European Centre for Rehabilitation of Buildings - ECBR
NIRD URBAN-INCERC / The National Institute for Research and Development in Constructions
Urban Planning and Sustainable Spatial Development – URBAN-INCERC
266 Sos. Pantelimon
021652 Bucharest - Romania
President: Senior Researcher I Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Habil. Claudiu Sorin Dragomir, General Director of NIRD URBAN-INCERC, the National Network for Seismic Monitoring and Protection of Built Patrimony.
Director: Senior Researcher I Dr. Eng. Emil Sever Georgescu, President of the Scientific Council of the NIRD URBAN-INCERC, the National Network for Seismic Monitoring and Protection of Built Patrimony.
Foundation/Legal status
The European Center for Buildings Rehabilitation, ECBR, situated in INCERC since 2003, presently in NIRD URBAN-INCERC, within the framework of EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement. Romania, as member state of Council of Europe acceded this Agreement in 2001, being represented by MDPWA at ministerial level and by ECBR, as the specialised center, at technical level.
Centre’s host organisation: NIRD URBAN-INCERC / The National Institute for Research and Development in Constructions, Urban Planning and Sustainable Spatial Development – Urban-INCERC
ECBR operates within NIRD URBAN-INCERC, mainly by contributing researchers of National Network for Seismic Monitoring and Protection of Built Patrimony, of the researchers of the INCERC Bucharest Branch as well as other research divisions that contribute to buildings rehabilitation, in correlation to the annual plans or specific periods of activity, in observance of directives of the Council of Europe and of the ministerial meetings of Agreement and the Permanents Correspondents meetings.
Structure
President of Scientific Council of ECBR: Senior Researcher I Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Habil. Iolanda-Gabriela Craifaleanu, the National Network for Seismic Monitoring and Protection of Built Patrimony, NIRD URBAN-INCERC
General Secretary: University lecturer, senior researcher III Dr. Eng. Daniela Dobre, the National Network for Seismic Monitoring and Protection of Built Patrimony
Objectives
ECBR undertakes technical and scientific activities dedicated to:
Ensure representing Romania through its EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement specialised centre by actively contributing to its activities, in collaboration with other specialised centers within the Agreement, promoting the achievements of Romania and research activities of URBAN-INCERC;
enhance and support the implementation of EUR-OPA’s specific objectives through various scientific and technical activities and various programmes, by dissemination at national, regional and international level. These actions are promoted and financed by the Agreement and concerned ministries (MDPWA, MRID, MAI-DSU-IGSU) on buildings rehabilitation and risk reduction policies, at national, regional and European level, providing support to the legislative framework in the field of seismic risk reduction, buildings and energy;
participate in the implementation of national strategies in this field, particularly the National Strategy for Seismic Risk Reduction;
disseminate specialised knowledge, educate the public including secondary school students, to understand the aim of earthquake protection and strengthening and to behave adequately and protect during earthquakes;
contribute to implementation of the National DRR Platform and Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.
Main activities and latest achievements
2018 - 2019 - Seismic risk preparedness and disaster risk reduction – DRR training for vulnerable groups of populations, school students and volunteers in neighborhoods in Romania
2020 - 2021 - Using knowledge from EUR-OPA specialized centres to ensure earthquake resilience of important community buildings - Health care facilities and public buildings with agglomeration of persons.
2022 - 2023 - Enhancing the resilience of buildings and persons with special vulnerabilities to earthquakes and pandemics in Romania, within the EUR-OPA goals for inclusive societies
2024-2025 ECBR projects
Project background
Romania was struck by earthquake disasters and by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Romania the exposure to seismic risk is still high, although it has been 48 years since the great earthquake disaster on 4 March 1977.
A new National Strategy for Seismic Risk Reduction for buildings is now enforced by the ministry in charge – the Ministry of Development, Public Works, and Administration (MDPWA), with the support of the World Bank, starting with 2022. The ECBR field, i.e. building rehabilitation, needs to be combined with the protection of exposed persons, in order to enforce EUR-OPA goals for inclusive societies.
Following the DRAFT RECOMMENDATION on the Use of digital tools such as social media and mobile applications for successful disaster risk communication adopted at the 80th meeting of the Committee of Permanent Correspondents and of the Directors of Specialised Centres (Joint Meeting), 6-7 November 2023, Strasbourg (AP/CAT(2023)01REC), the general aim of the new ECBR Project for 2024 was to work for a new and integrated approach, such as:
use the digital and media tools to convey scientific and technological knowledge and promote and strengthen the governance capacity and coperation of all stakeholders for implementing the new National Strategy for Seismic Risk Reduction, while enhancing networking among all decision-makers in DRR.
share and disseminate the risk culture for communities, children, adults and groups with special vulnerabilities
apply the knowledge from EUR-OPA specialized centres and specifically from ECBR, Bucharest, Romania and ECPFE - European Centre on Prevention and Forecasting of Earthquakes, Athens, Greece.
