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HBO/WO

MBO

January 1, 2026

Instructions to sail your VirtualShip!

This guide will help you get started on running your VirtualShip expedition.

Document

Emma Daniels, Jamie Atkins, Erik van Sebille

November 7, 2025

The Matter of Hospitals

This book invites readers to discover never-before-told stories of hospitals through an unusual assortment of materials, offering a unique and timely glimpse into one of society’s most feared, essential, and sensorially rich institutions. Hospitals, with their distinctive smells, acute pain, births, writhing bodies, incessant beeping, endless waiting, cardboard food and never-ending corridors, have fascinated writers for centuries. Edited by the prize-winning author of A Sensory Education and Making Sense of Medicine, this book shares a never-before-told story of hospitals through an unusual collection of objects. A great deal that matters happens in hospitals – from new life to the end of life. There is also a great deal of matter, in its material form, within hospitals. Sometimes there is too much: when we see the mountains of clinical waste with dirty syringes and used gloves. Sometimes there is too little: when we saw empty pharmacy shelves during the pandemic. More often, matter circulates in ways that are taken for granted, invisible yet critical to how hospitals function. Each essay in this book takes the matter of hospitals as a starting point to explore broader themes. Organised alphabetically, The Matter of Hospitals investigates what we can learn from the institution’s materiality about creativity, waste, patient care, community, attention and design. From ‘A’ for atmosphere to ‘Z’ for zips, each essay is a close sensory study of what seem, on the surface, to be mundane things. Beautifully illustrated with artistic photographs and hand-drawn illustrations by the editor, The Matter of Hospitals offers an inspiring and unique examination of the stuff that so many of us take for granted, in a place that we never do.

Open (Access) Text Book

Anna Harris

October 24, 2025

Measure Sustainability: LCA

In this video, Angelica Rota explains the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology and its specific application to glass products. The LCA is a standardized process that evaluates a product's environmental impact from raw material extraction ("cradle") to final disposal ("grave"). The assessment follows four phases: defining the goal and scope, conducting a life cycle inventory, assessing the environmental impacts, and interpreting the results. For construction products like glass, the life cycle is divided into modules covering production, use, end-of-life, and potential benefits from recycling. The findings of an LCA are often published in an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), a verified document that communicates transparent environmental data. For flat glass, the manufacturing stage is the most environmentally intensive, contributing the vast majority to its global warming potential due to the high energy required to melt raw materials. Increasing the use of recycled glass cullet is a key strategy for reducing this impact, as it significantly lowers the energy consumption and associated CO2 emissions of the melting process. Understanding LCA is crucial for identifying environmental hotspots and driving more sustainable practices in glass production and use. The video was produced by the Open GLASSroom project. Special thanks to Angelica Rota for contributing to the Open GLASSroom OER collection. The creation of these resources has been (partially) funded by the ERASMUS+ grant program of the European Union under grant no. 2022-1-DE01-KA220-HED-000089750. Neither the European Commission nor the project's national funding agency DAAD are responsible for the content or liable for any losses or damage resulting of the use of these resources.

Video

Angelica Rota

October 1, 2025

An analysis of the current developments and scenarios for the transition to a fossil-free energy society this century

This century, greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen oxides must be significantly reduced. Greenhouse gases absorb and emit infrared radiation that contributes to global warming, which can lead to irreversible negative consequences for humans and the environment. Greenhouse gases are caused by the burning of fossil fuels such as crude oil, coal, and natural gas, but livestock farming and agriculture are also to blame. In addition, deforestation contributes to more greenhouse gases. Of the natural greenhouse gases, water vapor is the main cause of the greenhouse effect, accounting for 90%. The remaining 10% is caused from high to low by carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxides, chlorofluorocarbons, and ozone. In addition, there are industrial greenhouse gases such as fluorinated hydrocarbons, sulphur hexafluoride, and nitrogen trifluoride that contribute to the greenhouse effect too. Greenhouse gases are a major cause of climate change, with far-reaching consequences for the welfare of humans and animals. In some regions, extreme weather events like rainfall are more common, while others are associated with more extreme heat waves and droughts. Sea level rise caused by melting ice and an increase in forest fires are undesirable effects of climate change. Countries in low-lying areas fear that sea level rise will force their populations to move to the higher-lying areas. Climate change is affecting the entire world. An estimated 30-40% o f the carbon dioxide released by the combustion of fossil fuels dissolves into the surface water, resulting in an increased concentration of hydrogen ions. This causes the seawater to become more acidic, resulting in a decreasing of carbonate ions. Carbonate ions are an important building block for forming and maintaining calcium carbonate structures of organisms such as oysters, mussels, sea urchins, shallow water corals, deep sea corals, and calcareous plankton.

