Air pollution poses a significant threat to human health globally, with Southeast Asia being one of the most affected regions. Chiang Mai, as the largest cultivated area in northern Thailand, faces severe haze pollution due to traditional farming practices, especially during the burning season. As urban areas encroach upon agricultural land and farmers increasingly turn to forests for land and resources, the pollution situation is intensifying in the negative way.

The thesis proposes a comprehensive strategic spatial framework which applied a multi-layered approach, including policy, social, and natural layers, to control pollution sources in agriculture and forest area and to eliminate air pollution that has already been generated in urban area. Envision a harmonious landscape where regenerative forests, integrated agriculture, and a haze-free environment synergistically contribute to refreshing the city. The thesis outlines pilot projects selected from rural and urban areas, which will be implemented and further elaborated with strategies and involve with site-specific intervention, aiming at achieving the goal of mitigating air pollution. These pilot projects will serve as models for surrounding areas facing similar challenges.

The ultimate aim is to transform agricultural areas into sustainable systems through the implementation of agroforestry practices, foster self-sufficiency within communities through urban farming initiatives, and promote a self-circulating urban environment through urban greening efforts. With synthesis of all systems, the existing fragmentation with be filled with green infrastructure throughout the entire area. By adopting this comprehensive strategic framework, Chiang Mai can address air pollution issues, promote sustainable land use practices, and create resilient landscapes that improve the well-being and quality of life for its residents.

On January 30, 2020, the WHO Emergency Committee declared a global health emergency based on increasing reports of Chinese and international cases. The unprecedented impact of COVID-19 has also affected education systems around the world. This means that more than 1.6 billion students, representing 91% of all students in the world, have felt the impact of COVID-19 on their study environments. The Smart Campus Tools and SCT 2.0 research has revealed that the use of SCTs is well known among Dutch and foreign universities. But, because the COVID-19 crisis is a recent and still current event, there is a gap in the literature with the insights on how universities and organizations have utilized SCTs during this period. This research aims to reflect the use of SCTs in the COVID-19 period at universities and other organizations. In addition, it identifies differences in the use of SCTs in the intervening years between the SCT 2.0 research and this study. This was ascertained through a literature study, the first brainstorming session, a case study at nine Dutch and five foreign universities and at three other organizations, and finally a second brainstorming session. Based on the outcomes of this research, it can be concluded that since the changes around the COVID-19 virus, existing or new SCTs have contributed to the ‘back-to-campus/office’ phase. This has been achieved through reservation tools for individual study places and/or tools that display crowding indications in the buildings. This has facilitated the monitoring of the number of users in the buildings and the ability to regulate capacity. Recommendations are provided to show campus managers the possibilities around the newly created problem; the "digital towel" in reservations (no-shows). Lastly, the research stresses the importance of quantitative research for further research on this topic.

