The Netherlands faces a significant task of renovating and replacing a lot of the infrastructure in the following decades. A large number of infrastructure assets was constructed after the second world war and is now reaching their end of life. At the same time, there are fewer people and resources to work on this renew task because a lot of people are leaving organisations due to ageing, there are fewer civil engineers coming back and there are other tasks that are given more priority. This alsocauses a loss of knowledge on how to handle such a task. A solution for this that was proposed is collaboration. It would be useful for the asset owners of the infrastructure (municipalities, provinces and Rijkswaterstaat) to work together on renovating and replacing their infrastructure to share resources, maintain accessibility and align goals and interests. This thesis is looking into how such a collaboration can be initiated and developed with different asset owners in large-scale infrastructure renovation and replacement projects. A collaboration with different asset owners that have different
interests and goals can bring challenges, which are important to overcome.

This research was executed by using a literature research, looking into a case study and conducting interviews within this case. The case is an initiative in the province of Noord Holland that has started to develop a collaboration between the different asset owners. The findings show that there are many different challenges and success factors for collaboration. The main challenges that were identified are the lack of a relationship and trust between the organisations, limited time, fear of losing autonomy and that there are different levels in the asset owner organisations. Some success factors are trust, transparency, clear communication, early involvement of stakeholders, having shared goals and having an approachable collaboration.

The collaboration in the case was described as a voluntary collaboration, where the asset owners could decide for themselves whether they want to participate in the collaboration network. A voluntary collaboration is developed when organisations see a shared challenge for which they recognise opportunities to work together. This collaboration is based on trust and having a shared goal. These components are especially important to develop in a collaboration. To answer the research question, a process description on how to initiate and develop a collaboration is designed. This model consists of five steps, which goes from defining the problem, to having informal meetings and working on building trust, to exploring the opportunities for actions that can come from the collaboration, to eventually executing these actions. Also, some important strategies and recommendations have been formulated here for the development of collaboration, which are to start small and work progressively on expanding the collaboration, it is important to define the reason for collaboration clearly, there should be goals within the collaboration, it is crucial to work on building a relationship and trust, and there has to be transparency about roles, responsibilities and
expectations.

This model can be useful for other organisations that want to initiate a collaboration for the renewal task in another region. For this, it is crucial that the interests and goals of those asset owner organisations are clear and there is a shared reason for the collaboration.

The increasing frequency of urgent projects, driven by both natural disasters and aging infrastructure, demands a global shift towards enhanced preparedness to build resilience to align with principles of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the context of post-disaster housing in Indonesia, this requires a paradigm shift from a reactive, crisis-driven approach to a proactive one. This transition is supported by converging trends in disaster management, construction, and public procurement, which all show a move towards greater flexibility, collaboration, and proactive planning.

This research addresses the challenge of project delivery delays by developing and evaluating a procurement strategy to accelerate reconstruction. The study employs a three-phase Design-Based Research (DBR) methodology, combining literature synthesis, a comparative analysis of three case studies, and stakeholder interviews. In the first phase, Analysis & Exploration, a novel preparedness framework was developed from literature, identifying seven aspects: Community Involvement, Knowledge, Industrial Resources, Land Planning, Regulations, Funding, and Projects & Programmes. Analysis of current practices revealed a missed opportunity in project governance, where operational capacity is not fully translated into efficient and timely project outcomes, slowing down the overall recovery process. This issue is then addressed in the second phase, Design & Construction, by designing a new procurement strategy. This strategy is centered on a pre-disaster Framework Agreement that integrates design-build delivery with the pre-stocking of modular components (RISHA). In the third phase, Evaluation & Reflection, this strategy was validated and refined through stakeholder interviews.

Utilizing the framework as the assessment tool, the study concludes that a collaborative, customized framework-based procurement strategy provides a tangible mechanism to improve preparedness by shifting institutions from a reactive to a proactive stance. This research contributes to the scientific discourse by providing a practical bridge between high-level international frameworks and the realities of project delivery. For future work, it is recommended to pursue integrated governance reform, particularly establishing national land banks and ex-ante disaster financing, and to pilot the proposed strategy in diverse contexts to further refine its application.

