Jacob Verhaart

Jacob Verhaart

Areas of expertise

  • Industrial Ecology & Sustainable building
  • Thermal comfort; Building installations and HVAC
  • Human technology interaction
  • Renewable energy
  • Mobility & Aircraft systems

Enjoys

  • Good food
  • Designing and building furniture
  • Vegetable gardening
  • Loud music
  • Model airplanes

Contact

Jacob Verhaart

Head of Science, Industrial Ecologist

Jacob is Except's resident genius scientist. As an industrial ecologist, Jacob knows everything about energy and material flows, urban metabolism, impact and life cycle assessment, and the circular economy. As an engineer, Jacob has a particular love for building systems and sustainable building practices. Jacob always wants to know everything there is to know about a subject. When he was little, his favorite word was “why?”.

That condition never got better. He is fascinated by nature, architecture, and technology. He would like to get to know as much as there is to know about sustainability and translate that into concrete solutions for improving the world.

Jacob has a humanist’s understanding of social policy coupled with an engineers’ appreciation of practicality. In the last four years, he helped to increase the understanding of the interaction of office workers with their thermal environment, in his role as a researcher at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Department of Building Physics and Services. Comfort through user involvement is essential to make buildings better and more sustainable. Technology is there to help people in making doing the right thing easier.

This practical side is also visible when Jacob designs and builds furniture. The best furniture is esthetically pleasing, is useful, and makes life easier. The additional advantage is that woodworking and building is a relaxing activity, and therefore it’s no surprise that a large portion of Jacob’s house is filled with his own creations.

Jacob has a Master’s degree in Industrial Ecology from Delft and Leiden Universities, and a Bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering from Delft University of Technology.

Articles

The Future of Air travel

How will we fly in 2050?

The Future of Air travel

How will we fly in 2050?

Projects

Serenity Farms

Sustainable food production in arid regions

ReGen Villages Oosterwold

Masterplan for a self sustaining neighborhood

Sustainable Schiebroek-Zuid

Redevelopment of post-war social housing

The future of Sterkenburg

Medieval castle innovates a new future

Sustainable Development Catharijnesingel Utrecht

Full spectrum sustainability strategy for urban infrastructure

House of Energy Book

Inspiration Book Energy Neutral Living

BKCity Slim Refurbishment

Sustainable Renovation of TUDelft's Architecture Faculty

Innovative hotel concept

Living places for working people

System Transition Wood Construction NL

Establishing a sustainable timber industry in the Netherlands

Heineken: 100% Circular

A vision, strategy & roadmap to fully circular and energy-neutral operations

Refreeze

Keep the Arctic in the Arctics

Orchid City

The world's first framework for fully self-sustainable cities

Estonian Industrial Symbiosis Agro-Park (EISAP)

Europe’s most ambitious and sustainable industrial agro-park