Dutch architecture has a very good reputation internationally for its creativity, originality and successful experiments. Dutch building research could act as a flying carpet on which to export Dutch Design. We have always commanded respect abroad for our centuries of systematic management of the built environment for a dense population in a watery marshland area that has been drained. Other areas of research need to be made more appealing to potential customers.
Since September 2007 the Dutch Technical universities have collectively decided to develop a new national building research programme. The aim of both of these programmes is of course to improve the quality of research, but also to enhance the quality of the Dutch building industry in many respects. The idea is that in this area the universities should focus more on marketing their research to the four main actors in the construction industry: clients, designers, contractors and government. The Ministry of science and Education has imposed a duty of valorisation in addition to the primary functions of teaching and research.
In principle the 3TU Spearhead Building Research covers all the building-related research in six Dutch 3TU faculties: Architecture, Civil Engineering, Technology, Policy & Management and the OTB Research Institute at TU Delft; Architecture at TU Eindhoven and Structural Engineering Technology at the University of Twente.
The 3TU’s proposed research programme is based on a new holistic approach to societal problems. The Dutch 3TU Building professors have been asked to help develop a new 3TU programme based provisionally on eightteen social problems: Population size; population ageing; Prosperity; Individualism; Complexity of public processes; Mobility; Security; Access and safety; Fuel costs; Materials; Environmental pollution; Legalisation; Service economy; Cultural involvement; Urbanisation; Watery low-lying areas; Health; Informatics. The eighty professors of the Dutch 3TU Spearhead Building Research need to develop a new generation of research projects based on technological solutions.
If all goes according to plan, the response from the 3TU Spearhead Building Research should result in a new integrated programme by December 2008, given a positive attitude on the part of potential customers. The details of the new 3TU programme could then be worked out and the current projects replaced starting in January 2009.
Researchers need to show that their research will be fruitful for potential customers in the medium and long term. They need to demonstrate that they have adequate abilities and are able to maintain a regular, intensive and productive relationship with their financial partners when conducting research – not a hit and run approach, but a lasting, reliable relationship that is properly coordinated. This also requires an active central research organisation in the faculties that operates strategically and a research organisation at the umbrella 3TU Spearhead Building Research that communicates well.

‘formateur’, 3TU Spearhead Building Research
www.speerpuntbouw.tudelft.nl