Lead Bene icia y: TUD
Da e: Sep embe 30, 2024 (mon h 48)
Submission da e: No embe 22, 2024
Ve sion: 1
Dissemina ion le el: Public
www. e-dwell.eu
RE-DWELL “Deli e ing a o dable and sus ainable housing in Eu ope” has ecei ed
unding om he Eu opean Union’s Ho izon 2020 esea ch and inno a ion p og amme
unde he Ma ie Skłodowska-Cu ie g an ag eemen No 956082
The Eu opean Commission's suppo o he p oduc ion o his publica ion does no cons i u e an
endo semen o he con en s, which e lec he iews only o he au ho s, and he Commission canno be
held esponsible o any use which may be made o he in o ma ion con ained he ein.
Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y
En i onmen o A o dable and
Sus ainable Housing
Deli e able 4.6
RE-DWELL
Deli e able 4.6 . Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable
Housing
Coo dina o :
Ma ja Elsinga (TUD)
Au ho s:
Ad iana Diaconu (UGA)
Ma ja Elsinga (TUD)
Ma ie a Ha ne (TUD)
Ca la Sen ie i (UPV)
Ve sion Da e Au ho s
0.1 May 2, 2024 Ad iana Diaconu (UGA), Ma ja Elsinga (TUD), Ma ie a Ha ne
(TUD), Ca la Sen ie i (UPV)
0.2 Augus 9, 2024 Ad iana Diaconu (UGA), Ma ja Elsinga (TUD), Ma ie a Ha ne
(TUD), Ca la Sen ie i (UPV)
0.3 Sep embe 24, 2024 Ad iana Diaconu (UGA), Ma ja Elsinga (TUD), Ma ie a Ha ne
(TUD), Ca la Sen ie i (UPV)
0.4 No embe 11, 2024 Ad iana Diaconu (UGA), Ma ja Elsinga (TUD), Ma ie a Ha ne
(TUD), Ca la Sen ie i (UPV)
0.5 No embe 13, 2024 Leand o Mad azo (La Salle-URL) - e iew and edi ing
0.6 No embe 19, 2024 Ad iana Diaconu (UGA), Ma ja Elsinga (TUD), Ma ie a Ha ne
(TUD), Ca la Sen ie i (UPV)
1.0 No embe 21, 2024 Leand o Mad azo (FUNITEC) - e iew and edi ing
Table o con en s
Execu i e summa y ............................................................................................................... 7
1. Pu pose and s uc u e o he epo ..............................................................................9
2. Key Concep s .................................................................................................................. 12
2.1. Physical, social and economic dimensions o housing .................................................. 12
2.2. Housing a o dabili y .............................................................................................................. 14
2.3. Housing sus ainabili y ............................................................................................................ 14
2.4. Conclusion................................................................................................................................. 17
3. A ansdisciplina y app oach o housing ..................................................................... 18
3.1. Backg ound o ansdisciplina i y ....................................................................................... 19
3.2. T ansdisciplina y knowledge ............................................................................................... 20
3.3. Th ee ypes o knowledge ..................................................................................................... 22
3.4. The ole o academia in ansdisciplina y ......................................................................... 26
3.5. T ansdisciplina y in educa ion ............................................................................................. 28
3.6. Conclusion................................................................................................................................ 30
4. The RE-DWELL jou ney: e en s and ac i i ies ............................................................. 32
4.1. Ge ing amilia ....................................................................................................................... 33
4.2. Finding connec ions ............................................................................................................... 37
4.3. Towa ds a ansdisciplina y app oach ............................................................................... 42
4.4. Conclusion................................................................................................................................ 45
5. Unde s anding need o pa ne o ganisa ions ........................................................... 46
5.1. Collabo a ion wi h academia ................................................................................................ 47
5.2. “Wicked p oblems” expe ienced......................................................................................... 49
5.3. A pan-Eu opean pe spec i e ............................................................................................... 53
5.4. Conclusion................................................................................................................................ 56
6. Exis ing ools o a o dabili y and sus ainabili y o housing ................................... 58
