Professor of Sustainable Built Environment
- Sustainable Built Environment
‘I want to bring together different interests in the built environment’
Ingrid Janssen, professor of Sustainable Built Environment
If there’s one thing Ingrid Janssen has learned from her international travels, it’s that the Netherlands is a fantastic country. But it’s also a country facing important choices, now that we’ve reached the limits of our growth. “The time of limitless possibilities is over – we have to make choices, including with regard to the built environment. As a professor, I want to bring together the diverse interests of professionals so that we can work together to create a living environment centred around sustainability, health and inclusion. Connection and creativity are essential parts of that equation.”
Originally trained as a structural engineer, Ingrid Janssen has gradually broadened her horizons over the years. Since September 2023, she’s been professor of Sustainable Built Environment at the Centre of Expertise for a Safe & Resilient Society, a position in which she has benefited greatly from her wide-ranging perspective. Previously, Janssen held academic positions at TIAS School for Business and Society and Eindhoven University of Technology. But throughout her career as a researcher, she always kept one foot in the ‘real world’, advising on spatial development investments, sustainability strategies and property acquisitions.
Two worlds
Besides leading her research group, Janssen is currently a member of the supervisory board of the Eindhoven housing foundation Wooninc, giving her a keen understanding of the commercial construction and real estate world as well as the social sector. “If we’re going to meet the major challenges we’re facing in the built environment, it’s vital that these two worlds are connected. This does demand a certain amount of effort on the part of both construction clients and contractors. We’ll have to find new ways of working together so that new coalitions and operating models can emerge, and social return on investment needs to be a prominent factor in decision-making right from the start.”
Making room for creativity
Aligning different interests isn’t always easy in an era of limited possibilities. “In a small country like ours, you can’t build a million new homes and quickly make the existing housing stock more sustainable and have a large agricultural sector and strengthen nature and biodiversity. Politicians will have to make choices. Only then will there be space for new developments. Once we know the playing field, we can move forward.” Janssen is optimistic about the possibilities this playing field will offer. “We also have designers attached to our research group, which I find incredibly valuable. When we make room for creativity, people come up with the most surprising solutions, which are a huge source of inspiration for me.”
Tension
Janssen is convinced that there are sustainable solutions to today’s challenges. “I’m proud of the name of my research group – Sustainable Built Environment. To me, ‘sustainable’ means future-proof, also in terms of societal aspects. Take the housing shortage: this is the time to build sustainable affordable housing that also improves the living environment. Obviously, it’s a bit of a balancing act, but that’s what makes it so interesting. I’m confident it can be done.”
Strengthening social structures
According to Janssen, applied research lends itself ideally to developing innovations that will truly benefit the Netherlands. “I’ve had one foot in the ‘real world’ my entire career, but I’ve never had a role so focused on practice. It’s really a combination of research, practice and teaching.” But Janssen doesn’t focus solely on technical solutions, she’s also explicitly looking for process innovations. “I’d like to help accelerate the sustainability transition. We’ve known how to build energy-neutral buildings for over 20 years, and we also have techniques for circular and bio-based construction. So why are things moving so slowly? How can we incentivise built environment parties to accelerate? I’m also committed to developing healthy and inclusive living environments that strengthen local social structures. One way to achieve that is by designing neighbourhoods that encourage residents to meet outside. The knowledge is there, and the social return seems obvious to me. Let’s get to work.”