Postdoc on Data Hubs for Next-Gen Federated Building Digital Twinning

Are you excited about BIM, BMS systems and Linked Data for buildings? Do you want to contribute in developing the building data management systems of the future? As web developer and linked data enthusiast, this PhD position allows you to change the core of data handing in the buildings sector.

Position

(Post-doctoral) Researcher

Irène Curie Fellowship

No

Department(s)

Built Environment

Reference number

V38.7286

Future-proof Linked Building Data Systems: Distributed data modelling and federated digital twinning for lifecycle data-driven sustainable operation and management of buildings and districts

Relevance of the project: Lifecycle data of buildings and building portfolios plays a crucial role in helping sustainability decision-making. However, leveraging the value of such data is challenged by the "data siloing" problem in Building Management Systems (BMS), Building Information Modelling (BIM) workflows  and other building systems. Currently used BMS and BIM systems are too much stand-alone and static, lacking interconnectivity and secure and fast data exchange tailored to collaboration needs. Furthermore, ownership of data is unclear, and efficient tooling is lacking, making it very hard to make appropriately holistic and informed decisions for building management purposes. In this project, you will work on a radically innovating solution for this problem, which leverages semantic data repositories, versioned 3D representations, data-centric Common Data Environments (CDEs), and decentralised data management. The aim is to enable more efficient and sustainable data use in the built environment by leveraging cutting-edge technologies and innovative management practices. This includes the use and implementation of a data mesh architecture across the building sector that is interoperable with existing, proprietary BMS and Digital Twin Systems. This decentralised system will allow the integration of a suite of solutions focused on enhancing the overall performance of buildings and improved decision-making processes, mainly through: (i) enhanced buildings’ operation by an improved planning and management; (ii) evaluation of environmental impact and circularity schemes; and (iii) advanced and more accurate diagnosis and monitoring of buildings.

Your contribution: As a PostDoctoral Researcher in this project from TU Eindhoven side, you will take a leading role in an international project. You will take a leading role in this project, and take part in management of the project, as well as pro-actively contributing to the design and development of a distributed data modelling and federated digital twinning approach to BIM and BMS systems, supported by a PhD researcher on the same topic. This primarily involves the creation of so-called Personalised Building Data Hubs (PDHs) that collect the available data for a building at any given time (versioning). These PDHs are made available on a one-per-building basis and collect all data available for each of these buildings, including BIM model, telemetry data from sensors and equipment, diverse 3D representations (e.g. point clouds, 3D mesh objects), and semantically rich graph data. Such data can serve multiple uses, such as smart building control, circular material exchange, and indoor robot navigation (see ISBE website and publications ). The data gathered in these PDHs will follow the International Data Space (IDS) principles and will be made available to users and key stakeholders to participate in transactions of data and services through a P2P marketplace (interconnected buildings). Your role is to make this IT-technical challenge happen, in collaboration with fellow researchers. For this task, you need good project management skills, sufficient IT-technical background and interest (web development), and a keen understanding and interest in BIM workflows and BMS systems. Furthermore, you need to be up for a challenge, and have the ambition to come up with a radically new approach towards data handling in our built environment.

Your role: You will be part of a very nice and highly active ISBE research group at TUEindhoven. You will be part of a large international consortium and research project, and you are expected to taking a pro-active and leading role in this consortium, together with TUe colleagues. Interaction and exchange with local sister projects at TUe ISBE group is encouraged and will be needed. Further, you are expected to represent the project and TUe ISBE through journal publications and participation in international conferences. You are expected to take on educational tasks (MSc R&D and graduation projects) at TU Eindhoven.

You will be based at the Faculty of the Built Environment (BE) of the TU Eindhoven, and there you will be part of the Information Systems in the Built Environment (ISBE) research group (https://isbe.bwk.tue.nl/ ). This group is involved with all aspects of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and City Information Modelling (CIM) in the built environment, which includes several partnerships with various fields in the built environment (building services, architectural design, structural engineering) and outside the built environment (EAISI AI Institute, Mechanical Engineering Dept., Mathematics & Computer Science Dept.). You will be part of a highly international research group, with state-of-the-art IT in construction and smart buildings skills.

Applicants are required to hold a PhD degree in engineering (civil, mechanical, electrical, computer science, or similar) or computer science. The preferred candidate will meet as many of the following requirements as possible:

• Have a consolidated background in construction engineering, building technology,  and/or software engineering;
• Ability to conduct high quality academic research, reflected in demonstratable outputs.
• A team player who enjoys coaching PhD and Master's students and working in a dynamic, interdisciplinary team.
• A proven ability to manage complex projects to completion on schedule.
• Experience with web development using well-known frameworks and languages, such as JavaScript, Django and/or Node.js.
• Experience with data handling techniques (SQL, graphDB, Neo4J, …).
• Ability to function within a highly international research and project team, including industry.
• Excellent (written and verbal) proficiency in English, good communication and leadership skills.
• A motivated person with attention to career development.

A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an interdisciplinary setting and within an international network. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station. In addition, we offer you:

• Full-time employment for 2 years.
• Salary in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale 10 (min. €3,877 max. €5,090).
• A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%.
• High-quality training programs on general skills, didactics and topics related to research and valorization.
• An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities.
• Partially paid parental leave and an allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs.
• A TU/e Postdoc Association that helps you to build a stronger and broader academic and personal network, and offers tailored support, training and workshops.
• A Staff Immigration Team is available for international candidates, as are a tax compensation scheme (the 30% facility) and a compensation for moving expenses.

About us

Eindhoven University of Technology is an internationally top-ranking university in the Netherlands that combines scientific curiosity with a hands-on attitude. Our spirit of collaboration translates into an open culture and a top-five position in collaborating with advanced industries. Fundamental knowledge enables us to design solutions for the highly complex problems of today and tomorrow. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxx8oosZf9Q&list=PLgFH4e_2r1xeReuOPs1Cfj4LzmA60KN2p&index=1

Information

Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more?
Please contact the hiring manager Pieter Pauwels, Associate Professor ISBE, [email protected].

Visit our website for more information about the application process or the conditions of employment. You can also contact Pieter Pauwels, Associate Professor ISBE, [email protected].

Are you inspired and would like to know more about working at TU/e? Please visit our career page .

Application

We invite you to submit a complete application using the apply-button.
The application should include a:

• Cover letter in which you describe your motivation and qualifications for the position.
• Curriculum vitae, including a list of your publications and the contact information of three references.
• List of five self-selected ‘best publications’.

We look forward to receiving your application and will screen it as soon as possible. The vacancy will remain open until the position is filled.