Motivation. As technological developments in the workplace accelerate, workplaces are connecting to a variety of sensors, actuators, and dedicated networks in the Internet of Things (IoT). Sensor data can be collected on aspects of workplace performance and occupants’ behaviors. While the performance of the workplace is evaluated, the validation by facility managers is under-development and dominated by perceptual self-report measurements. In Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) the main instrument used by facility managers is surveys. Due to the properties of the instruments, surveys and other self-report measurements raise concern for the effectiveness of verifications to maintain and improve the performance of the workplace environment. With new ways of working, Activity-Based Working (ABW) is a promising workstyle focused on people, place, and technology, but several performance issues have been identified. Limited studies focus on the application of sensor data, and IoT is only recently recognized to make a significant impact on the validation of the workplace performance by facility managers. Research aim and goal. The main research aim is to explore the application of sensor data for the validation of the ABW performance by facility managers. The research goal is to identify the opportunities and limitations of the current sensor data in an IoT from a Facility Management (FM) perspective. Research method. The exploration of the sensor data is conducted utilizing both research and design in a case study. The case study is a prominent smart building located at Schiphol that has embraced the concept of ABW. In the case study, the available sensor data is collected and explored for opportunities and limitations. Components of an interface are designed from a FM perspective to explore the sensor data structurally in an ABW environment. The exploration of the data is conducted using hypotheses. Three hypotheses are formulated based on performance issues in ABW from literature, and further specified based on the case study. Key findings and conclusion. The exploration of the sensor data illustrated that the role and decision-making process of a facility manager can drastically change within the ABW environment of smart buildings. The facility manager can validate the workplace performance with goals set for each activity. Facility managers can shift from a complaint-driven reactive attitude to a proactive data-driven analytic of the workplace performance. With the sensor data, the facility manager can additionally rely on continuous quantitative and objective data of the workplace performance. The use of both subjective inputs from occupants’ perception in combination with objective sensor data can improve the reliability of the data for more effective verifications in the ABW environment. Nevertheless, the current state of smart buildings is not up to expectations. The sensor data is the critical input in an IoT and lacks on many fronts. Researchers and practitioners are encouraged to align the data of the sensors with KPIs from a facility management perspective by (re)considering the functionality of the sensors. To benchmark the sensor data with aspects of employee satisfaction, productivity, and well-being, a consensus is required amongst organizations for the application of sensors with similar output values.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) constitutes an innovative way of creating and managing data among multiple disciplines and it is recently introduced in Architecture Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. The adoption rate of BIM is considered low due to a lack of awareness regarding these methodologies and their outcomes. Although many studies present the benefits of BIM, there is still insufficient knowledge regarding its monetary value and the way it can be embedded in a company. Researchers have not yet been able to accurately substantiate all of the benefits because their intangible nature makes their quantification challenging. Apart from the lack of exact quantification of the profits, the Threats of BIM cause the need for evaluation. The objective of this research is to evaluate the costs and benefits of BIM implementation. The quantification focuses on the Execution phase of a project when BIM costs are considered to be the highest. What could constitute a standard method of evaluating the costs and benefits of BIM in Construction Projects? The answer to the main question that motivated the research is given through the development of a transparent and evaluative Framework that is based on Cost and Benefit Analysis (CBA) and is potentially applicable in any construction project. This Framework is structured on an Excel Spreadsheet, analyses BIM results and produces numerical data. The purpose of this method is to capture information, quantify costs and benefits and calculate the benefit-to-cost ratio. Consequently, the Framework is applied on 5 construction projects, namely, the Case Studies, and generates the B/C ratio which ranges from 1 to 8. Briefly, the evaluative method considers as inputs the BIM costs and workflows, is applied on the construction site in order to capture information on time and quantify the costs and benefits. The result is the CBA of BIM implementation and particularly the B/C ratio. Once the Framework is implemented, users are able to evaluate BIM costs & benefits, update BIM strategies and thus, raise awareness within academia and industry.

Construction projects deal with a lot of uncertainties in the design stage and therefore, changes in the design are sometimes unavoidable. There are various factors leading to design changes, however, the most frequent factor is the client. Clients often produce vague design briefs and as a result, design changes are expected at a later stage, leading to time and cost overruns as well as lower productivity. The objective of this research is to create a framework for design teams, in order to improve the management of changes initiated by the client in the design stage of a construction project. This objective is achieved thanks to the use of Agile Project Management (APM), which offers a proactive approach. The proposed Agile framework is validated on the basis of a single case study, and the findings of the validation show that the Agile framework offers benefits in terms of managing of client’s changes (e.g. potential for minimization of changes, improved visibility of changes, reduction of abortive work). However, there are also barriers that hinder the employment of the framework in practice, such as the contractual constraints and the number of stakeholders that have to be aligned with the proposed way of working. Further research should be conducted in order to investigate the real-world application of the framework.

