The mission of the Scientific and Technical Center for Building (CSTB) is to ensure the quality and safety of buildings. It brings together multidisciplinary skills to develop and share essential scientific and technical knowledge covering construction products and buildings, and their integration into neighborhoods and cities. It guides skateholders in the cycle of innovation from idea to market and supports the transformation of the construction sector in the context of the digital, environmental and energy transitions. The CSTB focuses on five key activities: research and expertise, evaluation, certification, testing and the dissemination of knowledge.

The CSTB takes a systemic approach to the socio-economic challenges of safety, health and comfort, the environment and energy as they apply to buildings, neighborhoods and cities, by concentrating its research efforts on priority areas. It also guides stakeholders in their digital transformation, to optimize their activities and products by implementing BIM and new technologies.

It mobilizes its expertise to support public policy decision-makers, the builders and users of buildings and the urban environment.

In 2018, the CSTB began a new research cycle. The R&D program for 2025, anticipating future disruptions, aims to guide the construction sector through the major transformations it must confront, in particular the challenges arising from the energy and digital transitions. The CSTB also conducts research in key areas of concern, such as the adaptation of the built environment to an aging population, sustainable water management, the circular economy, the durability of materials and technological solutions for construction and renovation and the industrialization of construction.

Research at the CSTB is organized within the framework of programs guided by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, as well as through partnerships funded by the European Union and national programs.

The CSTB's research partnerships create opportunities to develop and support innovation and improve usability. These partnerships enable full-scale experimentation and deployment of innovative projects thanks to knowledge gained through research and the experiences of public and private stakeholders. The CSTB's contract research and expertise focuses on projects in the areas of Digital Technologies, Energy & Environment, Indoor Air Quality, and Risk Mitigation, in particular Fire safety.

Finally, the CSTB guides industrial companies in the design phase of new solutions, in order to help them optimize the performance and launch of their products on the national and international markets.