Christa de Vaan

I have extensive experience in implementing digital and sustainable change in the built environment. Every project has the potential to bring us closer to a more sustainable world, with digital technology serving as the enabler that can unify project development ambitions and future goals for our planet.

In line with this goal, I am advancing the development of Digital Twin technology. This approach uncovers faults that would otherwise remain hidden and highlights opportunities that traditional monitoring might miss. In a project I led for the government head office in The Hague, the Digital Twin not only revealed faults causing discomfort and energy loss but also automatically diagnosed necessary measures to resolve them. It predicted the most effective route towards transforming the building into an energy-neutral space.

To integrate adaptability, circularity, and building intelligence, I developed and successfully implemented a new modular, ductless, 'plug and play' ventilation system that allows building owners to make changes as effortlessly as moving furniture. Innovations in the system now enable 'automatic discovery' and 'over-the-air updates,' which facilitate the creation of automotive-level building control systems. Additionally, I designed the award-winning QO hotel’s innovative façade system—a dynamic, sliding insulated panels concept that maintains optimal energy balance for each individual room. Currently, I am leading the development of a digital tool to support circularity in building design.