Urban Challenges
AMS Institute's research portfolio revolves around six urban challenges to create an innovative, sustainable and just city. All the projects we do are defined and executed by interdisciplinary consortia of knowledge institutes and public and private partners, and in close collaboration with the City of Amsterdam. By involving all relevant stakeholders, we aim to contribute to the development and implementation of sustainable solutions that guarantee livability and accessibility of the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area (AMA).
Smart Urban MobilityThe continuing growth and ambitions of the City of Amsterdam and the needs of its citizens lead to increasing transport of people and goods. Which in turn puts pressure on urban space and urban infrastructure, and impacts livability and quality of life.
How can we create an accessible, liveable and less polluted city, for Amsterdam's citizens, visitors and businesses?
Urban Energy
The City of Amsterdam has the ambition to become 'climate-neutral', i.e. reduce CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030, and by 95% by 2050. This requires major transformations of the current energy system.
What is the best way to ensure a sustainable, affordable and reliable energy system for the Amsterdam region? And how do we design smart infrastructures that contribute to accelerating Amsterdam's energy transition?
Circularity in Urban Regions
By 2030 the City of Amsterdam aims to reduce the use of primary raw materials by 50% and is committed to becoming fully circular by 2050.
How do we develop integrated solutions and sustainable business models that prolong the shelf life of products, buildings and infrastructures, and that close cycles of materials, food, water and energy?
Metropolitan Food Systems
As cities grow, the demand for (healthy) food will continue to rise. At the same time, Amsterdam aims to reduce food waste by half in the year 2030.
How do we inspiring scenarios to make food systems more sustainable and future-proof, by focusing on core elements such as: sustainable and circular food production, access to healthy food, and an enjoyable food experience?
Responsible Urban Digitization
Amsterdam has the ambition to create a free, inclusive and creative digital city.
How do we safeguard and embed critical democratic and societal values like autonomy, privacy, transparency, and inclusiveness of innovations. And how do we integrate these values in the design of technologies?
Climate Resilient Cities
The city is implementing a climate adaptation strategy to make it resilient to unavoidable climate effects, especially focussing on heat, drought, extreme rainfall and flooding.
How do we use nature-based interventions, such as greening, or technological, such as roads with water storing constructions underneath - to create a climate resilient city?