Abstract:

The last 30 years have seen significant changes in UK national policies for building research and in their implementation. Each change has led to a new balance in the relative priorities of the needs of industry and those of the citizen. Quality-of-life issues have progressively given way to those of industrial ef.ciency, although more recently a concern for the long term implications of the built environment for the quality-of-life of the individual citizen, has re-emerged. An illustration is given by the EQUAL (Extend Quality Life) initiative which seeks to improve the experience of buildings and the environment of older people and of those with physical and mental impairments. Analysis of the nature of the research tasks underlying the two themes of competitiveness and quality-of-life raises questions about the future development of building research. Further issues are the future balance of priorities, the appropriateness of various approaches to prioritization and organization of research, quality and standards, and the need to broaden university courses to accommodate a better appreciation of quality-of-life issues.