Created in 1947, the CSTB is a public commercial and industrial establishment (EPIC) under the control of the Ministry Public Works, Transport and Housing.

**Missions

With its experts, researchers, technicians and engineers, the CSTB is preparing the future of the construction industry. It has carried out its four roles in a pluri-disciplinary spirit:

• conduct research into all fields of construction.
• provide scientific and technical consultancy services.
• contribute to the evaluation of quality (standardization, approval, qualifications, opinions of professional software) and to the reliability of innovation in construction.
• distribute information (publication, training).

**Fields of Activity

• Health, environment, risk prevention: controlling the impact on the environment of construction materials and the buildings themselves, controlling energy consumption, prevention of health and safety risks to occupants.
• Comfort and atmosphere- provisional tools and methods to evaluate inside and outside comfort: acoustics, lighting and heat.
• Building and equipment technologies – support for architectural and industrial innovation (structure, equipment envelope, materials).
• Evaluation of the quality of products and innovative processes. Information industries: development of new services to be used by construction professionals, virtual reality, distribution tools and information exchange.
• Economy and sociology: cost of products, players in the construction industry, requalification of urban areas, analyze techniques and innovation.

**Key Figures

• Annual budget of more than 52 million euros (2001).
• 600 employees, including 300 engineers and researchers.
• 5 establishments (Paris, Marne-la-Vallée, Grenoble, Nantes, Sophia-Antipolis).