This thesis explores acceleration interventions to enhance the modernisation and expansion pace of the Dutch Defence real estate portfolio. The transition to a real estate portfolio that supports military readiness in light of the deteriorating European security conditions is hindered by a series of complex systemic bottlenecks, including fragmented governance, restrictive regulations, deficient information, and a lack of execution capacity. Adopting a mixed method, design-oriented approach, this thesis focuses on designing implementable solutions through iterative design cycles that bridge theoretical frameworks and the findings from an empirical study involving (inter)national professionals into a targeted strategy to the Dutch Defence case. Results indicate that the ‘Defence Real Estate Acceleration Model’, has the potential to fundamentally accelerate real estate modernisation and expansion for the Dutch Ministry of Defence by introducing interventions that address the limiting factors. ... Read more

Hybrid working has substantially reduced daily office attendance across large organisational portfolios, yet the spatial and behavioural characteristics that distinguish well-performing hybrid work environments remain poorly understood, particularly in the public sector, where real estate decisions carry significant financial and societal implications.
This study examines what layout and use characteristics contribute to the effective use of hybrid work environments in the Netherlands Police real estate portfolio. It integrates three data sources: building-level occupancy measurements from Measuremen across twelve office buildings; floor-plan analysis using the framework of Ruiz de Castañeda Altuna (2025); and employee perception data from the Werk in Transitie (WiT) Monitor survey, available for three buildings (n = 376 respondents). Seven hypotheses were tested through descriptive statistics, Pearson and Spearman correlations, one-way ANOVA, and hierarchical regression analysis.
The findings demonstrate that well-performing hybrid work environments are not distinguished by a particular layout typology but by the degree to which they provide adequate privacy, acoustic comfort, physical comfort, and collaborative infrastructure. Office layout typology and workspace ratio did not predict occupancy or perceived effectiveness. Privacy satisfaction, workplace comfort, and meeting space availability were the strongest predictors of perceived effectiveness, explaining 68.7% of the variance in the regression model. Targeted spatial quality improvements within existing layouts are likely to yield greater gains than typological redesign. The study contributes an empirically grounded analytical framework that integrates occupancy, floor-plan, and survey data and is applicable to other Police buildings as WiT coverage expands. ... Read more

Natural resources are being consumed too fast, and the built environment is a big contributor to this problem. The circular economy aims at extending a product’s lifecycle using different strategies, for example reuse. Within the academic field of building reuse, there are several tools developed that define the building reuse potentials. Similarly, in the field of circularity, several design strategies discuss the implementation of circular building methods in the construction of buildings. Nevertheless, there is a research gap in the academic literature on the implementation of circular building methods for the building reuse process of existing buildings, especially for the early stages in this process. To fill this gap, this research will present an integrated circular building reuse framework. This study is conducted within the organization of the Netherlands Police, providing information on the experienced barriers of implementing circular ambitions within the organization. The aim of this research is to provide tools to formulate realistic and feasible objectives and ambitions. This, in turn, enhances the probability that circular ambitions are effectively integrated throughout the building process, thereby contributing to the long-term value of the built environment. The main research question to accomplish this aim is: “Which conditions are essential for effective circular building reuse, and how can these be integrated into a decision-making framework for the pre-project phase of building reuse?”. This research question will be answered using a combination of a literature review, expert interviews within the organization of the Netherlands Police, and desk research, and the framework is validated using a case study. The results section of this research addresses the retrieved data from the interviews with the experts from the Netherlands Police. This data, in combination with the previously gathered data from the literature review, will be combined to develop the CBR framework. The CBR framework supports the decision-making process in the pre-project phase on whether to reuse a building or not, and assists in appointing the project-specific potentials for circular reuse. Therefore, it bridges the research gap in academic literature on the implementation of circular building methods for the reuse of existing buildings. ... Read more

Real estate is considered one of the five core organisational resources and is expected to add value to organisational performance. Within Corporate Real Estate Management (CREM), a central challenge is the alignment between the demand side (corporate strategy) and the supply side (real estate portfolio). Decision-making in real estate portfolio management is considered complex.