Many Dutch bridges were constructed in the decades following World War II and are now reaching the end of their service life. While their overall functionality may be declining, individual components still retain significant structural value. In light of increasing circularity ambitions, reusing these components presents an opportunity to reduce emissions and maximize this residual value. However, steel bridge component reuse remains uncommon in the Netherlands. This thesis investigates why that is the case and what is needed to stimulate broader adoption. The main research question is: “What is needed to stimulate the adoption of steel bridge component reuse among stakeholders in the Dutch construction industry?”

A mixed-method approach was applied, combining literature research, a technical case study, and sixteen interviews with actors from across the construction supply chain. The literature review identified five key obstacles to reuse, difficulty in sourcing of the steel, lack of design guidelines, missing EU regulations, cost uncertainty, and behavioral resistance.

To address the technical gap, a design guideline was developed based on the case study of the Freebrug in Oude Pekela. The focus was placed on Orthotropic Steel Decks (OSDs), where fatigue, corrosion, and their combination were modeled as key damage mechanisms. A finite element model incorporating past loading scenarios and critical weld zones showed that technical reuse is possible, even when damage is present. The resulting design guideline consists of three structured steps: (1) documenting initial data, (2) assessing condition during service life, (3) choosing feasible reuse applications.

Besides to that, interview results revealed nineteen obstacles, of which fourteen were not found in literature, suggesting that practice is evolving beyond academic literature. Two obstacles stood out as most frequent: ‘Availability of steel’ and ‘Negative attitudes’, both acting as ‘pillars’ rooted in deeper systemic issues. Some theoretical concerns, such as missing EU regulation or cost uncertainty, were viewed with more nuance or even downplayed by stakeholders.

Fifteen distinct strategies aiming to address these reuse obstacles were identified in interviews, the most common being: making reuse a requirement in tenders, creating supply storage locations, and training the supply chain through partnerships. To interpret the interrelations between these strategies, they were clustered into three systemic themes: (1) Rules and regulations, (2) Collective learning and shared responsibility, and (3) Practical and physical logistics. This interpretive lens revealed a misalignment between ambition and action, willingness and structure, and innovation and conventional routines.

The thesis concludes that stimulating reuse adoption requires both technical verification and systemic realignment. From a Structural Engineering perspective, the design guideline provides a replicable method to assess reuse potential for steel bridge components. From a Construction Management perspective, adoption is hindered by systemic misalignments. These two dimensions are inseparable: technical confidence alone is insufficient without systemic readiness. Reuse must be understood not as an isolated effort, but as a broader system transition requiring coordination, and adaptive capacity across the entire construction chain.

This research investigates the persistent problem of payment delays in the construction industry by focusing on the behavioral and relational dynamics that underlie financial disputes. While traditional solutions have largely emphasized procedural or contractual fixes, this study adopts a grounded, qualitative approach to understand the root causes of payment unreliability. Through interviews with industry professionals and a rigorous coding process, the study identifies key triggering and influencing factors contributing to payment breakdowns. The result is a behavioral framework comprising six practical interventions designed to enhance trust, balance power, foster empathy, and ultimately improve payment reliability. The framework is adaptable across diverse project contexts and aims to shift the focus from isolated remedies to a more integrated, human-centered approach to managing construction payments.

This is a thesis about enhancing the management of sustainability opportunities during front-end development in infrastructure projects from the perspective of engineering consultancy firms. This thesis provides insights and guidance for project stakeholders to manage sustainability-related ambitions and ideas. Through empirical research within the Dutch infrastructure sector, this thesis has successfully identified the current landscape, key enablers and barriers to sustainability opportunity actualization. Combining these findings with theoretical analysis, the research develops the Sustainability Human-Centered Implementation Framework for Transition (SHIFT), a structured approach to improve the management and actualization of sustainability opportunities. The framework includes operational guidelines, validated through focus groups with highly experienced industry experts in the Netherlands. The implications of this research are to work towards a more sustainable construction environment and enhance the successful actualization of sustainability opportunities.

