The European Green Deal is raising the standards and sets out the tasks that need to be addressed for our sustainable future. As can be seen in the visual, Europe touches on a lot of issues where we can (and should) aim for impact. The applicable ones in green, the most prominent ones with the red exclamation marks. This is where Oosterhoff can make a change and where Quake wants to focus on.
It focuses on sustainability in the built environment. How building influences our (natural) environment, how we have to reduce our (carbon) footprint and how we deal with the limitation of energy use. But the European Commission also acknowledges that we have to train ourselves to cope with the transition quests. These are the fields where Quake will focus on. We will show this in the themes we address and the projects we do.
Themes
We think it is stronger to focus on a few key research topics, rather than to spread the efforts on too many different agendas. We see these research topics as theme, with a long-term strategic goal. The themes consist of individual, small scale, definable and ending projects. All leading to the prescribed strategic goal.
Frequently asked questions
Quake is an operating company within Oosterhoff. Various innovation and research projects are carried out within Quake. Quake does not have its own employees, but ‘borrows’ employees from the operating companies who are given time to work on these projects. All employees of Oosterhoff operating companies can submit an idea to Quake and work on Quake projects.
Quake’s goal is to ensure that our operating companies can work smarter and better towards sustainable living and working environments. Quake projects ensure that we continue to work on new technologies and solutions. In addition, Quake is a meeting place for all colleagues from all operating companies. Quake creates a work environment that attracts and retains the brightest, most passionate and committed talent.
Quake projects always focus on improving the built environment in terms of sustainability. Furthermore, projects are divided into the following themes: urban, environment, data & digital and materials. These themes each have one or more leaders. They take the lead within that theme and also assess new ideas/projects.
The urban theme is about climate adaptation of the built environment, nature-inclusive design, managing water and energy and implementing biodiversity in our built environment. Quake intends to collaborate extensively with the operating company Urban Physics in this regard.
Quake monitors all relevant new developments in order to implement them in our daily work. The data & digital theme is, among other things, about the application of artificial intelligence, automation and data. In addition, we see that our work is transforming through digitalization. Quake facilitates education and training on digital tools, such as AI, for all engineers and advisors.
The environment theme is about sustainability and the environment. Within this theme, Quake wants to collaborate and further develop all sustainability initiatives in our design process. For example, together with the Data & digital theme, they are working on a materials database that is used in the design process. In addition, this theme consists of projects that conduct research into circularity principles in our projects.
The materials theme concerns, among other things, innovation and knowledge sharing in the field of biobased materials, urban mining, concrete and reinforcement.
For a current overview of Quake projects, including name and contact details of the project leader, visit this page.