Decision Support Systems (DSS) such as the Preference-Based Accommodation Strategy (PAS) have been developed to support this alignment process by translating stakeholder preferences into measurable and comparable performance indicators. Although PAS provides a structured and preference-based approach to strategic decision-making, earlier pilot studies have indicated that stakeholders experience difficulties in using the accompanying PAS dashboard. These stakeholders mentioned that they struggled to understand the dashboard back and calculations. This resulted in reduced trust in dashboard outcomes and decreased decision-making support. While extensive literature exists on dashboard design principles and effectiveness criteria, no prior research has applied these principles specifically to a DSS context in CREM, nor to the PAS dashboard.
This thesis aims to develop and evaluate a redesigned PAS dashboard based on established dashboard design principles. The central research question is: How can a PAS dashboard be redesigned based on identified design principles, and what lessons can be drawn for dashboard design in general?

A Research Through Design methodology was adopted. First, a structured literature study identified dashboard design principles and criteria for effectiveness. These principles were translated into a design framework and used to analyse the existing PAS dashboard. Subsequently, a redesigned dashboard was developed iteratively. The redesign was verified and evaluated in workshops with participants. User feedback was analysed in relation to the identified effectiveness criteria.
The results indicate that applying design principles, single screen view, simplicity, layering of information, visual clarity, cognitive fit, and tailoring capabilities, contributes to improved stakeholder understanding and perceived usability of the PAS dashboard. The redesigned dashboard better supports the interpretation of preference scores, comparison of alternatives, and identification of interventions. Participants indicated improved transparency of the model backend and a clearer connection between input (preferences) and output (overall performance).

This research contributes to both theory and practice. It provides a structured framework that connects dashboard design principles, effectiveness criteria, and concrete design features for DSS in CREM. Furthermore, it demonstrates how dashboard design can enhance stakeholder engagement and informed decision-making within PAS. The findings offer practical lessons for the further implementation of PAS and for the design of dashboards in comparable decision-support contexts.
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Stress among university students is a growing concern across the Netherlands, Europe, and the world, yet the influence of physical learning environments on stress remains underexplored. This thesis investigates how two contrasting university study environments influence students’ stress responses, both physiologically and psychologically. The study compares two real-life university rooms at Delft University of Technology: a traditional, warm-toned space and a newer, cool-toned, modern environment. Stress was measured using salivary cortisol, custom-designed survey items, and thematic analysis of open-ended survey responses. Results show that students in the newer room reported improved concentration and reduced self-perceived physiological stress. In contrast, cortisol levels slightly increased in this space, though not significantly. This rise may indicate focused arousal or “eustress” rather than distress, suggesting that environments supporting concentration might trigger physiological activation even when perceived stress is low. Qualitative responses supported this interpretation, with students describing task-dependent preferences and subconscious responses to room design. These findings suggest that the physical learning environment can influence how students experience stress, while also highlighting a mismatch between psychological and physiological indicators. The divergence reinforces the importance of using multi-method approaches in environmental stress research, implementing multiple stress indicators both physiological and psychological. The study concludes that a diverse range of adaptable study environments is needed to accommodate students’ varying emotional and cognitive needs. Physical design should be considered a meaningful factor in promoting student wellbeing and academic performance. ... Read more

While the importance of stakeholder involvement in creating new learning environments in universities is well established, limited research has been conducted on the stakeholder process within learning environments as a distinct field or on optimizing this process. It remains unclear how stakeholder contributions are managed and whether these inputs effectively translate into spaces that meet the expectations and requirements of end-users. This research aims to map out the stakeholder involvement process and explore how it can be optimized. The central research question is: 'How can stakeholder involvement be optimized in the creation of effective learning environments in university real estate?'"

