BITRI’s Building Materials Science Division focuses on needs-based Research and Development (R&D) of new/innovative building materials, derived from naturally-occurring raw materials and/or industrial by-products/waste.

Primarily, the Division is focused on:

• Development of new/innovative building materials, using naturally-occurring raw materials and/or industrial by-products/waste; and
• Exploitation of locally available natural raw materials and by-products/waste of local industry, is prioritized.

In addition, to the primary R&D focus area, the Division also focuses on the following R&D related areas:-

• Identifying new/innovative applications of conventional building materials.
• Enhancing the performance of conventional building materials.
• Developing technologies for recycling of conventional building materials.
• Testing both new/innovative and conventional building materials for fitness for purpose.

In tandem with the above, the Division engages in the following non-R&D activities:-

• Evaluating the performance of building materials for the purposes of fitness for purpose certification (in collaboration with Botswana Bureau of Standards)
• Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of the production and application of new/ innovative building materials.
• Hand-holding entities that take up new/innovative building materials technologies developed in-house.
  • The Kgalagadi Sand Building Block/ Brick (KSBB) Technology roll out.

• Developing procedures for specification, selection, quality assurance and application of both new/ innovative and conventional building materials.