The purpose of this research is to extend knowledge on adding value to office employees (end users) due to smart technology implementation. The focus of this research document is given to end users since the problem statement emphasises a need of a strategic change in CREM’s activities related to smart technology implementation. The problem statement explains the recognized paradox. On the one hand smart technologies are the components of Smart Office Real Estate which should serve its end users – office employees. On the other hand , it seems that smart technology implementation initiative is a top-down process which causes issues such as peoples’ fear or privacy concerns. The proposed in this research strategic change implies focusing on employee-oriented IoT implementation initiative. The research main question is ‘how can Corporate Real Estate Managers (CREM) shape Internet of Things (IoT) initiative which adds value to office employees?’. The research methodology combines systematic literature review and case study methods. The case study method consists of two parts: in-depth interviewees (incl. appendage) and desk research. The research have an explorative character. The appointed mixed methodology allows to gather information from practice and at the same time ensure its reliability. The research analysis presents a comprehensive process design. The process design framework visualises actors, steps and phases of IoT implementation initiative. Additionally the research addresses implemented within investigated case studies smart technology and its explains its added value. Both findings guide CREM on how to shape an IoT initiative due to: (1) clarifying their role in the comprehensive IoT implementation process and (2) indicating application functionalities and data which CREM should pay attention to in order to add value to office employees. The research findings are highly relevant to the multiple actors, primarily CREM’s practices in current changing RE market.

English - Language (scroll down for Dutch) Various technologies in the domain of digital fabrication have been introduced in the construction industry to promote efficiency. This thesis provides a platform for reviewing 3-d construction printing technology. This thesis explored the barriers that make the adoption of 3-d printing technology in the construction industry difficult. The significance or effects of these barriers will be evaluated by assessing the positions and views of the study participants. These barriers include: • High costs of printer. • Immaturity of printing partners. • Unclear regulatory implications. • Inability to create larger structures. • High cost of printed structures. • Lack of commercial viability. • Lack of customer support. • Lack of sufficient successful examples. • Architect/designer unpreparedness. • Difficulty of transporting printers. • Technology interruption risk. • Need for expensive specialty materials. The three suggested problems climate change, depletion of natural resources and socio-economic factors are all considered important which is quite broad if not explained with a good point of 22 departure. However, the point of departure of this thesis is that it is about attributing to the solving of these 3 big problems (national and even world problems). And that scalability of a product and thus mass feasibility of 3-d printing is crucial for worldwide adoption and solving real-world issues instead of just creating a niche market for free-form architecture. When a product is highly scalable and brings real value, assumable big private (and even public) investments can be attracted if the product makes sense from an investor point of view. Therefore, 3-d construction printing really needs to add value on a larger scale and not just for a niche market on the longer term. It should be clear to see if big investments are worthy for 3-d construction printing. Besides, I wanted to learn how to research a new product for myself