Sustainable solutions for climate systems are often aimed to be integrated into newly build residences. For existing systems, retrofitting poses challenges. However, it’s important to adapt solutions so they can more easily be integrated into existing households too.
Climate systems in Dutch residences are primarily powered by gas-boilers, although all electric heat-pump systems are steadily on the rise. Just like other solutions, they pose their own set of challenges for retrofitting. This thesis aims to make retrofitting more attractive by finding areas in climate systems that can be improved, making the system more efficient, comfortable and/or healthy.

“Develop a controlled decentralized addition for Joule Technologies' new system to be integrated into existing Dutch Households. 'Future-proofing' them to be more sustainable through smart features.”

This thesis is done in cooperation with Joule Technologies and will focus on making it easier/more attractive to retrofit residences with Joule technology’s new ventilation heat-pump BEN.

In insulated residences ventilation is responsible for ≈43% of the climate system’s energy loss. During the project the importance and possible impact of increased ventilation control was found to be important. For modern systems this exists, but the required infrastructure and cost to apply such a system to existing residences does not make it attractive.

This project begins by analysing where climate systems are installed, how users interact with climate systems, what problems are encountered during retrofitting and analyses current solutions available on the market. It then explores the problem space to find areas improvement areas, of which one is chosen, analysed and improved by a system addition. This is then further developed into a product and analysed to see if the solution is viable and interesting enough for Joule technologies to add to their BEN line-up.

This process provided a prototype for the dynamic valve. Valves are placed on the ends of the ventilation system to distribute flow to the right areas. Dynamic valves do the same, but can measure the status of air, adapt the air distribution and communicate with the ventilation heat-pump how much ventilation is required. Providing more precise control over area-specific climates in the residence.

Simple communication is lacking in the HVAC market as users often are only provided with the current temperature and a target temperature. The influence of changes on their system is not shown, sometimes causing confusion or misunderstanding. As dynamic valves take over the user’s ventilation control it’s important to inform the user. The visual movement in dynamic valves communicates to users what the ventilation system does.


Venting only when required reduces the total flow of vented air, saving energy by reducing required heating/cooling of incoming air. For insulated residences, this allows BEN to save ≈11-14% on the occupant’s energy bill for climate control, whilst making their climate healthier and more comfortable.

Each dynamic valve costs ≈€33-53 to produce, depending on the CO₂ sensor type and power source.

The concept is promising, but the solution needs further development before implementation.

The following steps are required to reach TRL 7:
1.Eliminate whistling noise
2.Replace the seal with legs and foam
3.Test a VOC CO₂ sensor for accuracy
4.Build an automated prototype with sensors
5.Conduct a full-scale system/pressure test
6.Adapt and test product look and feel

After these steps a better evaluation can be made on the value of dynamic valves as addition to the BEN environment.

This thesis investigates how the performance and appeal of heat-pump-fed district heating (HPDH) systems can be improved, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional gas boilers. HPDH systems are important in the transition to renewable energy sources and becoming a low-carbon society, but adoption faces challenges.

Central to the project is the concept of bandwidth heating, in which users agree to a temperature range rather than a fixed setpoint. Research supports how small temperature ranges are perceived as comfortable, at slow drift rates (rate of temperature change). Due to the slow thermal inertia of heating homes, this comfort applies to this design. This flexibility enables a shift of heating draw toward periods of low hourly energy prices and high renewable availability, providing cost savings and additional environmental benefit. Simulation results demonstrate that bandwidth heating can significantly lower heating costs by up to 15% while increasing the share of consumed renewable energy. This dynamic system maintains user comfort in these small fluctuations of temperature, making them a more competitive heating solution. When hourly prices are high, the system coasts. When prices are low, the system allows heating. As influxes of renewable energy exert downward pressure on the energy price, cheap electricity is greener too.

The project introduces a Heating-as-a-Service (HaaS) model, combining the technical optimization with a user aspect. The HaaS model shifts focus from individual ownership to a subscription-based service, through which bandwidth heating is offered. This distinction carries more agency for the system. This approach enables this cost-effective method and brings opportunities for more innovation within this service.

Users are supplied with a novel HaaS interface, through which they can select their preferences and parameters within which the system may optimize. It is developed and tested with users, revealing that most participants are excited about the cost savings bandwidth heating can offer. The interface features more elements such as savings comparisons, social cues and an introductory tutorial to ensure all users are comfortable and knowledgeable of the system. In testing, users noted how automation is welcome if its benefits are evident, so a comparing graph is made part of the interface where the daily consumption of HaaS is compared to a fictional fixed thermostat consumption under similar conditions.
Built with system development, technical modelling in MATLAB, and interface prototyping, the result is a scalable, user-centric product-service system that supports the transition toward smarter, more sustainable heating by making HPDH a more competitive product.

Today, an increasing number of art, history, and culture-related items are being digitally reproduced and displayed by cultural heritage institutions on websites. As the digitisation of cultural collections progresses, digital collection websites are reaching a broader and more diverse audience, including a growing segment known as casual users. This user group is becoming more prevalent in the context of digital collections. However, despite their increasing presence, the current interfaces of most digital collection websites do not adequately support the casual user experience. Casual users typically visit these sites without a specific informational goal, preferring exploratory browsing. In contrast, many existing interfaces are designed for users with clear motivations, focusing on targeted searches. Tools like search bars and catalogues may limit exploration for casual users, who may feel less encouraged to explore freely. This raises a critical question: how can we design an innovative exploration experience that invites casual users to explore and supports their divergent exploration?

