Department of the Built Environment

Design and Decision Support Systems

The Design and Decision Support Systems research program focuses on planning, development and management of cities and large-scale urban artefacts such as malls, green spaces and offices.

Design and Decision Support Systems (DDSS)

Recognizing that the structures and functions constituting the city interact with each other and with the users, integrated and human-centered solutions to urban and transport planning as well as real estate management are needed. Using a system’s approach, the objective of the DDSS research program is to conduct innovative and groundbreaking research, to develop and apply models and systems that allow planners and managers often in co-creation with users to address the major challenges cities are facing to create healthy living environments for users and attain sustainability objectives.

Developing design and decision support solutions for architecture and urban planning challenges

As a result of processes becoming increasingly complex in recent years, integrated solutions to architectural and urban planning and design challenges, such as the development of smart cities, need to be assessed from multiple perspectives. Existing models and tools often fail to meet this requirement. The aim of the DDSS research program is to develop groundbreaking design and decision support systems that focus on particular types of design and planning problems in architecture and urban planning. The main objective of the DDSS research program is to conduct Innovative academically rigorous research, which is of practical relevance.

Research meets practice: DDSS Laboratory

The Information Systems group manages an advanced computer laboratory. The ISBE Lab is located on the 9-th floor of the Vertigo building. In the lab you find high-end computer systems and various peripherals for (3D) printing, projecting, etc. A VR Powerwall is available for visualization and navigating full scale models of the built environment. Virtual servers can be set-up for running special jobs. A database is available with geo data from the Netherlands. PhD’s and Master students use these facilities for performing experiments as part of their research projects. Professional support is available to support students in their work.

Our research groups

The DDSS research program consists of three research groups.

Department of the Built Environment

Information Systems in the Built Environment

The ISBE Group carries out research and education in the field of information systems used for the engineering and management of the built…

Department of the Built Environment

Real Estate and Urban Development

The REMD group is responsible for education and research in the area of real estate management and urban development.

Department of the Built Environment

Urban Planning and Transportation

The focus of the Urban Planning Group is on developing models and integrating these into decision support systems for urban planning design…

Datamanagement/GDPR

Responsible data management is part of good research. Timely measures need to be taken to ensure that collection, analysis, storage and reuse of the data are organized properly and in line with the law.
This page provides templates and guidelines to help USRE-researchers to draw a good data management plan for their studies.

Meet some of our Researchers

Full Professor

Bauke de Vries

DDSS Research Day

For the DDSS Research Day we bring senior scientists and young (PhD) researchers together in an intimate setting. During this day there is ample room for discussions during the presentations and outside the official program. Cross-fertilization between disciplines is deemed necessary to advance DDSS research. Senior researchers from the TU/e (Prof. Arentze, Prof. Rasouli and Prof. de Vries) welcome young researchers from the DDSS program to present their work and those who are still exploring their research topic and are looking for discussions on that topic.

Recent Publications

Our most recent peer reviewed publications

Interview about Smart Cities by Physicsworld

In this video recording Bauke de Vries gives his opinion on Smart Cities research, and he explains the new Brainport Smart District project. The video is published by Physicsworld.

News

April 3, 2024
Marcel Loomans co-authors Science Policy Forum paper on indoor air quality standards
The new publication mandates the agenda for safer indoor environments.
Read more
March 27, 2024
Understanding and modelling individual preferences for mobility as a service
Valeria Caiati defended her PhD thesis at the Department of Built Environment on March 27th.
Read more
March 21, 2024
TU/e honorary doctorates for building materials and mechatronics
Karen Scrivener (EPFL) and Martin van den Brink (ASML) will be awarded honorary doctorates from TU/e this year for their scientific contributions to their...
Read more

Student opportunities

Are you interested in the Bachelor’s and Master’s courses we offer? Read more about our student opportunities on our special education page:

 

 

Events

  • 23 Apr
    [Translate to English:]
    February 23, 2024

    innoVisits (23-04-24)

    Get a 360° view of TU/e innovation Space during this two hour program, hosted by students from our community.

  • 23 Apr
    Personalization through the Evolution of Tastes

    EAISI lecture by visiting Professor Alan Said

    Personalization through the Evolution of Tastes

  • 23 Apr
    [Translate to English:]
    January 23, 2024

    CBL Teaching Toolkit Demo Coffee Session (23-04-24)

    Learn more about the Challenge Based Learning Teaching Toolkit, and discover how to transform your courses into engaging, hands-on learning…

  • 23 Apr

    Student Take-Over: Goethe

    April 23, 2024 / Corona hall, Luna building

  • 24 Apr
    [Translate to English:]
    March 7, 2024

    EWUU Annual Conference 2024: 'Navigating Transitions'

    April 24, 2024 12:00 PM / TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht

  • 24 Apr

    The Gate Academy | Workshop

    April 24, 2024 3:30 PM / Room 2.18 - Alpha Hub, 2nd floor - Eeuwsel 57

  • 24 Apr

    The Global Race for Nuclear Fusion is On

    April 24, 2024 12:40 PM / Blauwe Zaal, Auditorium

  • 24 Apr

    EWUU Alliance Annual Conference 2024

    April 24, 2024 12:00 PM / Utrecht

  • 25 Apr

    The Gate Academy | Training

    April 25, 2024 1:30 PM / Room 2.12 - Alpha Hub, 2nd floor - Eeuwsel 57

  • 25 Apr
    [Translate to English:] Mahault Albarracin
    From Consciousness to Social Groups: Bridging Scales through Active Inference

    HumAIn Dialogues lecture: Mahault Albarracin

    Active in cognitive science, psychology, and technology, specifically in active inference, gender fluidity, affordances, and scripts.

  • 26 Apr
    With Philip de Goey | TU/e

    EIRES Lunch Lecture

    12h00-13h00 | Topic: The Iron Power Cycle, status and next steps

  • 29 Apr
    Linking the physical and digital built environment

    PhD defense Alex Johannes Albertus Donkers

    April 29, 2024 / TU/e Campus

    • Contact

    • Visiting address

      Vertigo
      Groene Loper 6
      Eindhoven
      Netherlands

    • Visiting address

      Vertigo
      Groene Loper 6
      Eindhoven
      Netherlands

    • Postal address

      Department of the Built Environment
      P.O. Box 513
      5600 MB Eindhoven
      Netherlands

    • Postal address

      Department of the Built Environment
      P.O. Box 513
      5600 MB Eindhoven
      Netherlands

    • Secretary

    Links