To answer this question, a mixed-methods study will be conducted, consisting of three components. First, a literature review will provide a theoretical foundation on stakeholder involvement and the effectiveness of learning environments. Following this, a case study will be conducted on selected cases of newly implemented learning environments developed with stakeholder involvement. The case studies will map out the stakeholder involvement process in the creation of these environments. Next, interviews will be held with the stakeholders involved in the process, assessing their perspectives on the process and their views on the effectiveness of the resulting learning environments. Lastly, surveys will be conducted with end-users of the learning environments to evaluate their perceptions of the environment's effectiveness. The goal of this research is to assess whether there is alignment between stakeholder expectations and end-user experiences, and to explore how the effectiveness of the learning environments can be traced back to the stakeholder involvement process. This will ultimately help identify areas for optimization in stakeholder involvement.
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Climate change presents a critical challenge worldwide. With the built environment responsible for 37% of the total energy consumption of the Netherlands, it becomes crucial to address this issue. One way to mitigate this issue is through energy labels. These labels offer a method to assess current emission and emission reductions, but there are certain building types, like listed buildings, that are exempted from the requirement to have one. This exemption for listed buildings, around 150.000 in the Netherlands, shows the unique challenges that come with these buildings.

As a result, most listed buildings currently lack an energy label, and among those that do, only 17% has achieved a label C or higher. However, research suggests that this can be improved to up to 90% while preserving their cultural-historical value. This highlights both the challenge and potential of improving their energy performance, emphasising the need for a more tailored approach.

This study therefore aims to tailor the energy label to listed buildings, facilitating their participation in the energy transition. Through interviews with relevant stakeholders, case studies of successful renovations of listed buildings and the analysis of existing green certification systems, including the current energy label of the Netherlands, the research intends to shape and structure a way for these buildings to no longer be an exemption. Ultimately, this initiative strives to balance sustainability and conservation of cultural heritage, contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions and the bigger picture of a green built environment. ... Read more

Efficient knowledge exchange is important for organizational success, especially in the multifaceted real estate industry. As the industry navigates rapid changes, complexity, and diverse stakeholders, the ability to share information, expertise, and insights is crucial. When managing big real estate portfolios, in the case of universities, the exchange of knowledge about real estate can play a beneficial role for the management of the buildings. However, barriers such as the lack of shared databases and repositories, inconsistencies in knowledge sharing tools, and limited technological utilization hinder the effective exchange of knowledge and collaboration between universities. Existing literature recognizes the potential benefits of AI in everyday use and the importance of tools in overcoming challenges regarding knowledge exchange. But the optimal contribution of AI remains an area requiring further research. Therefore, this research explores how Artificial Intelligence, through the creation of a project database and Tailored GPT model, can address these barriers and enhance knowledge exchange about university real estate buildings.

This research aims to address this gap by exploring the effectiveness of AI enhancing knowledge exchange about university buildings. Drawing on theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence, the research seeks to investigate how a knowledge database can be created for university real estate with the help of AI. Therefore, the goal of this research is how the exchange of knowledge between Dutch universities can be enhanced by the quick and effortless creation of a centralized AI-driven knowledge database for university real estate projects. The research uses a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative and quantitative analyses. The quantitative method involves the theoretical background and creation of the knowledge database using four steps: finding, collecting, creating an overview, and analyzing and identifying. The qualitative method involves interviews with campus managers, in which the created knowledge database will be explained and in which the campus managers can give their feedback. In the synthesis, the results from the theoretical and empirical research will be demonstrated in an expert panel. In the expert panel the project database is evaluated and the Tailored GPT is tested by people working in campus management to get a final understanding on how the database and GPT can be further improved. Resulting in a database and GPT model that can be used by people working in campus management as a stepping stool for the enhancement of the exchange of knowledge. ... Read more