This master thesis attempts to address the polluting nature of construction industry that faces significant demands due to the trends of population growth and urbanization. The observation is made that the current take-make-dispose way of operation is outdated, unsustainable and needs to be replaced with alternative practices that minimize waste and focus on resource efficiency. To this end, this thesis advocates for the use of Circular Economy (CE) principles in the construction sector exploring the current practice, the barriers in the way of its implementation, and the enablers that can be used to accelerate their implementation.
The paper has focused on first defining the context of the scenario where the problems need to be resolved. Here the research found that the current definition of CE in the sector is extremely ambiguous and diluted with other principles, such as sustainability, reducing the effectiveness of this tool. To combat this, the thesis has developed a construction industry specific definition of CE. Moreover, the paper explored the past applications of this concept identifying previously successful sectors and factors that has led to CE thriving there.
Besides CE, the thesis contextualized the construction industry defining its inherent characteristics and comparing them to the previously defined sectors. Moreover, the research gave information about the lifecycle of construction projects, the ways in which CE principles are used, and the way in which CE affects the sector.
Following contextualization, the paper defines the problem through exploring the barriers. Here the research gave a list of 10 most critical hurdles that need to be overcome arranged in a sequence of importance. Moreover, the thesis gives a comprehensive list of 47 enablers that provide opportunities for overcoming the challenges.
Based on the available information, the study devised a general approach to barrier resolution. Here the research categorized the previously defined variables and connected them with one-another to find unique pathways to solutions. The general approach was used to create 10 targeted preliminary strategies.
The results demonstrate the complexity of achieving a systematic transition of the construction industry in a circular mode of operation. This study provides a solid academic foundation for achieving the final task. The developed 10 preliminary strategies can be used as a starting point for more in-depth solutions. For future research, paper suggests validating the general findings through real-life applications and learning from more industries about implementation and use of CE

Changes in weather patterns due to climate change, such as increased precipitation intensity and hotter and dryer summers, are already occurring despite efforts to reduce emissions. Climate adaptation (CA) is a crucial method to deal with these effects of climate change. An example of an endorsed CA measure is in increasing and improving urban green space (UGS). The Dutch government aims to promote participation and stimulate citizen action, but municipalities have not adopted this outlook on citizen action yet. An example of such actions are Green Citizen Initiatives (GCIs), which are valued by municipalities because of the creation of public value in non-state and non-market ways, contributing to CA by creating and improving UGS. Municipalities can facilitate these initiatives by maintaining ownership of the initiative and UGS with the initiators, whilst steering and supporting the process and providing resources. Recent literature has identified barriers that affect the process of realising GCIs. It showed that there is no clear, common or singular approach employed by municipalities to facilitate GCIs. Therefore, this thesis aims to provide insights into the process of realising GCIs and the barriers municipalities and initiators face to improve facilitation of GCIs. This is achieved by answering the following main research question: How can Dutch municipalities facilitate green citizen initiatives to contribute to local climate adaptation?

The process of facilitating GCIs was defined from the perspective of GCI initiators based on literature, including the following five phases; Gathering Support, Gathering Resources, Design, Execution and Maintenance. After each phase a moment of evaluation should take place to decide if returning to an earlier phase is needed. Semi-structured interviews and a card-sort were used to gather practical data on this process. Thematic analysis of this data revealed eight key barriers. Recommendations to mitigate these barriers were identified, with which the Citizen Empowerment for Climate Adaptation (CEfCA) framework was developed. Municipalities can apply this framework to reduce the negative effects of the barriers and increase the number of successful GCIs for CA. This framework was validated by an expert discussion with a participant from front running municipality Arnhem, that currently already actively facilitates GCIs.

This thesis attempts to fill the gap in scientific literature on how GCIs are facilitated and how to improve this in practice. The CEfCA-framework provides recommendations to improve the process of realising GCIs, but a change in attitude towards CA with instead of for citizens may be needed to effectively implement the proposed framework. Further research is recommended on how this systemic change in outlook can be achieved.

Urbanization has led to environmental challenges such as the Urban Heat Island effect and the reduction of green spaces, resulting in lower carbon dioxide absorption, increased air pollution, and higher noise levels. Incorporating vegetation into buildings through vertical or horizontal greening systems can address these issues. However, these systems face challenges like high irrigation costs, artificial substrates, low integration, and short lifespans compared to building infrastructure. Bioreceptive materials offer a promising alternative by allowing greenery to grow directly on the material, bypassing these limitations. This research focuses on enhancing the bioreceptivity of concrete while evaluating its sustainability performance and structural integrity in terms of compressive strength (CS), and freeze-thaw resistance (FT).

