PhD Renovation technologies for energy transition in underprivileged neighbourhoods

Updated: almost 2 years ago
Deadline: 01 Jun 2022

Shaping an effective and just energy transition in underprivileged neighbourhoods

We are hiring a doctoral candidate on  “Multi-criteria evaluation of renovation technologies implementation in underprivileged neighbourhoods”. The position is part of the NWO project “justPREPARE - Putting REsident Practices And REsidential areas at the centre of a JUST and effective energy transition in underprivileged neighbourhoods.”

We are looking for a person with a relevant Master degree and an interest in the energy transition in the built environment, focussing on the role of energy renovation of residential buildings. You should have knowledge of construction, building physics and energy simulations and have a good understanding of the role of the residents in the renovation process and the financial implications. You will work on a highly societal and scientific relevant topic, embedded in a large research project with academic and social partners.

You will work on developing a multi‐criteria decision-support framework for the effective and just application of renovation technologies, which supports the renovation acceptance process and governance. You will investigate technological solutions that fit the need of the neighbourhoods taking into account factors such as energy efficiency, CO2 reduction, the total cost of living, user‐friendliness, and distributive justice. The renovation solution will be tested and adjusted in the Living Labs context to develop the evaluation methodologies and validate the decision support framework. We are looking for a PhD candidate that has the creative ability to design new or adapt existing methods (developed in our team and elsewhere), for involving residents in the design of innovations and their governance, and to test these in practice.

The position is a four-year doctoral appointment at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, TUDelft. You will be jointly supervised by Dr. Ing. Thaleia Konstantinou and Prof.dr.ir. Henk Visscher in TUDelft, co-supervised by Dr. Renée Heller of the Amsterdam University of Applied Science, and regularly collaborate with the consortium researchers at the University of Amsterdam.

The PhD position is shared between the Department of Architectural Engineering + Technology (AE+T) and the Department of Management in the Built Environment (MBE). MBE works towards a sustainable built environment where the interests of the end user and other stakeholders are key. MBE focuses on solutions for the development and management of buildings, portfolios and urban areas and the education to the next generation of managers in the built environment. AE+T provides education and performs scientific research in the field of building technology related to building design. It positions itself as an important player in integrating design and engineering. The core areas of interest are façade design, structural design, climate design and computational design, with an important core focus on sustainability.

  • a Master's degree in a discipline such as Building Technology, Construction Management, Architecture, Industrial Design, or other related technical or natural science disciplines;
  • knowledge of energy-efficient buildings design and  construction methods. Good understanding of renovation practices for residential buldings and energy transition in the building stock;
  • preferable experience with dynamic energy simulation tools such as DesignBuilder, TRNSYS or Energyplus;
  • an interest in participatory design processes and interaction with residents;
  • excellent oral and written communication skills in English proven by a minimum score of 100 in TOEFL or IELTS of 7.0 per sub-skill (writing, reading, listening, speaking). Candidates do not need to present the test results as part of their application. These results will be requested at a later stage during the selection procedure. For more information, see www.tudelft.nl/onderwijs/opleidingen/phd/admission
  • an understanding and communicating in Dutch is a strong advantage;
  • the ability to work in a team, take initiative, be result-oriented, organized and creative;
  • good people/communication skills;
  • academic attitude in performing research. You are independent, self-motivated and eager to learn;
  • willingness to work with partners to link real-world challenges to multidisciplinary research questions;
  • the possibility to start employment in September 2022

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements.

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2443 per month in the first year to € 3122 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. For international applicants we offer the Coming to Delft Service and Partner Career Advice to assist you with your relocation.

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context. At TU Delft we embrace diversity and aim to be as inclusive as possible (see our Code of Conduct ). Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

The Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment has a leading role in education and research worldwide. The driving force behind the faculty’s success is its robust research profile combined with the energy and creativity of its student body and academic community. It is buzzing with energy from early in the morning until late at night, with four thousand people studying, working, designing, conducting research and acquiring and disseminating knowledge. Our faculty has a strong focus on 'design-oriented research’, which has given it a top position in world rankings.