6.1. Housing policy ......................................................................................................................... 58
6.2. Sus ainable housing .............................................................................................................. 62
6.3. A o dable housing ................................................................................................................ 66
6.4. Tools compa ed ...................................................................................................................... 69
6.5. Conclusion................................................................................................................................. 72
7. T ansdisciplina y en i onmen o a o dable sus ainable housing ......................... 73
7.1. Lessons om li e a u e and RE-DWELL e en s ............................................................... 73
7.2. A ansdisciplina y en i onmen in ou laye s ................................................................. 74
7.3. Conclusions .............................................................................................................................. 78
8. Re lec ions ...................................................................................................................... 79
8.1. C ossing disciplines ................................................................................................................ 79
8.2. Re lec ions om ea ly-s age esea che s ......................................................................... 81
8.3. T ansdisciplina y lessons ....................................................................................................... 87
9. Bibliog aphy ................................................................................................................... 88
Annex 1 – Ou pu s om ne wo k ac i i ies ........................................................................ 1
Annex 2 - Pa ne o ganisa ions ..........................................................................................8
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 7
Execu i e summa y
This epo p esen s he T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable
Housing (TEASH) de eloped in he h ee-yea ac i i y o he RE-DWELL ne wo k. Toge he
wi h Deli e ables 4.1-4.5 and 4.7, i ep esen s he wo k done in he p ojec o c ea e a
ansdisciplina y lea ning and esea ch en i onmen spanning o e academia, esea ch
and p ac ice.
Housing a o dabili y and sus ainabili y a e key issues in con empo a y socie al and policy
deba es. A o dabili y ela es o social jus ice and wel a e policies ac oss Eu ope, while
sus ainabili y also add esses he u gen need o ene gy ansi ion and clima e change
ac ion, in luencing policies con inen -wide. Housing unc ions simul aneously as a human
igh , a physical s uc u e, and an economic asse . As such, i in e sec s wi h a ious
academic disciplines—including sociology, a chi ec u e, and economics—and spans
mul iple policy a eas, such as wel a e, u ban planning, en i onmen al and economic
policy. A o dable and sus ainable housing p esen s a “wicked p oblem," di icul o de ine
and sol e due o i s complexi y. I in ol es nume ous ac o s—economic condi ions,
public policies, social dynamics, and en i onmen al conce ns—and mul iple s akeholde s.
Residen s, go e nmen bodies, de elope s, and coope a i es each ha e hei own
p io i ies and iews on wha cons i u es “a o dable” o “sus ainable" housing.
A ansdisciplina y app oach is well-sui ed o add essing he complex challenge o
p o iding a o dable and sus ainable housing. The sys ema ic in eg a ion o academia
and p ac ice is achie ed by applying h ee ypes o knowledge iden i ied by he Zu ich
School o T ansdisciplina i y: a ge , sys ems, and ans o ma ion knowledge. By
dis inguishing hese ypes o knowledge, academic esea ch ou comes (sys em) can be
aligned wi h a desi ed no ma i e di ec ion ( a ge ) and connec ed o he p ac ice and
policy mechanisms ( ans o ma ion) necessa y o change. Con ibu ing o ans o ma i e
change also equi es speci ic compe encies—such as e lexi i y ega ding one’s own
alues and he abili y o co- ame complex p oblems— o e ec i ely collabo a e wi hin
ansdisciplina y eams. Re lec ing on he bounda ies o one’s expe ise and ans o ming
hese in o connec ions wi h o he expe s, bo h in academia and p ac ice, is essen ial o
co-c ea ing a deep unde s anding o he complexi ies su ounding a o dable and
sus ainable housing. Such unde s anding is a p e equisi e o ans o ma i e change.
The pu pose o RE-DWELL is o ain a new gene a ion o p o essionals and academics
equipped wi h he compe encies needed o con ibu e o ans o ma i e change in he
p o ision o a o dable and sus ainable housing. RE-DWELL cou ses, collabo a i e
ac i i ies, secondmen s in a ious o ganiza ions, and he co-de elopmen o ools a e all
ocused on building hese compe encies.
