The CDP scheme intends to enhance the science-policy link through strategic collaborations with higher education institutions characterized by research excellence and international reputation, in order to:
- Train a new generation of doctoral graduates in science and technology with a focus on the science-policy interface, able to understand the research needs at different stages of the policy cycle, capable of providing scientific support to policy and of using transferable skills in science communication and knowledge management.
- Co-develop, co-host and co-supervise doctoral studies between higher education institutions and the JRC.
- Strengthen collaboration between the JRC and higher education institutions by promoting mutual enhancement of related skills and competences, combining existing knowledge and capacities, and enhancing networking in key scientific areas.
Project
Within the CDP scheme KU Leuven offers a PhD position in life cycle modelling of the European building stock towards testing of scenarios to reduce its environmental impact. Environmental impact assessment and life cycle modelling become primordial aspects of sustainable building, an important policy goal of the European Commission, such as the recently revised Bioeconomy strategy. In this PhD research various methodologies will be combined, such as statistical analysis of the existing stock, (consequential) life cycle assessment, dynamic energy simulations and scenario analysis.
The overall aim of the PhD is to investigate how the environmental impact of the existing European building stock can be reduced by measures related to improving the energy efficiency, enhancing the transition to bioeconomy and to circular economy. A first goal of the PhD is to develop a building stock model that is representative for the existing European stock, differentiating amongst others the various climatic contexts, building types and technology, building age and use. A second goal is to investigate which interventions at the building scale level (micro-scale) improve the energy efficiency, allow for an increased use of bio-based materials and enable a transition towards a circular economy. The analysis focuses on the life cycle environmental impact of the various measures identified and their interaction. A third goal is to investigate the impact of these micro-scale interventions at the macro-scale level by upscaling the interventions and impacts to the entire building stock. Via a scenario analysis insights will be gained in preferred type and number of measures to achieve a certain policy goal. Any cross-interaction between the various measures is part of the research. In order to understand the effects of the proposed measures due to market changes and any possible rebound effects related to these, consequential LCA will be used.
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