Open (Access) Text Book

Folkert Koopman

September 16, 2025

The life cycle assessment of everyday objects

This educational resource has been made as part of the Digital Impressions project and has been last updated at 16.19.2025. The resource encompasses a complete guide for teaching sustainability through objects. The table of content exists of: Reason for doing a life cycle assessment...........................................................................2 Limitations..........................................................................................................................2 Target audience..................................................................................................................3 Learning objectives............................................................................................................3 Activity................................................................................................................................4 Resources...........................................................................................................................5 Variations............................................................................................................................5 Variation 1: mini LCA........................................................................................................5 Variation 2: full LCA project.............................................................................................6 Appendix 1: assignment sheet............................................................................................7 Reference list.....................................................................................................................8

Document

Sofia Zampedri, Linde Voorend

September 1, 2025

Economics in the Digital Age: Insights and Applications

This book serves as an essential resource for both undergraduate and graduate programs due to its comprehensive approach to digital economics: Theoretical Integration: It integrates classical economic theories with the digital economy, demonstrating how traditional principles apply to new digital realities. Practical Frameworks: It provides actionable insights for analyzing digital market trends and monetization strategies, relevant for students, managers, and business professionals alike. Case Studies and Real-World Applications offer concrete examples of digital transformations, making complex concepts more accessible and useful for research and coursework. Advanced Analytical Tools: The book helps students develop the analytical skills needed to evaluate digital business strategies, market dynamics, and the broader economic impact of digital technologies. For professionals, this book provides strategic guidance on navigating the challenges and opportunities of the digital economy. By understanding the core economic principles behind digital business models, managers can make informed decisions on everything from digital marketing to product development, all while anticipating and mitigating risks like cybersecurity threats or regulatory changes.

Open (Access) Text Book

Shilpa Samplonius-Raut

July 1, 2025

Transitioning towards a circular (healthcare) economy - BOOK

This book offers a comprehensive roadmap toward a circular and sustainable healthcare system, structured into three distinct parts. Part I describes circular principles and policy tactics. Chapter 1 outlines the essentials of sustainable healthcare and designates the paradox in daily practice of sustainability and the circular economy. In Chapter 2 the impact of leadership on policy together with best practices is discussed. The legislation and infrastructural web, in which many stakeholders and circular economy initiatives are strangled, is described. Despite the fact that politicians and policymakers are motivated to encourage sustainability, the infrastructure is designed to discourage circular economy projects. This chapter shows examples of setting-up intrinsic motivated teams of hospital staff, green teams, industry leaders and scientific motivated research teams. Swimming against the current is about the legislation paradox. In chapter 3 described as how legislation should be redesigned to accomplish the goals as set out in the green deal and the climate law. Part II serves as a practical guide to implementing circular strategies. In chapter 4 the reader is guided through the fundamentals of circular strategies by visualizing the circular economy. Chapter 5 reveals successful design strategies for products and processes which contribute to a zero-waste society. Using recycled materials by using waste as input for new products is described in chapter 6. In chapter 6 we will explore (surgical) waste as input for new products. Recycled should and could be used more. This is a fundamental concept within circular design principles but hardly used until this moment. Part III explores circular economy design principles on basis of successful examples. This part dives into real-world applications and measurable outcomes. It showcases successful circular design concepts and business models that have reshaped the market. Chapter 7: Is about leading by design. Success stories of circular concepts which have effectively changed the market with circular products and services are designated. Also entrepreneurial success stories of circular economy business models are presented. Chapter 8 investigates how to measuring effectiveness and impact of circular economy products and processes. In particular how reliable some facts are which are used by many to sell products or introduce new policies or legislation. How trustworthy is data from life cycle assessments (LCA’s)? What are the pitfalls? Is it possible to manipulate these data? Why should we characterize one-sided data from an LCA as greenwashing? Circular Economy principles, sustainability and, in broader sense, the climate discussion seem to trigger emotions. Using fundamental and reliable data is essential in order to be able to judge whether a product or process indeed reduces CO2 emissions is essential in decision-making. Chapter 9 focusses on how universities can contribute to sustainable solutions by presenting different cases which resulted in actual results which were implemented or are ready for upscaling. The role of universities as innovation hubs is highlighted through case studies with proven impact. The final chapter offers a reflective and forward-looking analysis on how circular strategies in healthcare can shape future societal developments. The authors reflect on the content in chapter 10. A final part in which a critical analysis is presented and the impact it could have on future developments and the society.