The type of concrete being evaluated is porous concrete, designed to include a growing substrate for hosting plants. A multi-criteria analysis is used to determine the optimal concrete mix, considering three design criteria: bioreceptivity, sustainability, and structural integrity (including compressive strength and freeze-thaw resistance). Three mix designs are developed: a reference mix with Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and limestone aggregates, and two mixes using a low-carbon Calcined Clay (C$^3$) binder—one with lava stone (Mix 1) and the other with recycled concrete aggregates (Mix 2). An iterative process is employed to adjust the binder and water content, evaluating workability, compressive strength after 5 days, and interconnected porosity. Once suitable proportions are achieved, the concrete samples are tested for their mechanical, bioreceptive, and sustainable properties. The incorporation of the substrate has also been tested, addressing a gap in the existing literature.

The compressive strength after 28 days was comparatively low for all tested mix designs due to high porosity, with achieved values as follows: Mix 1 (2.5 MPa), Mix 2 (3 MPa), and the reference mix (10 MPa). A decrease in compressive strength was observed when incorporating the growing substrate and after drying. Despite low compressive strength, all samples demonstrated resilience in freeze-thaw resistance, withstanding 28 FT cycles with low mass loss. However, Mix 1 and Mix 2 showed loosening of aggregates when pressed by hand after the standard testing process, indicating a need for further testing of CS after different FT cycles.

Various methods of substrate incorporation were evaluated, showing that the substrate did not penetrate the concrete pores but remained on the surface of the cubes. This did not negatively affect the bioreceptivity for plant growth. The volume of substrate incorporated per sample and mix design varied due to manual application and the surface connectivity of the aggregates for each concrete product. This variability in substrate volume affected the water absorption and retention results, suggesting that these outcomes do not consistently characterize the mix design but rather are variable. However, Mix 1 and Mix 2 exhibited high water absorption rates when considering the concrete product itself (Mix 1 = 164.4 g/L, Mix 2 = 134.1 g/L, Ref mix = 82.4 g/L). Lastly, leaching of elements from the concrete layer occurred, leading to an increase in the pH of the incorporated growing substrate. All samples showed germination after one month of testing, with Mix 1 displaying the highest average germination rate and dry biomass. However, Mix 2 and the reference mix exhibited high variance in plant growth results, likely due to varying outdoor conditions such as moisture and temperature. Further testing is recommended to better isolate the impact of these outdoor conditions, which could have contributed to the high variance in plant growth outcomes.

Finally, in terms of sustainability performance, Mix 1 and Mix 2 positively impact the environmental burden of the concrete product by reducing the ECI and CO$_2$ emissions by an average of 50\% per 1m$^3$ of concrete, considering LCA stages A1-A3. At the same time, the use of C$^3$ binder reduces the ECI and CO$_2$ emissions from the binder material extraction stage by 60\% compared to OPC binder, further demonstrating that this binder is a low-carbon alternative.

This research demonstrates that the tested mix designs, evaluated for bioreceptivity, sustainability, and structural integrity (in terms of compressive strength and freeze-thaw resistance), have great potential for use in vertical greening systems with Mix 1 identified as the most optimal concrete mix design. This finding is significant for urban environments, especially as urbanization is expected to increase in the coming years. Bioreceptive vertical greening systems made with sustainable materials can address environmental challenges in cities and align with the Sustainable Development Goals.

In addressing the transition towards Net Zero by 2050, it is imperative to acknowledge the construction industry's pivotal shift in perspective: sustainability must transition from being a 'maybe' to a 'must' (Hu, 2019). This research delves into the Dutch construction sector's journey in making this critical transition. The Netherlands, committed to becoming fully circular and achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050, faces a significant challenge in the widespread adoption of Low Impact Materials (LIMs). Despite various government initiatives and pilot projects aimed at fostering sustainable construction, the industry remains hesitant to fully embrace LIMs due to concerns over durability, commercial viability, and established practices...

This study develops a decision method for the implementation and assessment of standardisation in order to improve the Replacement & Renovation process of hydraulic structures. Possible improvements in the Replacement & Renovation process and the implementation of standardisation were identified by conducting semi-structured interviews. A general decision method results from combining the identified improvement points and the basic design principle. This general decision method is further developed by describing the required steps, decisions, input, and generated output. This decision method is a starting point for asset management organisations that want to start with implementing standardisation into the Replacement & Renovation process. A potential benefit of using the decision method is increased efficiency of the design process, as a learning curve is expected, saving time and money. Furthermore, the results can be used for an in-depth discussion about the feasibility of standardisation in the considered management area.

