Euro-Mat and TU Delft launch Masterclass

Working with Delft University of Technology, Euro-Mat is putting together a Masterclass to get members and partner suppliers ready for the future of the building materials trade. The first edition is set for March 2026 and will mix academic insights with real-life examples from the industry.

Eldert-Jan van Herk, Managing Director of Euro-Mat, emphasises the necessity: “What we knew yesterday can sometimes hinder our learning today. Our industry is becoming increasingly complex. We must be prepared to put ourselves in a new world, to learn and to improve. This Masterclass helps us to do that.”

According to Van Herk, choosing TU Delft was an obvious choice: “It is one of Europe’s top universities with a rock-solid international reputation. At their Green Village*, researchers are working on fully sustainable building concepts and energy-efficient renovations. That makes Delft the ideal place to learn about the future of construction.”

The Masterclass focuses not only on shareholders and suppliers, but also on successors within family businesses. “Succession is a major issue,” says Van Herk. “Children often see how difficult entrepreneurship can be and wonder whether they should take over the business. At the same time, the new generation is looking for meaningful work. We want to show that the building materials trade offers plenty of significance.”

The programme will cover topics such as modular construction, robotisation and circular materials. Van Herk pointed to innovative projects in the Netherlands, such as a concrete factory that replaces cement with new minerals to drastically reduce CO₂ emissions. ‘Developments like these are happening faster than we think. That is why we need to learn from them now and get started.’

The Masterclass is primarily intended to stimulate a culture of learning. ‘It takes flexibility to put yourself in a new world, but it pays off enormously,’ says Van Herk. ‘With this Masterclass, we are providing our members with the tools to understand the future of construction and actively contribute to it.’

The Green Village is a “Field lab for sustainable innovations” on the campus of Delft University of Technology: an open-air laboratory focusing on the built environment. Knowledge and educational institutions, businesses, governments, and citizens are experimenting here with recent technologies for the living environment. They can evaluate their technologies at the neighbourhood, street and building level, while also having access to TU Delft’s scientific innovation ecosystem. The Green Village is made possible with funding from the EU and the Province of South Holland (Photo: TU Delft).