Open (Access) Text Book

Bart van Straten, Bruno Bruins, Tim Horeman

April 30, 2025

PFAS – Persistent Micropollutants in the Water Cycle

This report presents the final course material that was developed for the online learning module on persistent micropollutants – PFAS. The document can be used as a stand-alone manual to fully individually follow the entire course, from week to week. It includes the links to the video materials that were developed for the course within the project, fully integrated within the reading material. The course forms a bridge between scientists and professionals working in the water cycle. So far, the information on PFAS has been available in a scattered manner, making it difficult for non-experts to get a complete introductory overview. This course was designed to compile information on PFAS through the water cycle, from production to use and final treatment. The course is built up in an intuitive way: it starts with a general introduction on the origin, chemistry and nomenclature of PFAS; national standards and reported concentrations in the urban water cycle are presented; analytics are explained; the course concludes with technologies for separation and final destruction of PFAS. Each chapter (or week) contains written textbook material, videos and additional reading material. Development of the course has been a co-production between PROMISCES and TU Delft, as TU Delft has an extensive educational support system including a professional recording studio and an expert learning assessment system for engineering education. All materials including videos are freely available for the general public. If the learner wants the full experience of having virtual classmates, get access to all exercises and receive a certificate and credit points after successful completion of the course, one can register at online-learning.tudelft.nl. The course was developed by two environmental engineers with a professional educational background (Mariska Ronteltap and Kim Lompe). The educational videos include knowledge clips (recorded lectures in a studio), videos in laboratories, interviews with PROMISCES project partners and videos on location. To be able to follow the course a basic understanding of chemistry is required; other than that, the course is fully understandable for non-experts. Collaboration between TU Delft, Delfland Water Authority, and the EU Project PROMISCES.

Document

Kim Maren Lompe, Mariska Ronteltap

September 12, 2023

Creating a circular healthcare economy: Circular strategies for a sustainable healthcare

Our world is the only planet, as far as we know, which harbors life. The number of humans on our planet has grown tremendously in recent centuries. In 1800 one billion humans occupied our earth; on 15 November 2022, this number reached 8 billion. A result of this growth, the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the primary greenhouse gas emitted by human activities, drastically increased. The increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere foster the long-term increase of our earth’s temperatures, also referred to as global warming. While the earth’s population grew, so did our mass consumption society. After the Second World War humanity witnessed gigantic global economic development with great technological improvements. Computers, laptops, airplanes, tablets and Internet of Things connected humans all over the world. The hunger for plastics and steel grew as all products had to be manufactured in ever-increasing volumes. As the economy developed, our consumption grew apace. The healthcare sector has seen the same increase of consumption. The number of patients grew, and so did the number of single-use medical products. As products become more complex and more different materials were combined., recycling became more difficult. Thus, hospitals transformed into waste factories with ever-growing waste streams. The consumption of (disposable) medical devices takes up scarce raw materials and contributes to the growing CO2 emissions. In this book, Van Straten, Alvino and Horeman present their findings on how to create a sustainable healthcare economy by introducing different circular strategies. In 9 chapters, they present a wide variation of studies as practical cases to show what strategies and actions can be taken in order to implement sustainable strategies for a circular healthcare. This book was written in line with the courses the authors developed at TU Extension School, the open online education edX platform of Delft University of Technology/TU Delft, a leading university in science and technology, recognized for its world-class research. This book is a manual for everyone who follows the online course ‘Circular strategies for a sustainable healthcare’, but certainly also for everyone who wants to discover more about circular strategies and wants to understand the principles and practices of circular economy and urban mining. This book is suitable for students, researchers, policymakers and practitioners in the fields of healthcare sustainability, management, business and economics.

Document

Bart van Straten, Letizia Alvino, Tim Horeman

2023

Maker Lab Assignment: Semi-structured_Experiments

Before the Maker Lab students begin the open inquiry phases, they first learn and practice some important skills, supported by small assignments. This assignment is a "structured", or "guided" inquiry, where students know ahead of time the result they should find, but have agency in their experimental design, within some prescribed limits. By assigning all teams different methods for addressing a single research question (currently: estimating the acceleration due to gravity), they are encouraged to reflect upon how experimental design and equipment limits the certainty of empirical findings. This assignment requires teams of four students (organized into two pairs, each performing the experiment separately, but analyzing data and reporting on conclusions together). In two weeks (wherein students' course workload is 10 hours per week), the teams must set up experiments, controlling sensors with self-programmed Arduinos, collect and analyze experimental data, and create a pre-recorded video presentation to be viewed in class and aimed at their peers, followed by a Q&A. Note: If you do not (yet) have Jupyter Notebook, you cannot fully utilize the .ipynb file. But the attached PDF will give an idea of its content and functionality. Note also: In order to interact with and fully utilize the Jupyter Notebook documents (including their hyperlinks and pointers to data and image files), it is helpful to save the entire collection locally in a way that preserves the original directory structure. This is easiest to accomplish by downloading all files at once via the JupyterPython-materials zip file and unpacking it (extracting the files) to your preferred local directory. This zip file of all Jupyter Notebook materials is located here: https://search.edusources.nl/materialen/d144774e-9705-489a-b3cd-28e3618f7324 Contents: partial experimental instructions (for students) in Jupyter Notebook: Semi-structured_Experiments.ipynb (and .pdf ) grading form for pre-recorded video presentation (both .docx and .pdf )

Document

Forrest Bradbury