Across Flanders, demographic shifts, climate pressures and socio-economic inequalities are reshaping how people live, work and access services, yet current land-use models mainly capture physical change and overlook social dynamics. This limits the ability of planners to anticipate where different socio-economic groups may settle and how societal changes affect spatial development.
This PhD project integrates socio-economic behaviour into VITO’s GeoDynamiX land-use model using fine-scale demographic data and agent-based modelling. In doing so, it enables simulations of how households respond to changing environments, policies, and accessibility.
The enhanced model will support more socially aware spatial planning, improving insight into demographic change, climate adaptation, and equitable access to services. VITO leads the methodological development and ensures relevance for regional policy and planning in Flanders.