and on its potentials for providing a solution for important (world) issues. In short, there are potential new materials, there are barriers and I research the way how barriers can be discovered and potentially be overcome in the domain of digital fabrication, focusing on cementitious 3-d construction printing. The thesis was divided into different parts. The first section is an introduction from where the topic was introduced. The next part covered the research methods and more importantly, the techniques that were used to gather data and information from the study participants. From there, main research results were provided. Here, the results were divided into interview results and questionnaire results. Subsequently, a brief conclusion that summarized the main parts of the paper was be provided followed by possible recommendations. Dutch - Language Verschillende technologieën op het gebied van digitale fabricage zijn geïntroduceerd in de bouwsector om efficiëntie te bevorderen. Deze thesis biedt een platform voor het beoordelen van 3-d constructieprinttechnologie. Deze thesis onderzocht de barrières die het gebruik van 3-d printtechnologie in de bouwsector bemoeilijken. De betekenis of effecten van deze barrières zullen worden geëvalueerd door de posities en standpunten van de studiedeelnemers te beoordelen. Deze barrières omvatten: • Hoge kosten van de printer. • Onvolwassenheid van print partners. • Onduidelijke gevolgen met betrekking tot regelgeving. • Onmogelijkheid om grotere structuren te maken. • Hoge kosten van gedrukte structuren. • Gebrek aan commerciële levensvatbaarheid. • Gebrek aan klantenondersteuning. • Gebrek aan voldoende succesvolle voorbeelden. • Onvoorbereide architect / ontwerper. • Moeilijkheden om printers te vervoeren. • Technologieonderbrekingsrisico. • Behoefte aan dure speciaal materieel De drie gesignaleerde problemen klimaatverandering, uitputting van natuurlijke hulpbronnen en sociaal-economische factoren worden allemaal als belangrijk beschouwd, die vrij breed is als ze niet worden uitgelegd met een goed uitgangspunt. Het uitgangspunt van deze thesis is echter dat het gaat over het bijdragen aan het oplossen van deze 3 grote problemen (nationale en zelfs wereldproblemen). Daarmee is de schaalbaarheid van een product en de massale haalbaarheid van 3-d printen van cruciaal belang voor wereldwijde acceptatie en het oplossen van deze wezelijke problemen in plaats van alleen maar een nichemarkt te creëren voor vrije-vormarchitectuur. Wanneer een product zeer schaalbaar is en echt waarde oplevert, kunnen veronderstelde grote particuliere (en zelfs publieke) investeringen worden aangetrokken als het product vanuit het 8 oogpunt van de belegger logisch is. Daarom moet 3-d constructieprinten echt waarde toevoegen op een grotere schaal en niet alleen voor een nichemarkt op de langere termijn. Het moet duidelijk zijn om te zien of grote investeringen waard zijn voor 3-d constructieprinten. Bovendien wilde ik leren hoe ik een nieuw product voor mezelf kon onderzoeken en wat het potentieel is om een oplossing te bieden voor belangrijke (wereld) problemen. Kortom, er zijn potentiële nieuwe materialen, er zijn barrières en ik onderzoek hoe barrières kunnen worden ontdekt en mogelijk worden overwonnen in het domein van digitale fabricage, met de nadruk op cementgebonden 3-d constructie geprinte buitenwanden. Deze thesis is in verschillende delen verdeeld. De eerste sectie was de introductie van waar het onderwerp is geïntroduceerd. Het volgende deel behandelde de onderzoeksmethoden en, nog belangrijker, de technieken die werden gebruikt om gegevens en informatie van de onderzoeksparticipanten te verzamelen. Van daaruit werden de belangrijkste onderzoeksresultaten verstrekt. Hier werden de resultaten verdeeld in interviewresultaten en vragenlijstresultaten. Vervolgens werd er een korte conclusie gegeven met een samenvatting van de belangrijkste delen van het artikel, gevolgd door mogelijke aanbevelingen.

