Buildwise (previously BBRI) is a private research institute founded in 1959 under impulse of the National Federation of Belgian Building Contractors in application of the so-called "De Groote" decree-law of 1947.

This decree-law named after the former Minister of Economic Affairs was specifically aimed at the promotion of applied research in the construction industry, in order to improve its competitiveness.

In application of this decree-law, the statutory members of the Buildwise are the more than 90,000 Belgian construction companies (general contractors, carpenters, glaziers, plumbers, roofers, floorers, plasterers, painters, etc..), mostly SMEs.

According to its statutes, the Buildwise has the following three main tasks:

• to perform scientific and technical research for the benefit of its members
• to supply technical information, assistance and advice to its members
• to contribute to the general innovation and development in the construction sector, more specifically by performing contractual research upon the request of the industry and the authorities.

To fulfil these tasks, the Buildwise pools on the expertise of more than 200 highly skilled and motivated staff members coming from various educational backgrounds, working in multidisciplinary teams depending on the treated subject.