To p omo e unde s anding and knowledge exchange ac oss disciplines, as well as
be ween academia and p ac ice, he ollowing ools ha e been de eloped and
implemen ed in he ne wo k aining and esea ch ac i i ies:
− A ocabula y (p esen ed in Deli e able 4.4) which comp ises de ini ions o main
concep s used by ESRs in hei PhD hesis. I summa ises hei academic
li e a u e e iews om di e en disciplina y and mul idisciplina y pe spec i es.
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 8
− A case lib a y (p esen ed in Deli e able 4.5) made o sho analy ical
p esen a ions o good examples o p ac ice. I is composed o ou ca ego ies:
buildings and designs, pa icipa o y and lea ning p ocesses, policy and inancing
and u ban planning and egula ions.
− A oolbox o knowledge cons uc ion and exchange among academics and
housing p ac i ione s and policy-make s implemen ed in local se ings (as
desc ibed in Deli e able 4.7).
The ansdisciplina y lea ning and esea ch en i onmen buil collabo a i ely h oughou
he p ojec has been s uc u ed and sys ema ized e ospec i ely o acili a e i s
unde s anding and u u e eplica ion. The T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable
and Sus ainable Housing (TEASH) is composed o ou laye s:
1. C ossing disciplines, necessa y o unde s and he challenges and ade-o s a
s ake, o iden i y s a egies ac oss disciplines and ields (see Deli e ables 4.1, 4.2
and 4.3)
2. Linking academia and socie y, o collabo a i ely cons uc knowledge a ound
speci ic housing p oblems, based on a ipa i e s uc u e: a ge , sys ems, and
ans o ma ion knowledge.
3. Exchanging knowledge, by means o ools and me hods aimed a os e ing he
collabo a ion o he di e se s akeholde s in ol ed, expe s and non-expe s
4. Building impac , c ea ing ou pu s -whi e pape s, guidelines, policy
ecommenda ions, academic publica ions- ha acili a e a be e unde s anding
o he speci ic challenges ha he a ious s akeholde in ol ed a e acing.
To p o ide a comp ehensi e o e iew o he wo k unde aken and i s implica ions o
esea che s, academics, and p ac i ione s wi hin he RE-DWELL ne wo k, he epo
summa izes he challenges o a o dable and sus ainable housing, he co e p inciples o
ansdisciplina y esea ch, he ac i i ies ca ied ou o os e knowledge exchange
be ween esea che s and p ac i ione s, examples o assessmen amewo ks eme ging
om a ansdisciplina y app oach o a o dable and sus ainable housing, and he insigh s
gained om he collec i e expe ience.
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 9
1. Pu pose and s uc u e o he epo
While he need o a o dable housing ha is also sus ainable is widely acknowledged, he
way o achie e his emains a complex issue. I s complexi y is gi en by:
− The mul iple dimensions and challenges o housing which se di e en agendas
o di e en s akeholde s (such as human igh s ac i is s, de elope s and
in es o s, landlo ds, local au ho i ies and cen al go e nmen s, as well as
homeowne s, enan s, o people sea ching o a home), bu also di e en
disciplina y app oaches and esea ch oci (e.g. o economis s, sociologis s,
poli ical scien is s, a chi ec s, enginee s, e c.).
− The mul iple scales o housing p ojec s and policies, om he local o he
Eu opean le els, he di e ences be ween hese con ex s in e ms o egula ions,
policies and s a egies. These di e ences a e also de e mined by he pa h-
dependence o poli ical adi ions and ins i u ional a angemen s.
Because o hese speci ic ea u es, esea che s ha e desc ibed housing p oblems as
complex o “wicked p oblems” (Jonsson e al., 2021; Ri el, 1973). The e m was i s used
by Ri el (1973) o desc ibe social policy and planning issues ha in ol e a a ie y o
ins i u ions and indi idual ac o s wi h hei own iews and in e es s and “complex
ela ionships, including a web o a iables ha di ec ly o indi ec ly a ec each o he in an
in ica e way” (Jonsson e al., 2021, p. 3). Mo eo e , wha makes a p oblem “wicked” is
unce ain y and he ac ha i does no ha e a single solu ion “bu only he bes possible
solu ion a any pa icula ime” (Ibid.). Housing challenges a e in e wo en wi h globalised
economic and inancial logics ha go beyond he in e en ion le el o local o na ional
au ho i ies. They a e also de e mined by dominan habi s, cul u es and ep esen a ions
(e.g. he ideal o home owne ship as a means o social accomplishmen ) ha a e highly
ine ial. Fo hese easons, changing ways o doing hings, in oducing new ideas, models
o p ac ice and public policies is pa icula ly di icul and can ha e unexpec ed o
pe e se e ec s.