Strategic behavior is inherent to multi-actor decision-making, allowing actors to see their goals reflected in the process and outcome, which is needed for achieving satisfaction. Traditional decision-making often favors those with the loudest voices, which can lead to decisions that reflect only the preferences of a few rather than a balanced consideration of all stakeholders' interests. While strategic behavior is necessary, its associated risks such as stagnation, perceived unfair distribution of benefits, and suboptimal solutions are well-documented. These can negatively impact the decision quality. These risks are tied to the strategic approach employed, whether competitive or collaborative, and are influenced by how the decision environment is structured. The literature indicates that a dominant reliance on competitive strategies within such environments often leads to the issues mentioned earlier.
While Decision Support System literature acknowledges the risks of strategic behavior, a lack of behavioral insight has been identified as a limitation. Understanding how decision support systems influence behaviors is crucial for improving their effectiveness. Emphasizing the importance of learning from real-life manifestations of decision-makers' behavior. It is assumed that the limited understanding how strategic behavior unfolds in practice within decision support system (DSS) supported decision-making environments, supports the understanding how these environments influence such behavior. This limited understanding hinders the development of effective decision support systems as well as current decision making practices. This research addressed this gap by employed a behavioral informed approach, used qualitative research methods such as interviewing and directly observing participants behavior with the use of a Decision Support Systems (DSS). Providing an understanding of how decision environments, shape strategic behaviors.
Through a qualitative analysis using the Preference-Based Accommodation Strategy (PAS) approach as a research instrument, this study explored how this design and decision support system facilitates a decision-making environment and influences the use of strategic behavior. Through analyzing the occurrence of these different approaches, collaborative or competitive, within specific decision environments, patterns were identified. These patterns revealed which environmental factors encourage or diminish certain strategies employed. For instance, collaborative patterns increase under conditions of transparency and inclusivity, while competitive patterns decrease as these address the underlying causes that facilitate such behaviors. These were found consistent in both literature, current decision making and the design and decision making process supported and facilitated by the PAS approach. This research provided insight into how the structure of a decision environment, such as the one created by the PAS approach, influences the nature and prevalence of strategic behaviors.
The PAS approach integrates features such as transparent information, transparent modeling and analysis, interdependency of goals, the overall preference score, and open dialogue. These elements create a transparent and inclusive environment where collaborative strategic behavior is naturally incentivized and is both effective and rewarding, reducing the reliance and effectiveness of competitive strategies. The research shows that PAS addresses limitations in current decision-making environments by fostering a transition from competitive to collaborative strategic behavior, through a transparent and inclusive environment.
By moving beyond assumptions, this research provides a clear understanding of how the PAS approach shapes and influences strategic behavior, offering insights into the design of decision support systems and current decision making practices that promote collaborative strategic behaviors over competitive strategic behavior, enhancing the potential to mitigate the risks mentioned earlier.
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The growing adoption of hybrid working has transformed the workplace, creating both opportunities and challenges due to the diverse and conflicting values of employees and organisations. This shift has also influenced the demand for office space, which has become more flexible, uncertain, and unpredictable. As a result, there is a driving need to reduce office space demand more effectively. In the literature, several instruments exist that each address parts of this problem; however, their integration has not been tested. Although the Preference-based Accommodation Strategy design and decision-making approach (Arkesteijn, 2019) could potentially be applied in this context, it is currently a general method that does not explicitly address hybrid working preferences or demand.

This research addresses this gap by adapting the Preference-based Accommodation Strategy (PAS) method to test the fit-for-purpose design and decision-making of the integrated research instrument. The research instruments are referred to as the Hybrid Office Portfolio Optimisation (HOPO) model, which aims to identify preferences for implementing goals and criteria, and to stimulate portfolio optimisation through the demand model. The research follows the ten design steps that allow for an iterative, prescriptive approach that combines literature review, model development, and the application of the PAS with interviews and workshops.

Three reference models (Hybrid Working Trends based on literature, Knowledge Workers based on survey data, and Policy Accommodation based on policy documents) were developed to capture general, user and organisational preferences, complemented by a development portfolio demand model. These instruments were integrated into the PAS method and empirically tested through a pilot study with the Netherlands Police, one of the largest public real estate owners in the Netherlands. The pilot included three stakeholder perspectives: user, organisational, and real estate. The reference models are tested in the interviews, and the demand model in the workshops.