Among the most recent demands in the construction industry, is the implementation of the Building Information Modelling (BIM) methodology to deliver integrated designs. The BIM workflow emphasizes detecting design conflicts early, increasing the early stage design effort while minimizing later-stage costs and delays. However, the current BIM workflow lacks a formal structure for prioritizing, escalating, and resolving issues identified during iterative design cycles. This challenge becomes more pronounced in complex projects where multiple disciplines interact simultaneously. The absence of a structured issue management approach leads to informal and uncoordinated issue resolution, making it difficult to track and prioritize issues effectively, decreasing the efficiency during design phase.
This research explores how Risk Management (RM) principles can support BIM workflows to
improve project results, with a specific focus on issue management. By analysing existing gaps
and inefficiencies in BIM issue management, the study develops a framework that integrates RM concepts. The aim is to enhance the ability of BIM processes to systematically prioritize, escalate, and address issues.
The result of the research is a conceptual risk management-based issue management framework, developed through a combination of literature review, practical insights, and the application of socio-technical theory. This framework incorporates an iterative process for detecting, filtering, and prioritizing BIM issues based on risk criteria. It spans the design phase, offering a structured roadmap for implementation that considers stakeholder communication and resource optimization. Risk management addresses deficiencies in issue management through an integrated framework that guides the process based on RM principles. This integration has significant implications for issue management and requires a top-down, step-by-step approach. The integration of this framework is presented in steps to achieve understanding and sense of usefulness among different stakeholders.

The Dutch government has set climate targets to reduce carbon emissions by 49% by 2030 and 95% by 2050 with respect to the 1990 levels. The construction sector contributes to 38% of national emissions making it a major contributor to climate change. The significant stock of existing buildings in the Netherlands presents a vital opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, particularly as many of these buildings were constructed before the adoption of sustainability standards. Real estate institutional investors, who manage large portfolios of these older buildings, are key to driving this transition. While their current renovation practices focus primarily on operational carbon reduction, a whole-life carbon (WLC) approach incorporating embodied carbon is essential for meeting the Netherlands' climate targets. Despite recognizing WLC's importance, investors lack practical guidance for implementation. This research investigates how real estate institutional investors can incorporate embodied carbon considerations into their current energetic renovation processes in the Netherlands.
Through literature review and semi-structured interviews with leading real estate institutional investors from the Dutch Green Building Council working group, followed by expert panel validation, the study identifies their strategic roles in driving market demand and shaping sustainability practices, examines their current energetic renovation processes, analyzes key barriers and explores enablers for embodied carbon integration into their current energetic renovation processes.
The study develops a dual-level approach at strategic and project levels to address these barriers while leveraging identified motivators. Key findings reveal that successful WLC integration requires: (1) alignment with current renovation practices through phased implementation, (2) critical stakeholder engagement across the value chain, (3) market-driven strategies as enablers, and (4) knowledge and capacity-building. The research contributes by developing a systematic approach to integrate whole-life carbon into renovation processes, addressing barrier interconnections and stakeholder dynamics, while also offering practical, actionable strategies that align with existing workflows to help investors balance immediate needs with long-term sustainability goals.

Previous studies show that climate change effects and anthropogenic disturbances are having an increasingly strenuous effect on the performance of the coastal system of Sisal, a rural fishing village in the state of Yucatán, Mexico. Resilience has been a crucial component for these studies, as it presents the system's ability to react and adapt to environmental hazards and human interventions. In recent years, several research initiatives have aimed to assess the resilience of Sisal's coastal system through the use of previously identified resilience index calculations. However, these indices lack the ability to quantify disparities of resilience on a local scale. Furthermore, previous studies focus solely on the technical aspects of resilience, and therefore fall short on defining other relevant aspects of the term.

Consequently, this research project aimed to understand Sisal's coastline by understanding the multi-faceted definitions of resilience by analysing the socio-economic and technical factors impacting the coastal system. The study involved examining both its historical context, as well as potential future trends and developments.

This was done through a thorough evaluation of different aspects of the coast, a storm impact study and a social analysis. The findings of these studies are subsequently incorporated into a comprehensive web-tool, providing experts, policymakers, and community members with clear-cut and valuable information on the current resilience of Sisal's coastline.

The findings of the research present that the coastal resilience of Sisal is highly negatively impacted by human interventions along the coast, predominantly causing inadequate resilience performances on profiles with significant anthropogenic perturbations and generally along the coastline westwards of Sisal's port. Current coastal management policies are considered ineffective to deal with these developments, which is among others caused by exclusive decision-making processes and ambiguous governmental policies. Changes in coastal management strategies are therefore needed to effectively deal with future threats of environmental hazards and human interference. Ultimately, resulting in improved coastal and community resilience.