The RE-DWELL p og amme hypo heses ha he c ea ion o a ansdisciplina y aining
en i onmen o ea ly-s age esea che s (ESRs) and o ools o collabo a ion wi h
p o essional pa ne s can ini ia e change in housing sys ems owa ds he de elopmen o
mo e a o dable and sus ainable solu ions. Such ans o ma i e impac can s em om
esea ch-based decision-making, bu also om new ways o hinking abou housing
issues and om new alliances be ween s akeholde s, bene icia ies and academics. The
aim is o iden i y and cla i y di e en pe spec i es and alues o academics and
p ac i ione s, in o de o c ea e mu ual unde s anding. To achie e his, he RE-DWELL
p og amme p o ided a sui able lea ning and esea ch en i onmen , h ough he aining
o ea ly-s age esea che s and h ough ools o knowledge exchange be ween hem and
wi h non-academic s akeholde s.
This epo p esen s he cons uc ion o a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable
and Sus ainable Housing (TEASH) as a p ocess o de ining and assembling a se ies o
building blocks. I shows how hese building blocks ha e been co-c ea ed as pa o
a ious aining and ne wo king ac i i ies h oughou he RE-DWELL jou ney, based on
con ibu ions om ea ly-ca ee esea che s, academic supe iso s and pa ne s om
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 16
Figu e 2.1. Cha ac e is ics o sus ainable housing (Golubchiko & Badyina, 2012, p. 9)
The ime dimension embedded in he c i e ion o he wel a e o u u e gene a ions in he
de ini ion o sus ainabili y in i es he use o he concep o sus ainable de elopmen .
Howe e , sus ainable de elopmen i sel is de ined in many ways, leading o a “plu ali y o
pu pose … and … he con usion o e minology, da a and me hods o measu emen ”
(Pa is & Ka es, 2003, p. 23). No su p isingly, Pa is and Ka es (2003, p. 23) concluded o
he “eme gen sus ainabili y science … [ ha ] …. Ye o da e, he e a e no indica o se s
ha a e uni e sally accep ed, backed by compelling heo y, igo ous da a collec ion and
analysis, and in luen ial in policy”.
James (2015) may be an excep ion o he claim o missing heo y in he ield, as ou lined in
he book U ban Sus ainabili y in Theo y and P ac ice (p. x i). The p e ace explains ha he
book applies an "Engaged Theo y app oach" o de elop he "Ci cles o Sus ainabili y"
me hod. This me hod was c ea ed in collabo a ion wi h UN-Habi a and o he pa ne s o
he Uni ed Na ions Global Compac Ci ies P og amme, known as Me opolis, and led by
Josep Roig. The Ci cles o Sus ainabili y me hod is isually ep esen ed as a ci cle di ided
in o ou domains: poli ics, cul u e, economics, and ecology, wi h each domain u he
di ided in o se en subdomains (p. xii). Fo ins ance, wi hin he poli ical domain,
subdomains like "O ganisa ion & Go e nance" and "E hics & Accoun abili y" a e included.
Each subdomain is assessed on a nine-poin scale, anging om "c i ical" o " ib an
sus ainabili y."
Gi en he mul i ude o sus ainabili y and sus ainable de elopmen indica o s, achie ing
consensus on how o measu e sus ainabili y pe o mance, including housing
sus ainabili y, emains a signi ican challenge. Decision-make s ace he di icul ask o
balancing compe ing aims and indica o s, pa icula ly when i comes o alloca ing sca ce
esou ces. This equi es making decisions ha weigh bo h u gency and ai ness. A man e
al. (2009a, p. 3034) cap u e his challenge wi h he s a emen : “Sus ainabili y is one o he
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 17
mos con es ed ideologies o ou ime because e e yone acknowledges ha i mus
occu bu no one can ag ee on wha needs o change in esponse.”