The findings show that the reference models added limited value due to the expertise of stakeholders, timing of communication and the quality and completeness. The policy accommodation had the most potential, as it directly linked organisational strategy to decision variables. The demand model successfully quantified the hybrid working preferences of demand, but was constrained by the scenario thinking in the outcome.

The research concludes that although the integration of hybrid working demands into the PAS method was not so successful, however, it cannot be concluded that it will never work. Future research should focus on making the reference models more comprehensive and improving the way of communication to present earlier. The HOPO-PAS model thus provides a foundation for further development in enhancing the PAS design and decision-making method with the integration of research instruments. ... Read more

This study explores how the design and use of classroom environments influence the learning experience of secondary school students. Building on existing literature, the research established a framework of four design categories—Essential, Supportive, Aesthetic, and Functional—comprising sixteen design and use elements. Satisfaction, motivation, and productivity were identified as the most suitable indicators, and the empirical analysis showed these dimensions to be strongly interrelated, forming one integrated construct of the student learning experience. The central research question is: How does the design and use of classroom environments influence the learning experience of secondary school students?
Using a mixed-methods approach, two contrasting case studies were analysed through five classroom observations, student surveys (n = 173) and reflective teacher interviews. Results revealed significant correlations between design elements and student experience, with spatial clarity, visual appearance, and emotional support emerging as particularly influential. Conversely, poor environmental quality and limited flexibility and comfort consistently undermined outcomes.
The findings highlight a clear hierarchy: securing baseline essentials of comfort and flexibility is indispensable, while aesthetic and supportive features enrich learning only when these foundations are in place. Classrooms thus act as active determinants—functioning as a “third teacher” that shapes student performance and wellbeing. ... Read more

Implementing strategies within corporate real estate (CRE) projects effectively is a challenge, often resulting in a gap between intended strategy and realised outcome (Winch, 2010). Especially social sustainability strategies are challenging, as this pillar of ESG remains underrepresented and sustainability certifications for buildings mainly focus on the environmental side (Chethana et al., 2017; Alawneh et al., 2019; Kempeneer, 2021). This study addresses the problem of strategy implementation, focused on social sustainability goals in corporate real estate office projects in the Netherlands. The study explores the underlying factors that influence this implementation process throughout the project lifecycle. The main research question is: To what extent do underlying factors influence the implementation of social sustainability goals throughout the project lifecycle of corporate real estate office projects in the Netherlands? To answer this question, this study employed a multi-method research approach, combining both exploratory and qualitative methods. A systematic literature review and content analysis established a theoretical framework for social sustainability in CRE, including categories, subcategories and indicators. The empirical part of the study involved a multiple case study of three corporate real estate office projects in the Netherlands, from which data was collected through document analysis and in-depth interviews. The case studies illustrate how a lack of specificity in the vision phase complicates implementation. The vision phase marked a crucial shift, as projects articulated detailed goals and indicators addressing a wide range of social sustainability categories. However, compared to literature, these indicators lacked robustness. This study identified multiple drivers and barriers that influence the implementation process of social sustainability goals. Although there were clear underlying factors that affected the implementation process, such as social and economic performance, barriers—most notably financial and spatial limitations—impeded the complete achievement of social sustainability objectives. Notably, the desire to give social sustainability top priority occasionally conflicted with environmental objectives, making decision-making more difficult. A fundamental challenge identified is the disconnect between strategy formulation and implementation, which significantly complicates the realisation of these goals. It was seen that clear guidance and communication between the project phases is essential for tackling these barriers. In conclusion, this study critically underscores the necessity for a cohesive approach that bridges the gap between strategy formulation and implementation. Without a robust strategy that translates into clear, actionable indicators, organisations may struggle to achieve ambitious social sustainability outcomes. ... Read more