The civil engineering sector in the Netherlands faces significant challenges, particularly in Renovating and Replacing (R&R) infrastructure from the 1950s and 1960s. These challenges are exacerbated by limited budgets and a shortage of skilled personnel, especially for municipalities, which manage over 80% of civil structures and bear most R&R costs. This research aims to develop a Roadmap to help municipalities prioritize R&R tasks, meet stakeholder
demands, and optimize resources, exploring the challenges, stakeholder roles, current practices, and decision-making processes involved.

The literature review reveals that decisions on infrastructure intervention depend on the asset's condition, available resources, and objectives. Exploratory interviews identify five prioritization approaches for R&R projects: Asset-driven, Importance-driven, Capacity-driven, Area-oriented, and Collaboration-driven. The study also introduces the concept of organizational maturity to assess a municipality's capacity to address the R&R challenge.

The study concludes that municipalities face significant hurdles in prioritizing R&R tasks, including stakeholder management, information management, defining objectives, asset condition assessment, internal coordination, and uncertainties about future demands and political agendas.
To address these, a Roadmap is proposed, guiding municipalities to select prioritization approaches based on their organizational maturity. The recommended sequence starts with Asset-driven for safety, followed by Importance-driven for cultural value, Capacity-driven for compliance, Area-oriented for resident benefits, and Collaboration-driven to leverage market capacity. The study suggests municipalities begin with Asset-driven approaches and incorporate others as they grow in maturity. Additionally, it recommends establishing independent funding for R&R, creating a central information platform, formalizing prioritization processes, forming dedicated teams for urgent projects, and adopting alternative procurement criteria.

With the expansion of infrastructure projects in the Netherlands in terms of size and complexity, government bodies are increasingly inclined towards adopting a programmatic approach for managing multiple projects. This approach incorporates innovations to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in achieving program objectives. However, the development and implementation of innovations within these infrastructure programmes encounter various challenges, leading to not optimum utilization of innovations. One significant challenge stem from the limited practical experience in utilizing the programmatic approach, resulting in a limited understanding of both the programme's context and innovation process in multi-projects. Consequently, innovations tend to be developed and implemented using a project-based approach, which poses issues. Project-based approaches are inherently rigid and time-bound, while innovations necessitate time and flexibility. Furthermore, the discontinuous nature of projects impedes the effective utilization of the progressive learning curve essential for innovation development. This project-based approach creates an ongoing dilemma for suppliers, who face high risks and a lack of incentives to innovate, despite their pivotal role.

To bridge the gap between understanding and implementing innovations within infrastructure programme, this research aims to address the issue of ineffective innovation utilization in multi-project settings based on suppliers’ perspective. The research approach involves conducting three case studies where innovations are developed and implemented in multi-projects as part of infrastructure programmes. 11 suppliers, including engineering companies and contractors, were interviewed to identify the elements of innovation in multi-projects, including barriers and enablers.

The study reveals seven specific barriers and five enablers related to innovation in multi-projects within infrastructure programs. Notably, it highlights the previously overlooked challenges related to time in innovation, arising from prolonged processes and programme durations. The primary innovation challenge in multi-projects revolves around technical challenge, tied to iterative processes and uncertainty management, irrespective of the type of innovation. These challenges, inherent to innovation, emphasize the need to strike a balance where time supports rather than impedes innovation. The study also confirms known barriers and enablers from project literature. With the choice of a suitable contract form, such as framework or alliance contracts, emerges as a significant enabler. However, contracts can become barriers when they lack risk-sharing mechanisms and still promoting competition, hindering knowledge exchange with external parties. Client-related barriers include the client’s organization size/structure and clients’ inflexible demands. Additionally, the study identifies drivers, inputs, preconditions, outputs, and outcomes of innovations in multi-projects. Preconditions unique to multi-projects include strong organizational leadership, vision, commitment to innovations, financial capabilities, and the selection of an appropriate contract form. Beyond the typical inputs, suppliers stress the importance of certainty regarding the volume of work or the number of projects within multi-projects.

