PhD Position in 3D Geoinformation for Building Renovation Passports and Energy Transition

PhD Position in 3D Geoinformation for Building Renovation Passports and Energy Transition

Challenge: Tackle data fragmentation

Change: Streamline and standardize data pipeline

Impact: Easier, data-driven housing energy renovation

Job description

In the upcoming RenoDAT (“Accelerating Building RENOvation and Decarbonization Through DATa Integration”) project, an interdisciplinary consortium led by TU Delft will develop new research methods and implementation strategies to foster the digitalization of the built environment to accelerate the implementation of the Renovation Passport for buildings.

The project is a collaboration of universities, universities of applied sciences, governmental organizations and private companies and funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) within the “Digitalisation of Energy Renovations in the Built Environment” framework. The project aims to fill the knowledge gaps on data governance, ownership, privacy, and harmonization for data-driven energy renovation of the building stock.

The overarching goals are:

• To contribute to speeding up the rate of housing renovation in order to reach the climate goals in time.
• To facilitate access to transparent, accessible, and comprehensive energy-relevant building data on the existing building stock.
• To develop a data infrastructure that enables the collection, management, and sharing of such building data for Renovation Passports to support various energy renovation applications.
• To connect to the ongoing developments at national and international scale that cover both spatial and non-spatial data, for example in terms of integration between BIM and 3D city models.

The 3D Geoinformation group at TU Delft will be involved in several technical tasks that will explore the challenges of coupling, enriching, and integrating available public and private data sources that will underpin the Building Renovation Passport. In particular, our main tasks to be carried out in cooperation with the other project partners are:

• Investigation and analysis of data requirements for the Building Renovation Passport, starting from the existing national and international legislation, policies, and standards.
• Analysis of the gaps between existing data sources and those required by the Renovation Passport, in terms of type, format, accuracy, completeness, reliability, ownership, etc.
• Development of data harmonization and integration strategies supporting the Building Renovation Passport, covering both spatial and non-spatial aspects and considering existing standard data models and APIs and their possible extension or adaptation for the project goals.
• Development of solutions that build upon and extend the current data infrastructure, together with the other partners.
• Development and testing of a prototype application together with the other partners to compute the energy performance certificate of a building (unit) and couple it with energy simulation tools.

To support the research work of the TU Delft team, we have opened a 4-year PhD position in our 3D Geoinformation research group, section Urban Data Science, Department of Urbanism, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment. This PhD candidate is expected to contribute to the above tasks.

Another PhD position will open for the RenoDAT project at TU Delft, in the section Real Estate Management, Department of Management of the Built Environment, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment. Both PhDs will collaborate to contribute to the project overarching goals.

Job requirements

Applicants should:

• hold an MSc in geoinformatics/geomatics, computer sciences or engineering (or in a related discipline);
• have experience in data modelling, data integration, software development, management of data from BIM and semantic 3D city model (in particular: IFC and CityGML);
• have good programming skills (e.g. in Python, SQL, Java, JavaScript, etc.);
• have a good command of English (oral and written);
• have an affinity with working in multi-disciplinary teams in an internationally oriented environment.

Knowledge of Dutch language is a plus but not required.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)
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 as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Architecture & the Built Environment
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.

Conditions of employment

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 €2901 per month in the first year to €3707 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 customizable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

Additional information

For more information about this position, please contact directly Dr. Giorgio Agugiaro (g.agugiaro@tudelft.nl).

For more information about the selection procedure, please contact Stephanie Ip (recruitment-BK@tudelft.nl).