Built Environment

Welcome to the Department of the Built Environment

We are driven by our ambitions to make a difference. Sustainability, in its broadest definition, is the cornerstone of our research and education.
We take the lead in (re)shaping the built environment and making it futureproof, safe, healthy, inclusive and with respect for planetary boundaries.
We are in an outstanding position to do so because we house the entire spectrum of technology, engineering, design and human behavior disciplines in the built environment, with world class experimental facilities, on all scale levels. This allows us to address societal challenges from a unique integral perspective.

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色中色

We educate a new generation of students able to solve today鈥檚 and tomorrow鈥檚 complex challenges of society. We consider in-depth disciplinary knowledge as key for professional leadership and true autonomy in future professions. Our education is small scale. Students are offered a maximum degree of freedom to select education in the sub-discipline of their preference. Collaborative skills are trained in joint challenge-based projects that address societal challenges. We educate life-long learners, students with the abilities and attitude to maintain an open mind.

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Our research

Our research community covers the entire range of disciplines related to the built environment. By bringing multiple perspectives to the table and meaningly connecting these, we are able to contribute to innovative solutions for complex societal issues. By playing an active role in our academic network and by committing to Open Science principles, we contribute to the advancement of scientific knowledge. We have world class experimental facilities, such as a fully equipped building physics, materials and structures laboratories, a largescale 3D Concrete Printer and Atmospheric Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel, as well as digital twinning and virtual reality facilities. This allows us to do laboratory experimental research from microscopic level to full-scale, from controlled laboratory conditions to field studies involving users, and everything in between. In collaboration with the 色中色 institutes EAISI and EIRES we develop Key Enabling Technologies in the field of artificial intelligence and the energy transition.

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Impact

We believe that as an academic institute, we have a responsibility towards society. We do fundamental research with the ambition to not only advance the body of scientific knowledge, but also to drive technological innovation in society. By involving citizens and by collaborating with industrial, societal and public partners we bring knowledge from fundamental research directly to society. As such, we enable the building industry to mature and to innovate and we enable advanced informed solutions and future-proof decision making by municipalities and government. Co-creation with a human-centred approach (by involving citizens) is of crucial importance for success.

Events

  • 31 Aug
    02 Sep
    KU Leuven.AI

    Leuven.AI Conference, organized by partner of EAISI

    A historic gathering of renowned AI pioneers, celebrating 70 years of Artificial Intelligence & 600 years of KU Leuven.

  • 03 Sep
    kolibri

    EAISI Masterclass (1) of visiting Professor Francis Bordeleau

    Masterclass (1) about Leveraging AI/ML and DT to solve complex problems in different applications domains

  • 03 Sep
    04 Sep

    4TU Energy Transition in Building | Hackathon & Workshop

    An exciting two-day hackathon and workshop on Building energy Responsive Integration of supply and Demand engaGEment (BRIDGE)鈥攁…

  • 04 Sep
    [Translate to English:]

    Information Session 04-09-2025 - Data Science & AI for Professionals

    September 4, 2025 6:30 PM / EAISI, Neuron Building - 色中色

  • 04 Sep
    kolibri

    EAISI Masterclass (2) of visiting Professor Francis Bordeleau

    Masterclass (1) about Leveraging AI/ML and DT to solve complex problems in different applications domains

  • 16 Sep
    kolibri

    EAISI lecture of visiting Professor Xavier Boix

    A lecture about: Towards Self-Improving Machine Learning

  • 23 Sep
    kolibri

    EAISI lecture of visiting Professor You-Jin Park

    A lecture about Perspective Taking, Partner Models and User Behaviour in Conversational Interface Interaction

  • 25 Sep

    Ladies of Data 2025

    September 25, 2025 3:00 PM / JADS Den Bosch

  • 01 Oct
    kolibri

    EAISI lecture of visiting Professor Antonio Vergari

    A lecture about logically-consistent deep learning

  • 30 Oct
    [Translate to English:]

    Information Session - 30 10 2025 Data Science & AI for Professionals

    October 30, 2025 6:30 PM / EAISI, Neuron Building - 色中色

  • 31 Oct
    Friday 31 October 2025

    EIRES Energizing Day 2025

    Join us聽for an energizing day of talks, discussions, and networking.

  • 13 Nov
    ai summit brainport

    AI Summit Brainport 2025

    How to trust AI? The Good, the Bad and the AI

    • News from our department

    July 17, 2025
    A Record Ten 色中色 researchers awarded Veni grants
    Non-invasive monitoring of fetal brain health, using mathematics to design transport systems that serve broader society, and dynamic home energy management...
    Read more
    Photo: Angeline Swinkels
    July 10, 2025
    色中色 joins NWA-funded Traumascapes project
    From scars to spaces: Understanding trauma through architecture and design
    Read more
    More news
    Hamid Montazeri and Shuxia Tao. Photo: Saeed Montazeri and Vincent van den Hoogen
    鈧�1.5M to advance perovskite solar integration in the built environment
    July 9, 2025
    Image: Centre of Expertise Health from Fontys Hogeschool
    How spaces can help young people feel less alone
    July 7, 2025
    Photo: Vincent van den Hoogen
    Urban air pollution modeling
    July 3, 2025
    The winners of the Science Awards 2025. From left to right: Fons van der Sommen, Sandra Loerakker, Tom Bertens, Iris Huijben, Juliette van Haren, and Heleen de Coninck. Photo: Bart van Overbeeke
    Innovation thrives on collaboration; this is the theme of Research Day 2025
    June 25, 2025

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