In most of the current starting construction projects, most stakeholders use virgin materials for building elements. Considering climate change, building materials are getting scarce, it is necessary to reduce the number of virgin building materials and improve circularity in the construction industry. The problem is the absence of a middle man that could research the data of existing usable materials and connect this information to stakeholders of starting dwelling projects. This raises the research question: How can an operational model link the supply of existing building materials with the demand for new construction projects in order to reduce the use of virgin materials and thereby improve circularity in the construction industry? The goal of this research is to provide a useful tool for the construction industry to join the transition towards a circular economy. Based on three levels of scale, an operational model is developed that gives a comparison between the materials costs of existing building elements and virgin building elements for a starting dwelling project. This comparison results in insight and an overview for clients, such as municipalities or housing corporations into the costs of potential dwellings built with existing building materials. The operational tool also gives insight in whether or not reusable building materials provide a feasible business case, considering a framework based on the clients input.

Today, the deregulated Dutch healthcare system, the changing demographics and the growing shortage of medical specialists is putting pressure on the entire hospital and its employees. Thus, improving the patient experience, medical specialist’s workflow and utilisation of space would enable hospitals to provide better care to its patients, while dealing with the deregulated healthcare sector, changing democraphics and pressures on the hospital and its staff. However, buildings today can perform better when being a ‘smart’ building and smart tools can help optimise buildings, by first measuring something about the building or something is requested from the user; This data is then used to achieve a goal.There are some studies about smart tools, but these studies are not focussed on integrating smart tools in the outpatient department. Therefor, the following research question has been developed: Which ‘smart’ optimisations of the outpatient department could improve patient experience, medical specialist’s workflow and utilisation of space? Qualitative research is conducted, whereby literature is reviewed in combination with comparative research of four different Dutch hospitals. Based on the case study, in total fourteen potential optimisations are distinguished in three different focus areas (from most desired to nice to have): (1) Workflow: Diagnostics, finding workplace, digital forms, finding colleague, information (EPD), self measuring / controlling, and e-consult. (2) Patient experience: Information provision, wayfinding, check-in, and senior service. (3) Utilisation of space: Space use, Maintenance / tracking of (medical) equipment, and cleaning. The focus of potential optimisations is mainly focused on functional objectives with supporting user activities, increase patients’ and employees’ satisfaction, and improving productivity. Therefor, the advice is to look at mutiple potential optimisations at the same time and try to come to an integrated solution. This will create new valuable insights, improve the performance of the individual optimisations and stimulates automation. And ultimately, improving the patient experience, the medical specialist’s workflow and the utilisation of space.

Currently the on-site logistics of construction projects are very inefficient. The construction industry is very fragmented and there are a lot of different information and material processes, therefore it is difficult for a main contractor to get control of these all. It is assumed that if the main contractor gets control of the logistics, the logistics will become more efficient. One of the ways to get control is with BIM. Building Information Modelling combines the data of all stakeholders in one model and can help to streamline the logistics. The goal of this research is to show contractors how they can get change their traditional processes into a supply chain that is managed with BIM and get control of their logistics.

The research design that was selected is that of a single-case study. The case that is selected is project Bètatoren, a medium-sized construction project that is built by Waal. This research focusses on Waal, but includes also other parties. Two subcontractors and two suppliers of project Bètatoren have been selected, in order to research the whole supply chain. Also, experts from other construction companies are involved for the validation of this research.

Case study research shows that currently the logistic information and BIM are disconnected. The logistic information is send from the subcontractors and suppliers to the main contractor and back, but this happens mainly in 2D. This is partly due to the fact that there is a mismatch between the information processes and the production processes. As a result, information is missing in the BIM-model. This information should be completed, but that does not happen. No one takes responsibility and therefore the current information processes are fragmented and uncoordinated. The main contractor controls the process but does not coordinate the information, neither does anyone else.

Based upon a literature study and case study research several steps have been defined which the main contractor must take in order to manage the logistics with BIM. First, the main contractor must take the responsibility and control the changes in the process. He must actively lead the supply chain and demand collaborative behavior from the subcontractors and suppliers. Secondly, the main contractor must make sure that the information processes and BIM are connected, and that the logistic information is incorporated in both. This includes, inter alia, linking the planning to the BIM-model. Thirdly, the main contractor must make sure that the BIM-model aligns with the logistics on the construction site.

The information flows and the BIM-structure should be connected to make supply chain management with BIM feasible. According to the research, the process of changing a traditional supply chain into a supply chain management with BIM is both financially, organizationally and socially feasible for the main contractor. Concluding, if the main contractor takes control, actively coordinates and structures the information flow and focusses on connecting the logistic information and BIM, he can get control of the logistics.

In response to greater demand for transparency, technology advancements and the disintermediation by startups are gradually making some of the information public. As a result, property-related information is increasingly available in digital and paper form. However, a significant portion of the digitized information is hosted on disparate systems, which results in a lack of transparency and efficiency, and a higher incidence of inaccuracies that creates a greater potential for fraud. Blockchain technology could enable the commercial real estate industry to address these inefficiencies and inaccuracies.

This research focusses on exploring the different possibilities for integrating blockchain technology in the real estate management process. By analyzing the current real estate management process and gaining knowledge about the implementation of blockchain technology, the objective of this research is exploring in which phases of the real estate management process the process can benefit from the use of blockchain technology.

The research findings contribute to the knowledge of opportunities for broad implementation of blockchain technology in the real estate management process by providing a scientific based research document. It provides a broad overview of different opportunities and constraints for using blockchain technology in the process. It increases awareness for the disruption this technology might bring. This research provides scientific arguments for possibilities of implementing blockchain technology in the real estate management process and will function as a trigger for continuation of research into this topic.