2.4. Conclusion
This chap e lays he ounda ion o unde s anding h ee co e RE-DWELL concep s:
housing—in i s physical, social and economic dimensions—, a o dable housing, and
sus ainable housing. While he speci ic de ini ions o hese concep s depend on he aims
o housing policies and he con ex , wo key conclusions can be d awn. Fi s , housing
a o dabili y and sus ainabili y can be in e p e ed as b oade concep s han a o dable
housing and sus ainable housing, al hough in he case o sus ainable housing he
di e ence can be conside ed as mo e di use. Second, housing a o dabili y i s wi hin he
inancial o economic dimension o sus ainabili y. The di e si y o hese dimensions and
indica o s p o ides a p omising s a ing poin o engaging wi h he concep o
ansdisciplina i y in he nex chap e . By sys ema ically analysing complex p oblems and
solu ions, hese dimensions and indica o s acili a e con e sa ion among ele an ac o s
and hei con ibu ions.
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 18
3. A ansdisciplina y app oach o housing
As discussed in he p e ious chap e , he p o ision o a o dable and sus ainable housing
mus be iewed as a “complex socie al p oblem.” Housing a o dabili y and sus ainabili y
a e cen al opics in dis inc socie al and policy deba es: a o dabili y conce ns social
jus ice and wel a e policies ac oss Eu ope, while sus ainabili y ocuses on he u gency o
he ene gy ansi ion and clima e change, in luencing policies h oughou he con inen .
Housing se es as a human igh , a physical s uc u e, and an economic good
simul aneously. Housing a o dabili y and housing sus ainabili y a e opics o di e en
s ands o socie al and policy deba es: he i s one dealing wi h social jus ice and wel a e
policies, he second wi h he ene gy ansi ion and clima e change policies ac oss Eu ope.
In o he wo ds, housing c osses a ange o academic disciplines—such as sociology,
a chi ec u e, and economics—and spans a ious policy ields, including wel a e policies,
u ban planning, and en i onmen al and economic policy.
The complex issue o a o dable and sus ainable housing can be add essed h ough a
“ ansdisciplina y app oach,” which no only combines (mul i) and in e wines
(in e )in eg a es mul iple scien i ic disciplines bu also ac i ely in ol es p ac i ione s in
de ining esea ch p oblems and iden i ying s a egies o solu ions. As Salama and
Alshuwaikha (2006) no ed, “A o dable housing can be iewed as a web o in luences and
in e - ela ionships o a wide spec um o issues, e lec ing he ansdisciplina y na u e o
sus ainable a o dable housing in es iga ion o de elopmen .” T ansdisciplina y esea ch
begins wi h he wicked p oblem a hand, a he han p e-es ablished bodies o
knowledge.
This chap e explo es he backg ound o ansdisciplina i y (TD) and examines how his
app oach can be applied wi hin he RE-DWELL p ojec . Sec ion 2 aces he o igins o he
ansdisciplina i y and discusses i s de elopmen and he academic deba es su ounding
i . Sec ion 3 compa es ansdisciplina i y wi h mul i- and in e disciplina i y, cla i ying wha
ansdisciplina y knowledge-building en ails. Sec ion 4 ocuses on he “ ansdisciplina y
app oach” i sel , d awing on he Zu ich School, which dis inguishes h ee ypes o
knowledge, and highligh s he compe ences equi ed om pa icipan s in a
ansdisciplina y endea o . Sec ion 5 add esses he challenges o applying a
ansdisciplina y app oach wi hin academia, including po en ial hu dles o academic
ca ee s and main aining academic independence. Sec ion 6 explo es he lea ning p ocess
in ansdisciplina y wo k, di e en ia ing be ween he compe ences needed o “lea ning
o become ansdisciplina y” and hose o being a “ aluable membe o a
ansdisciplina y eam.” The concluding sec ion d aws conclusions and elabo a es on he
p ac ical applica ion o he ansdisciplina y app oach in he RE-DWELL p ojec .
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 19
3.1. Backg ound o ansdisciplina i y
O igin o ansdisciplina i y
Facul ies and disciplines a e conside ed e icien ehicles o o ganise science in and o
p oduce and main ain knowledge in cohe en s uc u es and ealms (Scholz, 2020).