Based on research findings, a solutions framework was developed to facilitate the implementation of innovations in multi-projects. It consists of practical action plans and innovation boundaries designed to address barriers to innovation in multi-projects. Suppliers and public client organizations are recommended to use the Innov-Infra framework during project/program initiation (Part I) and project/program implementation (Part II), led by a designated person within the organization involved in multi-project innovations. Future research should explore public clients' perspectives in similar research across various programme types and sectors, employing qualitative research methods to delve deeper into procurement for innovations and the bundling of supply and demand in contracts.

This research extensively examines the pivotal shift toward circularity within the European construction and building sector, with a specific emphasis on HVAC systems in utility buildings. It commences by underscoring the pressing urgency precipitated by the Paris Agreement of 2015 and subsequent climate objectives, necessitating reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and resource utilization. The construction and building sector's notable contributions to energy consumption, waste production, and material extraction highlight the imperative to address circularity within this industry.
The report delves deeply into the notion of the circular economy (CE), emphasizing its potential to disassociate economic growth from resource depletion and waste generation. While acknowledging the growing scholarly and corporate interest in CE, exemplified by industry giants such as Philips and IKEA, this study highlights the limited practical application of circular principles, particularly within the HVAC systems sector.
Recognizing the multifaceted and varying interpretations of circularity, the report seeks to demystify the concept by conducting a thorough literature review and interviews. Through a thematic analysis, it identifies existing challenges, proposes potential solutions, and evaluates the feasibility of implementing circular strategies for HVAC systems. Key findings encompass project-specific considerations, the influence of location and climate, and the imperative need for legislative reforms to expedite the transition.
Ultimately, the research provides a valuable starting point for MEP consultants, equipping them with a pragmatic decision support framework and a categorized repertoire of circular strategies. It encourages industry professionals to embrace circularity in HVAC design, bridging knowledge gaps and promoting sustainable practices. While acknowledging the study's limitations, including its qualitative nature and potential for bias, this study calls for future research to validate the framework through real-world cases, expand performance evaluation criteria, and advocate for policy reforms across the broader built environment. In summary, this study constitutes a vital stride toward fostering circularity and sustainability within the construction and HVAC sectors.

This master thesis is focused on developing a comprehensive decision-making framework for the bidding process of innovative projects in the EPC industry. The research explores the current literature on the bidding process, risks, uncertainties, managing risks during the bidding process, and decision-making. It identifies EPC contractors' internal and external challenges and provides insights into overcoming them. The research also assesses the risks associated with EPC contractors and provides recommendations for risk mitigation. One of the significant challenges in deciding whether to fund innovative projects is assessing the innovativeness level of the project. This assessment is crucial because more innovativeness means more unknowns and risks. Additionally, human factors play a significant role in decision-making since risks perception can vary from person to person. Therefore, a decision-making framework that encompasses all the factors involved in the bidding process for innovative projects is necessary. This thesis addresses three research questions: (1) How do you manage risks in the bidding process for innovative projects in the body of knowledge? (2) how are decisions taken during the bidding process by EPC contractors? Furthermore, (3) what are the challenges and opportunities for improving decision-making? Finally, the thesis proposes a new decision-making framework that integrates innovativeness assessment in the decision-making process by considering all the factors around such decisions.

In 1987, Brundtland coined the term "sustainable development" to tackle the worldwide issue of environmental deterioration. Subsequent to that, swift progressions in science and technology have resulted in climate change, characterized by a rapid increase in global temperatures. The primary objective of the Paris Climate agreement is to limit the increase in global temperatures to a maximum of 2°C, with a preferable target of 1.5°C. The issue of energy usage in buildings is increasingly concerning as buildings contribute to 40% of the total carbon dioxide emissions. Global governments are implementing stringent steps to mitigate emissions and establish benchmarks for energy usage in buildings. In the Netherlands, mandatory energy labels have been implemented to regulate energy usage. However, these labels solely consider energy consumption related to heating, cooling, lighting, and hot water supply. This leads to disparities in energy performance, which are frequently disregarded or ignored throughout the design phase.
The behavior of occupants is a critical factor in building design, as it has a substantial influence on energy consumption. Occupant-centric design minimizes overall energy usage by decreasing buildings' susceptibility to occupant behavior. The categorization of occupant behavior encompassed three primary classifications: occupancy, interactions, and behavioral efficiency. These characteristics highlight the diverse manners in which occupant-related factors impact the energy efficiency of buildings. The industry's current processes expose multiple issues and limitations that contribute to energy performance gaps, including specific design and asset management techniques. In order to minimize the overall energy consumption in buildings and close the energy performance gap, it is imperative to tackle these issues. Considering the problems and deficiencies found in present industry practices and the theoretical insights from scientific literature, it is crucial for real estate developers to consider aspects associated to the occupants when designing a building. Occupant behavioral aspects identified in literature are associated with the design of building components, including the façade, spatial layout, HVAC systems, lighting, and others.
A design approach that prioritizes the needs and preferences of the occupants was developed by establishing a connection between factors linked to the occupants and the design of the building. The design strategy has three distinct phases: pre-design, conceptual design, and detailed design. During each stage of the design process, a design that prioritizes the needs of the occupants is created by considering the several aspects that influence the occupants' energy consumption behavior. Additionally, a strategy for asset management will be created to guarantee the fulfillment of energy performance goals during the building's operational phase. Real estate developers must take this crucial step to achieve regulations, such as Paris-proof targets, which impose limits on the overall energy consumption in buildings, including those by the tenants. The design strategy incorporates various metrics to monitor the energy performance of buildings, which serve as the foundation for bridging the energy performance gap. The developed design strategy also has several significant practical implications that were identified.