Staff and students are working to improve the built environment with the help of a broad set of disciplines, including architectural design, urban planning, building technology, social sciences, process management, and geo-information science. The faculty works closely with other faculties, universities, private parties, and the public sector, and has an extensive network in the Netherlands as well as internationally.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built

JUST PREPARE is a large research project funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) which will run for four years. The focus of the project is on the energy transition (ET) in underprivileged neighbourhoods in the Netherlands, involving residents in tailoring in-home systems and renovation in the built environment to their practices and needs. An effective and just ET thus requires a bottom‐up perspective to rethink and further develop thematic agendas for municipalities, housing corporations and other institutional actors.

This project develops methodical and substantive knowledge needed to realize these issues. Initial knowledge outputs are tested and improved based on lessons learned in four Living Labs, in which four municipalities, residents and other stakeholders participate

Within this overall project, two postdoc’s, four PhD’s, several junior researchers will together with senior researchers collaborate in several working packages (WP’s). Amongst others these WP’s will study residents’ energy practices in relation to technology design and governance practices, organize the Living labs and the Learning Lab, and integrate knowledge. 

For information about the application procedure, please contact Thaleia Konstantinou, e-mail: [email protected] or Henk Visscher, e-mail: [email protected]

Deadline for application is June 1, 2022 (local Dutch time; UTC+2). You can only apply online via the button 'Apply now'.

To apply, please send a detailed CV including names and contact details of 2 references, detailed transcripts with all university grades, a motivation letter (1-2 pages) that should address your vision of the project and how you would fit for the advertised position, proof of English language skills and an abstract of your MSc thesis, all compiled into a single pdf file (max 10 pages in total) by June 1, 2022 (local Dutch time; UTC+2)

Please note:

  • You can only apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
  • Applications will not be processed if all documents required are not compiled into a single pdf document. 
  • A pre-Employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
  • Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated.

Shaping an effective and just energy transition in underprivileged neighbourhoods

We are hiring a doctoral candidate on  “Multi-criteria evaluation of renovation technologies implementation in underprivileged neighbourhoods”. The position is part of the NWO project “justPREPARE - Putting REsident Practices And REsidential areas at the centre of a JUST and effective energy transition in underprivileged neighbourhoods.”

We are looking for a person with a relevant Master degree and an interest in the energy transition in the built environment, focussing on the role of energy renovation of residential buildings. You should have knowledge of construction, building physics and energy simulations and have a good understanding of the role of the residents in the renovation process and the financial implications. You will work on a highly societal and scientific relevant topic, embedded in a large research project with academic and social partners.

You will work on developing a multi‐criteria decision-support framework for the effective and just application of renovation technologies, which supports the renovation acceptance process and governance. You will investigate technological solutions that fit the need of the neighbourhoods taking into account factors such as energy efficiency, CO2 reduction, the total cost of living, user‐friendliness, and distributive justice. The renovation solution will be tested and adjusted in the Living Labs context to develop the evaluation methodologies and validate the decision support framework. We are looking for a PhD candidate that has the creative ability to design new or adapt existing methods (developed in our team and elsewhere), for involving residents in the design of innovations and their governance, and to test these in practice.

The position is a four-year doctoral appointment at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, TUDelft. You will be jointly supervised by Dr. Ing. Thaleia Konstantinou and Prof.dr.ir. Henk Visscher in TUDelft, co-supervised by Dr. Renée Heller of the Amsterdam University of Applied Science, and regularly collaborate with the consortium researchers at the University of Amsterdam.