Disciplines possess hei own heo ies, me hods, schools and scien i ic jou nals ailo ed
o one’s own ci cle o academics. In he second hal o he wen ie h cen u y, hinke s
g appled wi h he limi a ions o hei disciplines and ponde ed anscending hem.
Mul idisciplina i y in ol es s udying he same opic om di e en disciplines
simul aneously, while in e disciplina i y en ails ans e ing me hods om one discipline
o ano he , po en ially gene a ing new disciplines. T ansdisciplina i y goes beyond he
disciplines, add essing wha is be ween hem, ac oss di e en disciplines, and beyond all
disciplines. I s goal is o comp ehend he p esen wo ld, wi h he uni y o knowledge being
one o i s impe a i es (Nicolescu, 2010). The e m ansdisciplina i y eme ged in he 1970’s
and was in oduced by expe s om a ious disciplines o en combining hei discipline
wi h philosophy. These ea ly hinke s possessed no only a mul idisciplina y backg ound,
bu also a mul icul u al one. Thei ambi ion ex ended beyond hei com o zone, aiming
o unde s and eali y and o con ibu e o he academic deba e beyond single disciplines.
This in iguing deba e eme ged in a ious co ne s o he academic spec um, spanning
bo h social and na u al sciences. Ea ly hinke s o en labelled hemsel es as bo h
p ac i ione s and philosophe s, o e ing e alua ions o hei disciplines om a me a-le el
pe spec i e. Two key igu es a e psychologis Piage and physician Nicolescu.
Piage , a Swiss psychologis and philosophe , in oduced he e m ansdisciplina i y in
1970 a a semina on in e disciplina i y in Nice. S udying he cogni i e de elopmen o
child en and knowledge heo y, he en isioned ansdisciplina i y as a supe io s age no
limi ed o ecognizing in e ac ions and ecip oci ies be ween specialised esea ch bu
loca ing hem wi hin a o al sys em wi hou s able bounda ies be ween disciplines. Piage
sugges ed ansdisciplina i y as a supe - o hype discipline, a kind o science o sciences
(Be ns ein, 2015). Mo eo e , Piage s a es his ision on academic knowledge: “ he
acquisi ion o highe o de ed knowledge (which goes beyond men al ope a ions on wha
is di ec ly pe cei able) calls o ins i u ions ha codi y, es uc u e, condense and each
he ele an knowledge hus a acqui ed in human his o y. This can be gua an eed only
by public ins i u ions such as uni e si ies” (Scholz, 2020).
Nicolescu as an expe in quan um physics s a es: “i migh seem pa adoxical ha i is
om he e y co e o exac sciences ha we a i e a he idea o limi s o disciplina y
knowledge” (Nicolescu, 2010). He dis inguished h ee axioms (le els o eali y) o he
me hodology o ansdisciplina i y: he on ological axiom, he logical axiom and he
complexi y axiom desc ibing he complexi y o s uc u e. Nicolescu aims o e hink he
adi ional absolu e sepa a ion o he subjec and he objec . He conside s
ansdisciplina i y applicable o he in eg a ion o humani ies including spi i ual subjec s
such as eligion and philosophies o knowledge wi h physical science subjec s. Nicolescu
conce ns himsel wi h he meaning o going beyond disciplines and asse s ha
ansdisciplina i y iden i ies wi h a new knowledge abou wha is be ween, ac oss and
beyond disciplines (Mc G ego , 2015; Be ns ein, 2015).
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 20
Di e en s ands o ansdisciplina i y
The ongoing deba e since he 1970s unde sco es he ambi ious na u e o
ansdisciplina i y, wi h i s eme gence in bo h he social and na u al sciences. Academics
el he need o hink beyond disciplina y bounda ies in o de o unde s and complex
socie y and i s challenges. In e es ingly we can b oadly dis inguish wo complemen a y
s eams o hinking: an academic o ien ed one elabo a ing on “ ansdisciplina i y in e ms
o a way o being and a me a heo y” and a socie y o ien ed one hinking in e ms o
“ eamwo k wo king on wicked p oblems”.
