USM and TU Delft Invite Public to Test Home Design Tool
November 10, 2026
Discover how design choices affect a home’s affordability, hurricane safety and indoor comfort. Join USM and TU Delft for a free public session on Thursday, November 12, 2026, at 4:00 PM and help shape the tool’s next version.
How can we build homes that are safe, comfortable in the heat and affordable? To help answer that question, a free online tool has been developed that shows how design choices affect the cost, hurricane safety and indoor comfort of a house. The tool was developed by Dr. Eng. Arch. Aga Kus, postdoctoral researcher at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands, who has worked with the University of St. Martin (USM) for the past five years on safe and affordable housing for the island.
"Everyone has an idea of what their dream house would look like. Yet in the design process, safety is often prioritized at the expense of how the house looks, and the climate gets too little attention, which drives up the electricity bill. Our tool shows what each choice means for cost, safety and comfort before the first block is laid, so the house you dream of is also one that is safe and that you can afford to build and to live in," said Dr. Aga Kus.
The tool lets users explore options such as form, ventilation, roof type, wall materials and window types, and see how each choice affects construction cost, structural safety and thermal comfort. It is made for everyone involved in building homes: residents planning a house, and the architects and contractors who design and build them.
The tool has already been tested during workshops with USM students, who responded with enthusiasm.
“Like many people, I dream of building my ideal home one day. This website not only helps me visualize that dream, but also broadens my understanding of the actual costs, budgeting and planning involved in turning it into a reality,” said USM student Diahenn van Heyningen.
Everyone is invited to attend the session on Thursday, test the tool and share their perspectives, expertise and feedback.
Latest News →
"Everyone has an idea of what their dream house would look like. Yet in the design process, safety is often prioritized at the expense of how the house looks, and the climate gets too little attention, which drives up the electricity bill. Our tool shows what each choice means for cost, safety and comfort before the first block is laid, so the house you dream of is also one that is safe and that you can afford to build and to live in," said Dr. Aga Kus.
The tool lets users explore options such as form, ventilation, roof type, wall materials and window types, and see how each choice affects construction cost, structural safety and thermal comfort. It is made for everyone involved in building homes: residents planning a house, and the architects and contractors who design and build them.
The tool has already been tested during workshops with USM students, who responded with enthusiasm.
“Like many people, I dream of building my ideal home one day. This website not only helps me visualize that dream, but also broadens my understanding of the actual costs, budgeting and planning involved in turning it into a reality,” said USM student Diahenn van Heyningen.
Everyone is invited to attend the session on Thursday, test the tool and share their perspectives, expertise and feedback.
Latest News →