The PhD position is shared between the Department of Architectural Engineering + Technology (AE+T) and the Department of Management in the Built Environment (MBE). MBE works towards a sustainable built environment where the interests of the end user and other stakeholders are key. MBE focuses on solutions for the development and management of buildings, portfolios and urban areas and the education to the next generation of managers in the built environment. AE+T provides education and performs scientific research in the field of building technology related to building design. It positions itself as an important player in integrating design and engineering. The core areas of interest are façade design, structural design, climate design and computational design, with an important core focus on sustainability.

  • a Master's degree in a discipline such as Building Technology, Construction Management, Architecture, Industrial Design, or other related technical or natural science disciplines;
  • knowledge of energy-efficient buildings design and  construction methods. Good understanding of renovation practices for residential buldings and energy transition in the building stock;
  • preferable experience with dynamic energy simulation tools such as DesignBuilder, TRNSYS or Energyplus;
  • an interest in participatory design processes and interaction with residents;
  • excellent oral and written communication skills in English proven by a minimum score of 100 in TOEFL or IELTS of 7.0 per sub-skill (writing, reading, listening, speaking). Candidates do not need to present the test results as part of their application. These results will be requested at a later stage during the selection procedure. For more information, see www.tudelft.nl/onderwijs/opleidingen/phd/admission
  • an understanding and communicating in Dutch is a strong advantage;
  • the ability to work in a team, take initiative, be result-oriented, organized and creative;
  • good people/communication skills;
  • academic attitude in performing research. You are independent, self-motivated and eager to learn;
  • willingness to work with partners to link real-world challenges to multidisciplinary research questions;
  • the possibility to start employment in September 2022

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements.

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2443 per month in the first year to € 3122 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. For international applicants we offer the Coming to Delft Service and Partner Career Advice to assist you with your relocation.

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context. At TU Delft we embrace diversity and aim to be as inclusive as possible (see our Code of Conduct ). Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

The Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment has a leading role in education and research worldwide. The driving force behind the faculty’s success is its robust research profile combined with the energy and creativity of its student body and academic community. It is buzzing with energy from early in the morning until late at night, with four thousand people studying, working, designing, conducting research and acquiring and disseminating knowledge. Our faculty has a strong focus on 'design-oriented research’, which has given it a top position in world rankings.

Staff and students are working to improve the built environment with the help of a broad set of disciplines, including architectural design, urban planning, building technology, social sciences, process management, and geo-information science. The faculty works closely with other faculties, universities, private parties, and the public sector, and has an extensive network in the Netherlands as well as internationally.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built

JUST PREPARE is a large research project funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) which will run for four years. The focus of the project is on the energy transition (ET) in underprivileged neighbourhoods in the Netherlands, involving residents in tailoring in-home systems and renovation in the built environment to their practices and needs. An effective and just ET thus requires a bottom‐up perspective to rethink and further develop thematic agendas for municipalities, housing corporations and other institutional actors.

This project develops methodical and substantive knowledge needed to realize these issues. Initial knowledge outputs are tested and improved based on lessons learned in four Living Labs, in which four municipalities, residents and other stakeholders participate

Within this overall project, two postdoc’s, four PhD’s, several junior researchers will together with senior researchers collaborate in several working packages (WP’s). Amongst others these WP’s will study residents’ energy practices in relation to technology design and governance practices, organize the Living labs and the Learning Lab, and integrate knowledge. 

For information about the application procedure, please contact Thaleia Konstantinou, e-mail: [email protected] or Henk Visscher, e-mail: [email protected]

Deadline for application is June 1, 2022 (local Dutch time; UTC+2). You can only apply online via the button 'Apply now'.

To apply, please send a detailed CV including names and contact details of 2 references, detailed transcripts with all university grades, a motivation letter (1-2 pages) that should address your vision of the project and how you would fit for the advertised position, proof of English language skills and an abstract of your MSc thesis, all compiled into a single pdf file (max 10 pages in total) by June 1, 2022 (local Dutch time; UTC+2)

Please note:

  • You can only apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
  • Applications will not be processed if all documents required are not compiled into a single pdf document. 
  • A pre-Employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
  • Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated.


Similar Positions