The i s s eam o hough ocuses on he idea o a science o science, o a me a- heo y,
as sugges ed by Piage . E o s ha e been made o de elop “sys ems ansdisciplina i y”
as a me adiscipline. In 1990, Mokiy, along wi h specialis s om he Russian School o
T ansdisciplina i y, began ad ancing he ype o sys ems ansdisciplina i y p oposed by
E ich Jan sch in 1972. Jan sch a gued o he coo dina ion o all disciplines and
in e disciplines wi hin he educa ion and inno a ion sys ems. O he pe spec i es
emphasize ha ansdisciplina i y should also encompass he a s and e en spi i ualism.
Esbjo n Hagens (2009), o ins ance, speaks o a " heo y o e e y hing," a holis ic way o
being, which includes spi i ual dimensions. Ano he de ining cha ac e is ic o
ansdisciplina i y is i s emphasis on la e al, imagina i e, and c ea i e hinking—no jus
abou p oblem-sol ing, bu also abou he ac o s ha need o be conside ed in
combina ion. This, in u n, calls o inpu om he a s and humani ies (Cla k & Bu on,
2011). Finally, in his i s s eam ansdisciplina i y is no jus an in ellec ual endea o bu
also a way o being. As Pasquie and Nicolescu (2019) pu i , "To be o no o be
ansdisciplina y, ha is he new ques ion." This iew is echoed by Rigelo (2020), who
discusses " ansdisciplina i y as a discipline and a way o being: complemen a i ies and
c ea i e ensions." The deba e on he na u e and de ini ion o ansdisciplina i y has been
ongoing o decades, wi h Nicolescu (2010) e en desc ibing i as "a wa on de ini ions."
In he second s eam, no he heo y bu he wicked p oblem is he ocus o he deba e.
This s eam conside s ansdisciplina i y as a join e o o add ess a e y complex
socie al challenge. The e is a Swiss s eam ha is ad anced ansdisciplina y hinking.
The Zu ich 2000 con e ence on ansdisciplina i y conside s i as join p oblem-sol ing
among science, echnology, and socie y as an e ec i e way o managing complexi y.
This app oach aligns well wi h he RE-DWELL p ojec and will be u he elabo a ed in
Sec ion 3.3.
3.2. T ansdisciplina y knowledge
T ansdisciplina i y di e s om in e disciplina i y and pa icipa o y esea ch. Figu e 3.1
illus a es hese di e ences by compa ing ansdisciplina i y wi h mul idisciplina i y,
pa icipa o y esea ch, and in e disciplina i y. Mul idisciplina i y in ol es b inging oge he
di e en disciplines unde a common heme, bu each discipline se s i s own goals and
me hodologies. While di e en pe spec i es om a ious disciplines can con ibu e o a
be e unde s anding o a "wicked p oblem," he e is no in eg a ion o knowledge. Ins ead,
he esul s om each discipline a e p esen ed independen ly, using hei own language.
This leads o knowledge exchange, bu no knowledge in eg a ion.
Simila ly, in pa icipa o y esea ch, academic knowledge mee s p ac ical o local
knowledge. Figu e 3.1 demons a es his ela ionship. In pa icipa o y esea ch, while
he e is an exchange o knowledge be ween academics and p ac i ione s, he e is no
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 21
deep in eg a ion o hese di e en knowledge bases in he way ha ansdisciplina i y
demands.
Figu e 3.1. Schema ic ep esen a ion o ansdisciplina y esea ch (In Robinson (2019), adap ed om
Mo on e al. (2015), o iginally om T ess e al. (2005))
T ansdisciplina i y is o en p omo ed as he key o sol ing complex socie al p oblems in
pa icula when no ma i e p oblems a ise in which alua ion and decision-making a e
majo decisions (Tobias e al., 2018). The e m ansdisciplina i y is men ioned many imes
in ela ion o “wicked p oblems” and “complex sys ems”, bu he dis inc ion be ween
wha is ansdisciplina y knowledge and wha no is no always clea . In his ega d,
Nicolescu (2012) makes an in e es ing compa ison be ween disciplina y knowledge and
ansdisciplina y knowledge as p esen ed in Table 3.1.
