PhD position in Reality Capture for Real Estate Valuation

Do you want to be part of the circular revolution to rethink the way we value the built environment? Join us as a fully-funded doctoral candidate (DC) in the QuiVal doctoral network, where we learn, ideate and reimagine real estate value and valuation practices by drawing inspiration from quantum theories.

In order to make our cities more circular, we need to fundamentally revisit the way that we define and quantify the value of our built environment. This fully-funded doctoral project is part of a Marie Sklodowska Curie Action Doctoral Network, QuiVal, a programme funded by the European Union with the aim to develop a fundamentally new approach to real estate valuation, allowing the sector to rapidly transition towards a more sustainable, low carbon and circular future. This will be achieved through a transdisciplinary doctoral training programme across 8 universities and 14 industry partners, and including 13 doctoral candidates who will work, together and separately, to rethink the philosophy, principles and processes of valuation. The programme is transdisciplinary and co-produced by leading academics and practitioners who are passionate and knowledgeable about the real estate industry and about sustainability. Five objectives have been developed through which to achieve the aim, and each doctoral project will respond to one of these objectives.

For an overview of all the vacancies of QuiVal, click here.

The doctoral project at ETH Zurich (research project 5a) is part of the response to the fifth objective, ‘Digital expansion of valuation’. The project will explore potential mechanisms for enabling the paradigm shift in real estate valuation. The lack of information on the existing building stock is notoriously a source of uncertainty in valuation methods. In addition, large-scale circular practices in construction require an efficient flow of information that is often not yet available. Thus, the digital transformation of the built environment opens up new perspectives for real estate valuation in the CE. Data gathering techniques combined with computer vision will enable the development of inventory tools that provide valuable information on existing buildings and components, including prediction of parameters that cannot be otherwise easily observed and measured (e.g. layers, elements condition, etc.). The aim of this project is to answer the question: what is the role that new digital tools should play in buildings to support innovative real estate valuation methods? This project will seek to define relevant data for valuation methods and to test new digital technologies. As well as a dissertation, and a number of academic papers, the project will produce an accessible report for real estate professionals.

The doctoral candidate (DC) will spend the majority of the funded three years at ETH in Zurich, Switzerland, but will also be funded for two periods on secondment to QuiVal partners, one to industry partner Madaster and the other to university partner University of Antwerp in Antwerp, Belgium. There will also be significant opportunities for sharing knowledge and fostering discussions with the other 12 DCs, through five workshops and three summer schools. The DCs will also work together to collect data, and collaborate with stakeholders including a network of industry frontrunners who are partners in the programme, increasing understanding, research impact, and chances of employment in the real estate and related sectors.

You will be embedded in the QuiVal community. For your role in research project 5a, we are looking for a doctoral candidate who has:

• An MSc degree with a background in computer science, digitalization, smart buildings, data science or architecture, engineering (civil, environmental, urban) with strong IT skills
• Proficiency in English speaking, reading and writing, (preferred)
• Strong skills in mixed research methods
• Good communicative and entrepreneurial skills, independent attitude paired with an ability to work in a research team
• Able to lead in research and involve the research team and industrial partners in knowledge co-creation and sharing activities
• Affinity with design of new approaches and an open-mind to stretch the imagination of its application are a considered a benefit!
• Strong background in digital technologies, reality capture, machine learning and/or computer vision
• Experience in data analysis, programming language (e.g. Python, R) and software tools commonly used in construction research

• Opportunity to work on a cutting-edge research project with industry experts and leading academics
• Access to state-of-the-art facilities, equipment, and resources at ETH Zurich and partner institutions
• Competitive salary and benefits package commensurate with qualifications and experience
• Professional development opportunities, including conference attendance and networking with industry professionals