Information systems are increasingly deployed by healthcare organizations to support decision makers and users of hospitals. As a result, digital twins have recently emerged as an information system with promising application prospects. However, the limited deployment of them leads to the research gap that is addressed by the present research, which aims to answer "how can a digital twin for space use support decision makers and users of hospital real estate" and identify specifications for its development by healthcare organizations.
The research approach is conducted by deploying a design science research framework. In this framework, a literature review is carried out first by analyzing academic publications in the topics of hospital real estate management, space use in hospital real estate, digital twins for space use and digital twins for hospital real estate. Then a case study is conducted in a healthcare organization, by analyzing the organizational characteristics, the real estate portfolio, the deployed information systems for space use and the building documentation databases. This is being done through a set of interviews with employees of the organization, together with a documentation analysis. Two lists of design and utilization principles are then extracted from the literature review and the case study analysis.
The two sets of principles are utilized for the development of a conceptual design of a display of a digital twin for space use in hospitals. This display is based on a time frame window, a building orientation window, a user profile window, a building visualization window and a performance palettes window. The display is then assessed through evaluation interviews and the comprehensiveness of its design is validated. The interviewees further suggest utilization scenarios that they can perform with a similar tool.
It is eventually concluded that a digital twin can be used by different stakeholder perspectives, by providing historical, real time or simulation information at a room, floor, building or campus scale resolution to support operational, tactical and strategic utilization processes. The outcomes of this research can eventually be used by healthcare decision makers in order to develop similar tools. ... Read more

Recently, campus strategies have become popular in managing portfolios of real estate. The growth of business and employment on campuses has continued unabated in recent years, leading to the conclusion that campuses are a popular location and an engine for new and innovative activity. Because of the thirteen added values that a campus can offer to an organization, the Landelijke Eenheid wants to implement a campus to support the organization and consequently also support future operational processes. However, for the Landelijke Eenheid it is still unclear and abstract what a police campus looks like because they have never developed a police campus so there is not a campus assessment framework on how to make a police campus yet. What we know about the police campus at the moment is not enough. Therefore, this research will investigate what a campus can offer to the organization of the Landelijke Eenheid for the location of Driebergen. By making use of the four perspectives of den Heijer, a new campus assessment framework is made to help the Landelijke Eenheid with an overview of their ambition and vision document and the four real estate documents that are used within this research. The empirical part will focus on the new campus assessment framework and how the occurring contradictions can be solved. The input for the research will be conducted through both qualitative and inductive research. Semi-structured interviews are held and a case study about a campus with similar contradictions (Brightlands Chemelot campus) is executed. The theoretical review will focus on the campus, its management and the operationalization of a campus. The Activity Theory by Engeström is used to examine the activity of creating a police campus and serves as the conceptual framework. The goal in this research is to formulate an outcome of how a campus can support the organization of the Landelijke Eenheid. ... Read more

Environmental sustainability has become an urgent matter on the Dutch political agenda, which will affect the built environment in the near future. Consequently, organizations have to adapt their real estate to new regulations for building performance and their own sustainability goals. The Preference-based Accommodation Strategy (PAS) is a decision-making strategy that aids organizations in finding a Corporate Real Estate Portfolio (CREP) that aligns with the organization’s values. This research aimed to stimulate organizations to improve the environmental sustainability of their CREP by changing the decision-making process. Therefore a sustainability reference model (SuRMo) was developed for PAS and tested on the CREP of Colliers, an international real estate consultancy firm with multiple offices in the Netherlands. In the pilot study, PAS and the SuRMo were used to evaluate three alternatives for a new office space in Utrecht. In an iterative process using the operation research methodology four tests were conducted which compared the outcome of the different decision-making processes. The four tests analysed 1) the current decision-making process, 2) the decision-making process and outcome using PAS, 3) the decision-making process and outcome using PAS with the SuRMo 2.0 and 4) the sustainability performance of Test 1-3 compared to Dutch sustainability goals for 2050. In the three tests the decision outcome resulted in the same office building that performed best in terms of environmental sustainability and matches the governmental goals for 2050. However, between Test 1 and Test 2 the total number of criteria increased from 7 to 37 and from two implicit environmental sustainability criteria to five explicit criteria. The outcome of this research shows that PAS increased the number of environmental sustainability criteria and changed the decision-making process of Colliers from implicit to explicit. The stakeholders expressed the need for the SuRMo because they lack knowledge about environmental sustainability in CREP but concluded that it requires further development for user-friendliness and suitability with PAS. The three actionable conclusions for practise are that PAS should be used in decision-making about CRE with a further developed SuRMo, Green Building Rating Systems should be used for sustainability in CRE decision-making instead of greenhouse gas emissions and project developers and investors can use the explicit outcome of PAS to adapt the supply to the demand on the real estate market. ... Read more

