The Utrecht SBE16 Conference. From the introduction: "The conference is part of the Sustainable Built conference series and is as such considered to be part of the pre-eminent international conference series on sustainable building and construction endorsed by iiSBE, UNEP-SBO and FIDIC. The Utrecht SBE16 conference is hosted by the Centre of Expertise Smart Sustainable Cities of HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, in partnership with six Dutch Universities of Applied Sciences (Avans, Saxion, Rotterdam, The Hague, Zuyd, InHolland) and the Utrecht Sustainability Institute (USI). The Transition Zero conference provides us with a unique opportunity to meet transition professionals in urban sustainability from all over Europe and beyond and to learn about the latest developments and best (inter)national practices in urban sustainability. The rich interest in the conference, made it possible to offer research as well as practitioner-driven tracks on topics related to the conference title. The conference brought together excellent future-minded practitioners, researchers and thought leaders from the R&I community, specialists and professionals on zero energy homes and transition of the built environment."
The sustainable energy transition asks for new and innovative solutions in the way society, government, energy market and clients (end users) approach energy distribution and consumption. The energy transition provides great opportunity to develop innovative solutions where in the dense built environment district heating and cooling are being strongly advocated.Traditionally, the energy systems in urban districts have been regulated by a top-down approach. With the rise of local and distributed sustainable sources for urban heating and cooling, the complexity of the heat/cold chain is increasing. Therefore, an organic and bottom-up approach is being requested, where the public authorities have a facilitating and/or directive role. There is a need for a new and open framework for collaboration between stakeholders. A framework that provides insight into the integral consideration of heating and cooling solutions on district level in terms of: organisation, technology and economy (OTE). This research therefore focuses on developing this integral framework towards widely supported heating and cooling solutions among district stakeholders.Through in-depth interviews, workshops and focus groups discussions, relevant stakeholders in local district heating/cooling of varying backgrounds and expertise have been consulted. This has led to two pillars in a framework. Firstly the definition of Key Success Factors and Key Performance Indicators to evaluate technical solutions in light of the respective context. Secondly, an iterative decision making process among district stakeholders where technical scenarios, respective financial business cases and market organisation are being negotiated. Fundamental proposition of the framework is the recurrent interaction between OTE factors throughout the entire decision making process. In order to constantly assure broad-based support, the underlying nature of possible barriers for collaboration are identified in a stakeholder matrix, informing a stakeholder strategy. It reveals an open insight of the interests, concerns, and barriers among all stakeholders, where solutions can be developed effectively.
Ending subsidies for fossil fuel heating systems from 2025, and phasing out gas boilers and other fossil fuel heaters by 2040. These are just two of the outcomes of a political agreement between the EU Council and the European Parliament, which was reached on December 7, 2023. Which measures were agreed upon, and what will the implications be for the heating sector?
MULTIFILE
Lightweight, renewable origin, mild processing, and facile recyclability make thermoplastics the circular construction materials of choice. However, in additive manufacturing (AM), known as 3D printing, mass adoption of thermoplastics lags behind. Upon heating into the melt, particles or filaments fuse first in 2D and successively in 3D, realizing unprecedented geometrical freedom. Despite a scientific understanding of fusion, industrial consortium experts are still confronted with inferior mechanical properties of fused weld interfaces in reality. Exemplary is early mechanical failure in patient-specific and biodegradable medical devices based on Corbion’s poly(lactides), and more technical constructs based on Mitsubishi’s poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET. The origin lies in contradictory low rate of polymer diffusion and entangling, and too high rate of crystallization that is needed to compensate insufficient entangling. Knowing that Zuyd University in close collaboration with Maastricht University has eliminated these contradictory time-scales for PLA-based systems, Corbion and Mitsubishi contacted Zuyd with the question to address and solve their problem. In previous research it has been shown that interfacial co-crystallization of alternating depositioned opposite stereo-specific PLA grades resulted in strengthening of the interface. To promote mass adoption of thermoplastics AM industries, the innovation question has been phrased as follows: What is a technically scalable route to induce toughness in additively manufactured thermoplastics? High mechanical performance translates into an intrinsic brittle to tough transition of stereocomplex reinforced AM products, focusing on fused deposition modeling. Taking the professional request on biocompatibility, engineering performance and scalability into account, the strategies in lowering the yield stress and/or increasing the network strength comprise (i) biobased and biocompatible plasticizers for stereocomplexed poly(lactide), (ii) interfacial co-crystallization of intrinsically tough polyester based materials formulations, and (iii) in-situ interfacial transesterification of recycled PET formulations.
Zuyd University and partners will develop novel coatings that contribute to a reduction in energy consumption of houses and buildings. The built environment currently consumes 46% of all energy, mainly for heating and cooling. A strong reduction is required as part of the transition towards sustainable energy. This is expressed by ambitious targets set by the Parkstad region, which has set itself the target to be energy neutral in 2040. For the Window of the Future Zuyd University (lectoraat Nanostructured Materials) and DWI (post-doc) aims to develop infrared regulating coatings that keep the heat inside in winter and outside in summer. These coatings are expected to strongly contribute to reduction of energy consumption. We will develop coating materials for application on glass windows, which are transparent for visible light to allow maximal daylight entering the building, and simultaneously regulate the transmission and reflection of IR heat. Kriya and Physee (SMEs) will advise Zuyd on technical and economic challenges related to the development of IR regulating glass windows. OMT Solutions (SME) and SGS Intron will advise on characterization and the performance validation. The need for such windows is confirmed by TNO/The Brightlands Materials Center as central challenge in their Optoelectronics program. They contribute largely to this project. Large demonstrator windows will be coated, and installed in test houses for real-life testing and quantification of the energy reduction. Zuyd (lectoraat Solar Energy in the Built Environment) will quantify the impact of smart IR regulating windows on the energy transition by comparing their impact to other available technologies, e.g. solar cells. In this quantification, Zuyd will focus on the Parkstad region. Together with Parkstad and Maastricht University (Ph.D. student), Zuyd will also quantify the socio-economic impact, and promote the societal acceptance of smart IR regulating windows.