In project-based organizations, enhancing performance and augmentation of project value rely heavily on the effective assimilation of past experiences. Nevertheless, the intricate nature of projects and time constraints present extra challenges for an effective learning across various project teams. Inter-project learning, particularly in the context of specialized teams, increased complexities, and limited interactions, become more challenging. This thesis endeavours to propose innovative approaches that aim to help project-based organizations to improve their inter-project learning processes.
This research addresses a critical gap in the literature, as there is limited existing research on inter-project learning within project-based organizations. The study begins with an extensive literature review encompassing organizational learning, project-based organizations, and inter-project learning. Based on the literature study, a hypothesis model has been developed. This model categorizes the factors into three main categories: barriers, facilitators, and influencing factors. Moreover, the factors are classified into three dimensions, each representing components that constitute the learning infrastructure mechanisms, knowledge accessibility, or organizational culture.
Following this, empirical research took place through a case study within the organization under study. The case study focused on understanding the organization's existing approach to inter-project learning and involved interviews with experienced project managers to gain deeper insights into inter-project learning processes. The findings shed light on the continuous need for improvement in the inter-project learning process. The results suggest that the factors impacting inter-project learning can be classified differently than merely as barriers, facilitators, and influencing factors. Instead, they can be classified as factors into four structural domains. These domains encompass technological, social, organizational, and industrial. Each domain represents various aspects that can be covered by the organization and each domain offers a more nuanced understanding of the factors that shape the dynamics of inter-project learning.
The research presents a roadmap framework that guides project-based organizations on what steps they need to undertake to improve inter-project learning. Utilizing this roadmap framework will assist organizations in enhancing performance and eventually increasing project value as a result of the effective utilization of the learning processes. This roadmap can be used as a starting point to optimize inter-project learning and knowledge exchange processes and eventually improve performance and augment project values.

The current market forces of infrastructural projects in the Dutch construction sector necessitate public clients to divide a large-scale multidisciplinary project into multiple contracts. This causes diverse contractors to have to work simultaneously. Interfaces arise between the contracts, which require a deeper collaboration to align all activities. Coordination becomes a very important factor in such projects. Current attempts to create better coordination focus mainly on clients' contractual and organizational measures. This research aims to map the importance of the human aspect within coordination and help a client organize itself to create a better coordination process. This is done by looking at the contractual and organizational instruments that stimulate coordination. Hereby, the organizational measures are divided into relational, personal, and governance aspects.

Through a literature review, the steering mechanisms for good coordination within the contractual, relational, personal, and governance contexts were established. A case study provided the issues of coordination in practice and laid down the basis of possible instruments to help a public client with the coordination process. The main takeaways were the misinterpretation and misalignment of the specifications of agreements, choosing the wrong coordinator, the lack of attention to relations, and the unclear governance from the client’s side. After this, a preliminary framework of the coordination process was reviewed through expert sessions. Together, this created the basis for the final framework of this thesis.
The key findings of this research were the need to facilitate coordination and collaboration during the pre-execution through requirements in the contracts and a start-up period with the involved clients and the co-contractors. During the execution phase key findings were the need to facilitate coordination and collaboration by the attention to the human aspect and its process, besides aiming for the best project result. This research contributed to the current literature by showing how the current coordination processes of a public client within the Dutch construction sector lack attention to the human side during projects.