More homes, better infrastructure: reshaping cities is essential

“Heat stress in cities is worsening, and more than half of the country is vulnerable to flooding. We need to find solutions. At the same time, we are working on circular construction and looking for ways to make the built environment contribute to people's health, for example by adding more greenery to the streets,” says Frank van der Hoeven, director of research at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment at the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft). He is also the scientific director of 4TU.Built Environment, a collaboration between the architecture-related faculties of the four technical universities in the Netherlands.

According to Jos Arts, professor of Environment and Infrastructure Planning at the University of Groningen (RUG), technological innovation alone is insufficient to meet the major challenges of our time. What is needed is a systemic approach: a broad overview of all developments and challenges, both physical-spatial and institutional.

Designers and architects have an integrated perspective and therefore play a crucial role in finding solutions. “For successful implementation, we need planners and designers,” says Arts. “Space in the Netherlands is scarce, and everything has to come together in that same space. This requires a multidisciplinary approach in which technology and society interact with each other.” According to him, design takes place at multiple scales within the built environment. “It starts with the home or workplace and extends through the street, neighborhood, and city to the surrounding countryside and the regional and national levels. Water is also part of this—think of shipping routes or offshore wind farms.”

Different scales and interests

Van der Hoeven continues: “That is precisely where the biggest challenge lies. A particular solution may be perfect at the regional level, but have the opposite effect at the local level. This means that interests are sometimes at odds with each other.” He refers to the Amsterdam Sloterdijk area as an example. “The public transport hubs had to be expanded to ensure a good regional and national network. It was then decided to bring everything together in Amsterdam Sloterdijk, adjacent to a major port terminal. The result is an area with many viaducts and noise. This makes it less attractive to live here and makes the area somewhat monotonous."

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Joint approach

Designing for the built environment is therefore an essential theme in the Sector Plan for Technology II. The government wants to invest an additional €200 million per year in scientific education and research. The sector plans are a means of identifying how this money can be spent most effectively. They strengthen cooperation between universities, ensure a clear division of tasks, and thus improve the international position. Additionally, they help attract, train, and retain top scientific talent.

A joint approach to the social challenges in the built environment is central to the Sector Plan for Technology. Five universities are involved in the sector plan for technology: Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), the University of Twente (UT), Wageningen University & Research (WUR), and the University of Groningen (RUG). Each university contributes to one or more themes from its relevant faculties.

The fourth generation of universities

The DR OGO's plans fit in with the development of the so-called fourth-generation university. In addition to education, research, and valorization, the focus is on impact and tackling broad societal challenges. This involves not only research, but also the development and implementation of solutions together with stakeholders in the (regional) innovation ecosystem. Arts: “Social challenges have always been important in the built environment, including in education and research. It's about choices for the future of the built environment, the place where we live, work, and play. That's why this fits in so well with the fourth-generation university.”

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Lifelong development

The DR OGO views lifelong learning (LLO) as an essential component in addressing the challenges. "LLO is about education after you graduate," says Van der Hoeven. "In several regions, the number of graduates is completely insufficient to fill the number of vacancies in the sector. If we look to the future, for example, at the task of overhauling the energy grid, we will need more people. On the other hand, the number of graduates is expected to continue declining in the coming years. Added to this is the fact that the current government is taking a negative stance toward expats. The only thing we can do is look at retraining or upskilling people who are already working in the sector."

In the study

Arts and Van der Hoeven see two sides to LLO. On the one hand, there are post-master's programs, such as a PhD or EngD. Van der Hoeven sees that the EngD programs are more practice-oriented and therefore better suited to the current issues at hand. “It is important that we at DR OGO encourage research groups to think beyond their research and toward real-world implementation.”

In practice

On the other hand, short courses are also relevant for retraining people who are already working in the sector. “This is key for increasing productivity and getting more work done with fewer people. It is also a good way for professionals to learn about the latest developments in their field,” says Van der Hoeven. However, financing this remains a significant challenge. "The financing of bachelor's and master's programs and research tracks is a robust system, but this is not yet the case for shorter courses. We are still working on putting the puzzle together to determine how universities can organize and finance this initiative together. In doing so, it is essential to look at a separate business plan for LLO.

Given the current political situation, it is not a given that we can count on funding from the ministries, for example. Arts adds: "This academy, like the collaboration between the five universities, must grow organically and develop step by step."