Smart Cities and Logistics

Key points of expertise:

1. The transition towards zero-emissions city logistics

• Support cities in zero-emissions logistics approach
• Support companies in their zero-emissions logistics strategy (business case)
• Develop Smart Cities and Logistics, where (public) data can be used for smarter and more sustainable city logistics (in collaboration with Logistics Community Brabant).

2. Innovations in last-mile deliveries

• Innovative last-mile concepts in distribution (last-leg changes: automation (delivery drones/robots), consolidation, customer movements, and secure deliveries)
• Services and business models (receivers in the lead), short food chains
• Integrate home-delivery networks (home care, groceries, parcels)

3. Relationship between urban space and city logistics

• Space needed for logistics concepts and hubs (optimising flows from city or neighbourhood perspective rather than just the logistics perspective)
• Impact of greening city centres, reduction of logistics space, construction logistics in (and around) cities
• Redesign (semi-public) space and position logistics activities in it.

Digitisation, digitalisation, and improved data availability are key to all three directions to connect logistics operations in the cities to the other urban systems such as energy, the built environment, mobility and vehicles. As a result, innovations at the interface between the systems are made feasible. In addition, it also enables the visualisation of logistics and its impacts in the urban environment. The professorship cooperates in the CoE KennisDC Logistiek and has a leading role in the theme of logistics in the livable city. 

The professorship of Smart Cities and Logistics is closely linked to the professorships of Urban Mobility Planning.

The research team:

• Hans Quak
• Peter Kole
• Thato Motloung
• Alinda Kokkinou
• Marco Miranda Ackerman
• Letty Zhu
• Hossein Dashtestaninejad
• Jeroen Weppner