EngD position: Designing a Context-Aware AI for Automated Building Permitting
Are you eager to play a role in transitioning towards a digital building permitting ecosystem in the Netherlands and beyond? Join us in developing an innovative platform to support the compliance checking of building permit applications using data-driven approaches.
Building permit assessment remains a major bottleneck in accelerating new construction and renovation projects needed to meet energy transition goals and growing market demand. While efforts have been and are being made to transition the highly manual process to a more digitally supported workflow, most developments focus on the formalization of the rules and regulations and formal compliance checking using semantic methods. However, these developments fail to account for the highly interpretive nature of often ambiguous and sometimes contradictory national and EU regulations. To account for the interpretative and context-sensitive nature of building rules, it is important to adopt a comprehensive approach to automating compliance checking. Such an approach should determine how such rules are interpreted and operationalized in each specific context and try to support the decision-making based on that context-specific interpretation.
The Challenge
The aim of this project is to design a hybrid Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform that integrates codified regulatory knowledge (across regional, national, and EU jurisdictions) with data-driven analysis of previous permit applications and associated decisions. This integrated approach aims to establish the foundational infrastructure for automated, context-sensitive compliance assessment. Particular emphasis will be placed on scenarios where identical regulations are interpreted differently depending on regional or local context. The objective is to leverage AI techniques to learn mappings between contextual attributes (e.g., geographic location, project characteristics) and likely interpretative outcomes.
Context and Supervision
The project is sponsored by the EU (OIVA project) and the Joint Innovation Centre between TNO and the University of Twente. The consortium involves a number of municipalities in the Netherlands that will provide expertise and support (in the form of data and feedback).
You will be supervised by:
- Dr. Farid Vahdatikhaki (University of Twente)
- Dr. Erwin Hofman (University of Twente)
- Dr. Joao Santos (University of Twente )
- Mr. Irfan Pottachola (TNO)
You will work closely with TNO and municipalities to deliver a tailor-made design artifact with real-world impact. The project will start in August/September 2026 and is based in Enschede/Hengelo.
Information and application
Please send your application using the instructions below before July 1st. Your submission is considered eligible if it includes (only and no less than) the following documents:
• Recent CV (including relevant academic, and (if any) professional experience)
• Motivation letter (max 1 page) specifically explaining your interest and relevant background knowledge for the project.
• Overview of M.Sc. degree: including thesis project title, thesis abstract, and grade list
Please contact the selection committee for more information about the project or your eligibility. You can reach them via email at f.vahdatikhaki@utwente.nl (Farid Vahdati).
The interviews will start on July 15th.
Screening is part of the procedure.
About the organisation
At the Faculty of Engineering Technology (ET), we work on engineering for impact: developing smart, sustainable, human-centred and technological solutions for societal challenges. We connect fundamental education, research and practice across five core domains: Asset & Maintenance engineering, Intelligent Manufacturing Systems, Personalised Health Technology, Resilience Engineering, and Sustainable Production, Energy and Resources.
We work on education and research in mechanical engineering, civil engineering and industrial design engineering. Together, we learn by making, creating, and innovating, addressing challenges in a solution-oriented way. Quality, connection and inclusivity are the foundation of our culture.
In our open community, students, researchers and staff collaborate with industrial and societal partners. This enables us to develop insights, applications and solutions that add value to society.
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