Through a literature review of psychological theories on exploratory behaviour, design principles for supporting casual users, theories on facilitating serendipity, and user research with six casual users, a deeper understanding of the context was gained, leading to the definition of the design goal. Four interaction qualities—exploratory, serendipitous, supportive, and playful—were then established as guiding principles for the project.

Based on the research findings, four initial concepts were developed and tested with nine participants. Insights from the first round of testing were used to formulate an integrated concept. An interactive prototype was then created to conduct a second round of testing with five participants.

The final concept, Wander More, is an innovative online tool for exploring digital collections. It is designed to invite casual users to wander through diverse cultural items using connected keywords in a simple, playful, and surprising way. The key features of the final concept are as follows:

1. Wandering through various items via keyword connections in a simple and endless way.
2. Playfully dragging keywords to generate a diverse range of surprising items.
3. Viewing exploration journey summary
4. Also supporting deep and specific exploration

In the final evaluation, the design was assessed to determine how well it achieved the design goal. Five participants found it to be a simple and enjoyable experience that allowed them to explore diverse items in a playful and surprising manner.

Context
The topic of this graduation project is sustainable mobility. Sustainable mobility in urban areas can be achieved by using active transport. Cycling and walking is called active transport and is sustainable due to the lack of emissions. Passive transport such as cars and pedal bicycles produce a lot of emissions, which are bad for people’s health and the climate.

Advier, the client of this project, is a consultancy working on innovative and sustainable mobility. Together, we looked at the future of mobility inside the city. How to make a green world in 2040.

Aim of the project
To design for the year of 2040, first I researched what the future will look like. A future that is as green as possible through technological but also behavioural developments. To eventually move towards this green world, the following research goal was drawn up: Design a service to encourage more sustainable mobility in and around urban areas in 2040.

To accomplish this goal, the research through design method was applied. For the three different phases, this design method was applied in an exploratory way. As a result of the analytical, conceptual, and conclusion phases, a service was designed. This service, called Mobi, will motivate people to use more sustainable mobility and inspire sustainable mobility projects.

Analysis
Throughout the project, I built on a strong foundation of background knowledge. This knowledge was built from literature research and was built up from three topics.

Mobility
This chapter has looked at present and future mobility. The impact of mobility on behaviour, rearranging mobility inside the city by giving priority to cyclists. By looking at this development of mobility, means such as electric vehicles and low-traffic cities seem to be the solution, but I believe the solution lies mainly in changing people’s behaviour.

City
The city adapts to mobility and vice versa. How differently a city functions when a 15-minute city philosophy is applied. It is important to take the city into account when designing for it. How communities emerge and streetscapes change will influence the criteria for designing a future-proof service.

Future visions
What the future will look like no one knows, but by looking at the extremes of future worlds, design possibilities will emerge. By taking a green world as a starting point, the service created within will lead to a more sustainable world. Thus, this project is focused on making a green world a reality.

Concept
To come up with the broadest possible solutions for the project, behavioural change was researched. To practice sustainable behaviour, you do need to know how sustainable behaviour looks like and, more importantly, what it does not look like. There is demand for more knowledge around mobility emissions, research has shown. To create a green world, it has to be clear how we get there. That is why Mobi has been devised that will ensure a green world for the future.

Conclusion
The Mobi service consists of three elements: bike, car and overview. For each element, I looked at providing the necessary information on sustainability and investigated what the appropriate form of communication would be. In this way, Mobi primarily offers a form of information to the user. The communication is in a playful way to keep the user motivated and make more use of active transport.

Towards the end of the project, the designed service proved to be most suitable for an application for the smartphone and a implementation of an existing mobility provider. It will be deployed in combination with vehicles and technologies. The service was also tested among users and experts in the field of mobility and MaaS; Gaiyo, Advier and SJEES. This evaluated the service as an inspiring resource for future mobility and possibilities for implementation.

Moss covered surfaces are a promising way to mitigate the urban heat island effect. A layer of moss on a building’s façade reduces heat absorption during summer, hence passively cooling the building and its surroundings. The startup Respyre wants to offer such moss layers as a commercial product. A bio-gel mixed with moss fragments is sprayed on a porous concrete outer layer. This is irrigated for several months until the wall is covered by a layer of living moss.

The aim of this project is to rethink the existing irrigation system, since it gives a bad water distribution, resulting in high water usage and uneven moss growth.

First, the context was analysed. Literature study and an interview with an expert provided a better understanding of what role moss has in mitigating the urban heat island effect and what moss needs from a biological perspective. Further research revealed what solutions for providing moist already exist. A stakeholder analysis provided insight into who has something to say about the irrigation system. All these findings together resulted in a list of requirements.

During a brainstorm, a set of ideas was sketched to find as many out-of-the-box solutions as possible. This is a mix of new ideas, existing ideas found during the analysis, and combined ideas.

The brainstormed ideas that are feasible were developed into concepts. They were prototyped and their water distributing performance was tested by irrigating them in a green house. The concepts have been assessed on (among others) water distribution, estimated costs, minimum water pressure, ease of installation, and the need for developing new parts.

Five promising concepts were further developed and tested on a larger prototype. Their water distribution was quantitively tested, and costs estimated.

The finally chosen solution was further improved and detailed in the last stage. The end result is a design and prototype of an irrigation system that gives a slightly more uniform water distribution at a significantly slower rate for comparable costs.