The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic is profound and enduring to the entire world. A ‘recovery’ to go back in time is unlikely to happen due to the lack of uncertainty in the future. The darkest time will eventually pass, whereas post-pandemic, the era in which the pandemic is perceived to have subsided, can still accelerate existing trends and bring up new uncertainties, such as hybrid working, activity-based working and smart building, to the office real estate sector. Corporate Real Estate (CRE), as real property, is owned and/or leased by organisations for their business activities. While office real estate is facing profound structural changes, the CRE department of organisations needs to evaluate their office status quo and reimagine their office of the future.

Scenario planning can act as a valuable tool to help decision-makers evaluate strategies, and office space demand forecast is one of the important indexes that CRE takes into account. Forecasting office space demand by using scenario planning techniques is recommended when the predictability of the external strategic environment is low and the reliability of the organisation’s internal data required for forecasting is high as is the case in this post-pandemic era. This research aims to propose a scenario planning methodology that can be applied to develop scenarios with quantitative office space demands at a corporate level. Such methodology and detailed scenarios are valuable for CRE decision-makers to evaluate their strategy regarding post-pandemic office real estate.

This study is developed by operations research. A proper methodology is proposed through the literature study. A pilot study is then taken to apply this methodology to a real-world example. The chosen pilot is the global headquarter of Philips: Philips Center in Amsterdam. In the pilot study, semi-structured interviews and data analytics of an existing survey are conducted, scenarios are developed by following the steps of the proposed methodology. An expert panel was held to help evaluate the replicability and validities of the findings.

Embedded mixed methods research is used for this thesis. Qualitative and quantitative data are both analysed through literature study, semi-structured interviews, and an expert panel. A large chunk of quantitative data analysis including using the programming language approach is conducted during survey data analysis.

The findings of this research provide CRE with a methodology to develop scenarios with quantitative office space demand. By applying this methodology, the output of post-pandemic office real estate scenarios with corresponding quantitative office space demand can be used by CRE decision-makers to evaluate their business strategies.
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Globally, one in four adults do not meet the recommended amount of physical activity. Because people spend a significant amount of time in the work environment and especially office employees spend a lot of time in sedentary behaviour and have low physical activity levels, this study focuses on the reduction of sedentary behaviour and increase of physical activity in both the office building and the home work environment by replacing sedentary behaviour with incidental physical activity in terms of walking and stair climbing.

This study specifically focuses on the relation between the arrangement of spaces within the office building and employees’ incidental physical activity, since there is limited existing knowledge on this relation. In addition, this study focuses on other spatial, social and personal factors that may influence incidental physical activity within offices where spaces are arranged differently and in the home work environment. Therefore, the main research question is as follows: “How can the arrangement of spaces within the office building and the home work environment stimulate office employees’ incidental physical activity in terms of walking and stair climbing?”

The study resulted in an enhanced method to answer this research question. In this study, this method is tested, refined and retested to advise for further use of the method. Next to that, some results about the relation between the work environment and office employees’ incidental physical activity are discussed. ... Read more

Homeworking can have benefits both for employees and employers, such as a productivity increase and a better work-life balance. Still, homeworking arrangements were less implemented than expected throughout the years. Now, due to Covid-19, every office worker is highly recommended to work from home as much as possible. Therefore, everybody works at home with either a suitable or an unsuitable home work environment. During this ‘mass experiment’ new insights can be gathered on the experience of homeworking and the influence the home work environment has on productivity. Employees are sometimes forced to carry out certain work activities at home that were considered unsuitable beforehand. So, prejudices about homeworking can be confirmed or invalidated and specific aspects of the home work environment that influence productivity can be determined.

