Building Research Establishment (BRE) has bought two specialist divisions of i&i, in the hope of expanding its capability in its acquisition's area of expertise - intelligent buildings.
The two divisions purchased (effective from April 1, 2008) are i&i's intelligent building systems consultancy and its centre of excellence for intelligent building (ibexcellence).

The I&I company is being wound up but the trading name has been kept by BRE. The systems consultancy is being integrated into BRE's housing group while its centre of excellence division ibexcellence is now part of Bre's Enterprise and Innovation division. i&i's remaining third division, focused on market research, was acquired by BSRIA on March 1.

i&i and BRE have been working side by side for several years. BRE has a 70 acre site in Watford, on which i&i had been renting offices. BRE deals in all aspects of the built environment including intelligent buildings and has often brought i&i on board to offer insight on this subject.

Established 85 years ago, BRE has 600 employees. Dr Peter Bonfield, chief executive of BRE said: 'This acquisition will further enable us to provide our clients with a range of new services focussed on exploiting the impact of information technologies on the built environment. This integrated approach will support the design and delivery of better performing buildings and communities in the 21st century. The BRE Group is set to become a global leader in this field.'

i&i (short for intelligent and integrated) has been in business for 10 years. The former managing director of i&i Alan Kell is now the director of BRE's new International Centre of Excellence for Intelligent Building.

Kell said: 'Working with BRE's unique expertise and networks, we'll be able to take this business to a completely new level. In many parts of the world - especially in fast growing countries like China and India - it's critically important that we integrate technology-driven change with the demands for a fully sustainable built environment'.