English Articles

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Twins are cautiously gaining a foothold in the construction industry. The possibilities of digitalization seem endless, but their implementation still needs to be improved.

3D printers in construction are the ideal solution to both the housing shortage and the labor shortage. The opportunities are endless, but there are also some drawbacks.

A fully circular construction economy by 2050. Are we going to achieve that? t will be difficult, but it starts with good cooperation.

Something to think about: we will only end climate problems with integral solutions. "It sounds abstract but at the same time it makes perfect sense."

Construction in the Netherlands urgently needs to innovate. The housing shortage, meeting sustainability goals, and infrastructure maintenance make transition and innovation necessary. Professor André Dorée, chair of the Civil Engineering & Management Department at the University of Twente, is already involved for 30 years in how the Dutch construction industry - and infrastructure in particular - innovates. "In this, I mainly look at the role of the government," he says. "It fulfills many roles. Among other things, the government is market master, important buyer, licensing authority and enforcer."

Innovations that go far off the beaten track, that is what 4TU.Bouw, one of the nine Centers of the 4TU.Federation, is dedicated to. The four technical universities and fourteen universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands are working together on a long-term vision and an action plan for (fundamental) research in the construction sector. Clever minds are shining their light on the future of the construction sector, each from their own background and perspective.

More and more often, tiny cracks are appearing in train tracks. International cooperation is crucial to solve this.

 The world is in transition. This is having a huge impact on all sectors, and that includes construction. Consequently, 4TU.Bouw is committed to jointly developing the knowledge of tomorrow.

After two years of scientific directorhip of 4TU.Built Environment, Maarten Hornikx (TU/e Built Environment) hands over the baton to Max Hendriks (TUD Civil Engineering). Hendriks sees sustainability as one of the most important themes for construction. A common scientific vision is needed, and therefore cooperation between the 4TU and partners in the construction industry. An interview with both of them.

SOMA College (the biggest construction equipment operator training center in the Netherlands) faced a challenge: how can one instructor observe five or six students at the same time, with each student operating a large machine?

Meer dan 25 partijen uit de bouwwereld, inclusief 4TU.Bouw, slaan handen ineen voor een innovatieve aanpak van vervanging en renovatie.

Maarten Hornikx (TU/e) has been the Scientific Director at the 4TU.Bouw Center for Built Environment since February 2020. He has taken over the role from André Dorée (UT) who will continue his involvement in the centre as one of the four TU ambassadors.

The 4TU.Bouw consortium has collaborated in the BTIC to draft the Strategic Program ‘Digitalization’ (in Dutch only).