The ECBR project corresponds to the following Sendai Framework priorities for action of the medium-term plan:
Using scientific and technological knowledge to better assess evolving risks and adapt accordingly the resilience strategies.
Developing cooperation among all decision-makers to better define authorities’ adequate role in DRR.
Promoting risk culture among population (children, adults and groups with special vulnerability).
Background
There is a need for correct and updated knowledge and information about earthquake disaster preparedness
Digital tools correspond to the needs and trends recommended by EUR-OPA
Activities in 2024
Coordinator Centre: ECBR, Bucharest, Romania
28 October 2024: Oranisation of an online training seminar with adequate stakeholders, to debate on topics that need to be addressed by digital means, social media and mobile applications for successful disaster risk communication / seismic risk reduction for extended social groups in case of buildings and persons in all seismic zones of Romania. About 80 participants.
Topics
ECBR DIGIRISX Project – aim and objectives
Earthquakes at the global level and in Romania. Hazard - vulnerability - seismic risk. The way of manifestation on the constructions
Seismic risk: from damages to the political decision regarding strengthening cancellation after the earthquake of March 4, 1977
Hazard, vulnerability and seismic risk - Questions and answers
Partner 1: ECPFE, Greece, Athens – participated online in the ECBR seminars providing expertise and educational materials. Online presentation by Dr. Linda-Evangelia Pelli, Dr. Asimina Kourou, Head of Social Earthquake Defense Directorate of EPPO: Earthquake planning at work places.
29 October 2024: organisation of an online training seminar on ECBR, URBAN-INCERC content of digital tool/website on seismic risk reduction. About 50 participants.
Topics
Presentation of the behavior of different types of structures
Specific aspects regarding earthquake preparation in different situations
Recommendations for preparation and behavior in the event of an earthquake
National Seismic Risk Reduction Strategy: general concept, pillars, implementation activities, directions in the investment program, risk exposure data, the specifics of different construction categories.
Partner centre: Dr. Linda-Evangelia Pelli – ECPFE - OASP, Athens, Greece. Education for earthquake preparedness, OASP Safety initiative for childcare centers. Participating as online lecturers to ECBR seminars, providing expertise and educational materials.
Publications and dissemination activities
On-line Presentation Sustainable solutions for soil remediation after earthquakes and fires, authors Emil Sever Georgescu, PhD, CE, Sen Res I, Claudiu Sorin Dragomir, PhD, CE, Assoc Prof, Sen Res II, Iolanda-Gabriela Craifaleanu, PhD Habil, CE, Assoc Prof, Sen Res I , Daniela Dobre, PhD, CE, Lecturer, Sen Res III , on behalf of NIRD URBAN-INCERC – ECBR for Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) – Erasmus+ KA103 project. Sustainable Solutions & Crisis Management Camp held at University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest Faculty of Land Reclamation and Environmental Engineering, May 16, 2024
Emil-Sever Georgescu: Activities of ECBR in view of earthquake disasters mitigation, public health and social preparedness in Romania. Online Presentation to EUROMED PROTECT-NET - Euro-Mediterranean Forum for Disaster Risk Governance, Health Preparedness, and Networking Advancement", Republic of San Marino, 22-24 May 2025.
ECBR – URBAN-INCERC Conference and training exercise "How we react vs. how we should react in case of earthquake and fire in academic environment", May 26, 2025 held at University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine – USAMV Bucharest, Faculty of Land Reclamation and Environment Engineering, with partnership of General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations – Presentation on Types of structures, seismic response and vulnerability in urban environment and in university campuses (tipuri de structuri, răspuns seismic și vulnerabilitate în mediul urban și în campusurile universitare) by CS I Conf. dr. habil. ing. Claudiu-Sorin DRAGOMIR and CS I dr. ing. Emil-Sever GEORGESCU – ECBR / INCD URBAN-INCERC
Miscellaneous
Georgescu, E. S., Meiţă, V., Craifaleanu, I. G., Dragomir, C. S., Dobre, D. (2017). Science for Earthquake Awareness in Romania: Experience of European Center for Buildings Rehabilitation within EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement. Proceedings of the 16th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, 16WCEE, January 9-13, 2017, Santiago, Chile,
Emil-Sever Georgescu, Vasile Meita, Iolanda-Gabriela Craifaleanu, Claudiu-Sorin Dragomir, Daniela Dobre Poster "Earthquake Disaster Risk Reduction Promoted By National Institute URBAN-INCERC änd European Center for Buildings Rehabilitation - ECBR, Bucharest, Romania" UNISDR science and technology conference on the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, on 27-29 Jan 2016, Switzerland (Geneva), Geneva International Conference Centre.
