicated to the life cycle quality of the built environment. Its primary goal is to give Zimbabweans a better future by strengthening and improving the building industries’ competitiveness through technology transfer and ensuring the well planned development and maintenance of the country’s buildings and infrastructure.

BTI's primary goal focuses on the development and strengthening of national capacity and capability through research and development (R & D) in the following core areas:
• Physical infrastructure creation, maintenance and refurbishment.
• Provision of cost-effective technology-based solutions for the building industry.
• Devising innovative shelter delivery strategies and mechanisms.
• Provision of technical information and advisory services on the built environment
• Training in the construction field.

INSTITUTE DIVISIONS

The Institute comprises of six divisions:

1 Structural and Geotechnical Engineering Division
The Division provides the building sector with technologies to increase productivity and safety of construction. Its work programme focuses on:
• Developing innovative structural systems and methods of construction in collaboration with industry.
• Testing and appraising structural systems and components for industry.
• Conducting laboratory and field research in structural engineering including failure analysis on building structures (building pathology), characterisation of building loads during construction and service, and structural response analyses.

2 Building Materials Division
The Division is primarily concerned with improving durability of building materials and components as well as research in alternative building materials and innovation in construction technologies. Its programme concentrates on:
• Conducting laboratory and field research, including development of methods to measure and predict service life of building materials.
• Carrying out R & D work geared to innovate affordable building products using waste materials.
• Developing low-cost construction technologies and labour intensive housing solutions.

3 Housing and Infrastructure Development Division
The Division’s activities focus on:
• Providing affordable options for urban and rural housing, technology packages for housing and infrastructure development.
• Appropriate cost-effective land development options.

4 Design systems Division
Programme areas for this Division include:
• Developing decision aids and design tools for planning, design and construction, improving ethnic designs and technologies and incorporating them in development schemes (residential, commercial, industrial and tourism sectors).
• Providing expert assistance in the areas of landscape design, industrial building design, computer-based optimal design, and urban/civic design.

5 Environmental Engineering Division
The Division is concerned with:
• Impact of buildings on humankind’s health and environment.
• Efficient and economic provision of healthy and comfortable environment inside and around buildings, coupled with minimum adverse impact on the external environment.

6 Road and Traffic Engineering Division
The Division is concerned with:
• Design and analysis of pavement systems.
• Developing maintenance programmes for existing networks including laboratory and field testing.
• Development of inter-carrier transport chains and legal requirements for cross-border transportation of goods and passengers.
• Spatial Development initiative – function of developing corridors.
• Freight/passenger transport and logistics including route planning.
• Setting up database and analysis of regional networking of transport and communication systems in the SADC region.