The sector's trilemma: аffordability, sustainability, and availability in housing
Why housing can be a powerful ally for climate and social action across Europe?
Delft, the Netherlands, 30 August 2024 | Published in Research
At the annual conference of the European Network for Housing Research (ENHR) which took place in Delft (The Netherlands) our Secretary General, Sorcha Edwards, addressed one of the most pressing challenges facing Europe: the energy transition and housing affordability.
Public, social, and cooperative housing providers are at the forefront of a complex trilemma—working tirelessly to balance affordability, sustainability, and availability. And Housing Europe's role is to reintroduce reality into the EU conversation and highlight the pioneering efforts of an experienced sector.
The progress we have observed is encouraging.
In France, for example, 46% of social housing is energy-efficient, achieving an A, B, or C rating, compared to just 25% of the total housing stock.
In Austria, 96% of pre-1980 social housing has been renovated, significantly outpacing the 60% renovation rate of the general housing stock.
In Estonia, the renovation of apartment buildings began earlier and is advancing more rapidly than in the private sector.
These examples underscore a strong commitment from our sector, which often outperforms purely privately-owned stock. However, there is still much work to be done.
Public, social, and cooperative housing providers are not merely participants in the energy transition—they are leaders. By shaping collective and individual behaviours, testing and expanding innovation, and reinvesting in the real economy, we are demonstrating how housing can be a powerful ally for climate and social action across Europe.
The question now is - are policymakers at European, national, regional, and local level ready to support this?