Building Skin RE NATURISED | HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht

A considerable portion of the Dutch postwar terraced houses is not energy efficient, not circular, uncomfortable, unhealthy, and not adapted to climate changes.
In this research project we prepare guidelines and examples on renovating these houses by (re)introducing nature-based knowledge and living nature itself to its inner and outer ‘skin’.

This researchproject aims to (re)introduce nature-based knowledge and living nature itself to fulfil ecosystem services that symbiotically enhance the functionality of building skins and hence contribute to improving the energy efficiency of buildings, facilitating a healthier indoor environment, as well as healthier, more biodiverse and climate-resilient outdoor surroundings.

Retrofitting guidelines for architects, builders, property developers, policymakers, scientists, and students, with showcase examples for renovating building skins (re)connected with nature.

We anticipate performing transdisciplinary design research that connects material research, nature-based design, product development, living lab experiments, and a multifunctional impact assessment framework.

Central question:

How can we achieve a nature-based renovation of the building envelope (“skin”)—including the façade, roof, and ground level—that contributes symbiotically to improved health and well-being?

Where possible, we collaborate with students from HU education programs (such as the Bachelor Built Environment and the Master Urban & Area Development), and we feed the knowledge gained back into the curriculum.