For this study quantitative data of the research project, ‘We Werken Thuis’ (We Work at Home; WWH) are used. First, a literature review is conducted to have a clear overview of what already has been researched on the topic of homeworking and the work environment related to productivity. From the literature study, a theoretical model is developed. This theoretical model includes the home work environment, divided into the physical home work environment and the social environment, the satisfaction with the home work environment, and individual control variables being of influence on the perceived productivity. It was predicted that all these elements affect productivity, both directly and indirectly.

The findings from the literature review are tested by statistical analyses (N = 36,102). Bivariate and regression analyses were performed, followed by integral path analysis. These analyses showed that the physical home work environment, satisfaction with the home work environment, and individual control variables directly affect productivity. Also, the physical home work environment indirectly affects productivity via satisfaction with the home work environment. The same was found for the individual control variables. Furthermore, the individual control variables influence the physical home work environment itself as well, which indirectly affects the perceived productivity via the satisfaction with the home work environment.

The outcomes of this research can be used by practitioners to revise their current corporate real estate strategy or by real estate consultants to advise companies about their office use in the future. It fills the gap in research on the influence specific aspects of the home work environment have on productivity during homeworking. ... Read more

Problem definition: There is a gap in the literature on co-location: no literature is found on the use of co-location between third parties and governmental organizations (external co-location). Co-location is already being implemented within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). However, co-location has remained as a vague concept within MFA ever since its introduction. There is no strategy backing the concept; only some guidelines have been developed for more clarity from an operational perspective. Besides, the policy takes an opposing stance: a no, unless.. policy. Due to this concept's vagueness, co-location adds limited value to MFA. On the other hand, the number of co-locations indicates there is a clear need for the concept. Research objective: The objective of this thesis is to help the primary process of MFA achieve their goals and add more value with a better implementation of co-location by using the step-by-step plan developed in this research. The step-by-step plan with best actions/practices can be used to select the most suitable co-location alternative (with the decision tree and SWOT analysis) and improve the implementation of co-location as a CRE intervention (with the success formula); Consequently, more value is added to the organization. The main research question central in this thesis is: How can co-location be used as a tool within the CRE strategy and as part of the CRE portfolio that adds more value to the organization, specifically in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs? Research method: With the use of a hybrid research method, in which elements of operational, theoretical, and empirical research are incorporated, the answer to the main research question was obtained. The first part of the research method used was establishing the theoretical background on co-location and adding value. This knowledge establishment formed the basis of the following parts of the thesis. For the second part, an analysis of the current situation within the Ministry of Foreign affairs completed: strategic analysis of the general situation (stakeholder demands, corporate strategy, CRE strategy, Etc.) and an assessment of the current co-location cases (incorporates the empirical elements of the research). This assessment was completed using surveys (to assess the performance and perception) and interviews to develop an anecdotal success formula. The final part of this thesis incorporates the operational elements of the hybrid research method. The obtained information from the previous parts was combined for the development of a step-by-step plan to improve the current situation of co-location within MFA. Findings and conclusion: The developed step-by-step plan consists of the following products: a decision tree and SWOT analysis that both can be used to select the best co-location alternatives of a particular co-location embassy/consulate, based on the demands and objectives of MFA and the embassy/consulate. After selecting an alternative, the step-by-step plan's success formula can then be used as a tool to manage the implementation process. The last part of the step-by-step plan is needed to assess and, if needed, readjust the co-location after the implementation: the check and act phase. For assessing the co-location cases, a recommendation list of possible KPI's per demand (including the objectives) and the related adding value parameters are provided. ... Read more