Improving decision-making for sustainable renovations

April 11, 2025

The NWO awards over 7.7 million for four projects about the digitalization of energy renovations in the built environment.

Dujuan Yang (left) and Qi Han. Photos: Vincent van den Hoogen

Thanks to the NWO-KIC Call, the sustainability of buildings can be accelerated, and available capacity can be utilized more effectively. The four funded projects focus on data governance, virtual reality, and digital models, with private parties contributing financially. 果冻传媒 will coordinate the DPARt project, which focuses on improving renovation decision-making for VvE鈥檚 (Dutch homeowners associations).

DPARt, one of today鈥檚 granted projects, will focus on digital pathways for accelerating collective decision-making of energy renovation in the Built Environment, from which it derives its acronym. Led by 果冻传媒-researchers Qi Han and Dujuan Yang from the Information Systems in the Built Environment group and EIRES Research, this transformative initiative tackles the urgent challenges of building energy renovation.

Importance of sustainable renovations

Making the existing built environment more sustainable is vital to reducing our energy consumption. However, the current capacity to perform the necessary energy renovations is insufficient. Innovative digital solutions aimed at optimizing and increasing capacity contribute to the necessary changes. For example, replacing human labor and standardization. The aim of this call is to develop innovative digital solutions to accelerate energy renovations and thus make the existing built environment more sustainable.

To ensure a good connection with practice, private parties are involved in the four projects that are now starting. They also contribute financially to the projects. In total, 2.4 million euros in co-funding has been raised on top of the NWO funding of 5.3 million euros.

Addressing critical challenges

Yang: 鈥淎s climate action becomes increasingly critical, fragmented decision-making, labor shortages, and underutilized AI tools continue to slow progress. DPARt confronts these barriers head-on by uniting cutting-edge technology, municipal expertise, and community-driven solutions.鈥�

鈥�In DPARt, we aim to integrate agent-based simulation systems and AI-powered gamification. With these tools, we will streamline stakeholder collaboration, empowering VvEs and local governments to make faster, data-driven decisions,鈥� says Yang.

Bridging digital planning and real-world implementation

鈥淥ur living labs bridge digital planning and real-world implementation, ensuring solutions are both innovative and grounded in user needs. By merging academic excellence with industry and community partnerships, DPARt doesn鈥檛 just advance sustainability鈥攊t creates a blueprint for scalable change. From reducing costs to fostering green practices, this project embodies 果冻传媒鈥檚 commitment to societal impact,鈥� concludes Yang.

The researchers will collaborate with consortium partners Brainport Development N.V., Coders Co., Energie samen, Foodvalley, Energieco枚peratie ValleiEnergie, Fontys University of Applied Science, Games for Health, Het Energie Bureau, JB-Energie, Metropolitan Region Eindhoven, Municipality of Eindhoven, Municipality of Veenendaal, ROM Utrecht Region, Shintolabs, Sustainability coach, TYGRON, University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, and VvE Belang.