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 22
Table 3.1. Disciplina y knowledge and ansdisciplina y knowledge (Nicolescu, 2012)
Disciplina y knowledge T ansdisciplina y knowledge
In i o
In i o
Ex e nal wo ld (objec )
Co espondence be ween ex e nal wo ld (objec ) and
in e nal wo ld (subjec )
Knowledge
Unde s anding
Analy ical in elligence
New ype o in elligence - balance be ween men al,
eelings and body
O ien ed owa ds powe and
possession
O ien ed owa ds bewilde men and sha ing
Bina y logic
The logic o he included hi d
Values exclusion
Values inclusion
T ansdisciplina i y me hodology en iches di e en disciplines, b inging new and
necessa y cla i ica ions which canno be gene a ed by a disciplina y me hodology;
ansdisciplina i y me hodology does no eplace he me hodology o each discipline; so
disciplina y and ansdisciplina y knowledge a e no an agonis ic bu complemen a y
(Popescu, 2014).
Key di e ences be ween disciplina y and ansdisciplina y knowledge ha a e ul ima ely
ele an o he RE-DWELL p ojec a e:
− Unde s anding: T ansdisciplina y knowledge emphasizes a deep comp ehension
o he complex socie al issues a hand. In he case o RE-DWELL, his in ol es
unde s anding he mul i ace ed na u e o a o dable and sus ainable housing
ac oss a ious con ex s—spanning di e en coun ies, sys ems, ideologies, and
ins i u ions. The eam i sel b ings di e se pe spec i es om bo h p ac ice and
di e en academic disciplines, equi ing an in eg a ed unde s anding o he
p oblem ha goes beyond adi ional disciplina y bounda ies.
− Values Inclusion: Unlike adi ional disciplina y app oaches ha s i e o
objec i i y and o en aim o emain alue-neu al, ansdisciplina y esea ch is
inhe en ly no ma i e. In he RE-DWELL p ojec , he p o ision o a o dable,
sus ainable housing is no me ely a echnical o economic challenge, bu a means
o achie e b oade , no ma i e sus ainable de elopmen goals. This in ol es
conside ing he e hical dimensions, alues, and goals ela ed o social jus ice,
equi y, and en i onmen al esponsibili y, all o which shape he p ojec ’s
ou comes and impac .
3.3. Th ee ypes o knowledge
Like in e disciplina y esea ch, ansdisciplina y esea ch gene a es knowledge ha
anscends exis ing disciplines (e.g., Mo on e al., 2015; T ess e al., 2005). The Zu ich
In e na ional T ansdisciplina i y Con e ence (2000) es ablished a sha ed de ini ion o he
ansdisciplina y app oach: “A new o m o lea ning and p oblem-sol ing in ol ing
coope a ion among di e en pa s o socie y and academia o add ess complex socie al
challenges.”
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 23
This app oach goes beyond adi ional academic heo e ical and empi ical knowledge. I
includes a p agma ic unde s anding o complex eali ies and in eg a es alues ha guide
he desi ed di ec ion o change. This leads us o a use ul dis inc ion among h ee ypes o
knowledge, as desc ibed by Buse (2018) and Pohl and Hado n (2007): sys em knowledge,
a ge knowledge, and ans o ma ional knowledge.
These h ee ypes o knowledge can be concep ualized wi hin a iangle de ined by ac s,
alues, and agency (Figu e 3.2). Fac s a e s ongly associa ed wi h sys em knowledge,
alues wi h a ge knowledge, and agency— he capaci y o ac pu pose ully—wi h
ans o ma ional knowledge (Pohl & Hado n, 2007).
Like in e disciplina y esea ch, ansdisciplina y esea ch p oduces knowledge ha
su passes exis ing disciplines (e.g., Mo on e al., 2015, and T ess e al., 2005). The Zu ich
“In e na ional T ansdisciplina i y Con e ence (2000)” ag eed on a sha ed de ini ion o
ansdisciplina y app oach: “a new o m o lea ning and p oblem-sol ing in ol ing
coope a ion among di e en pa s o socie y and academia in o de o mee complex
challenges o socie y”.
This is beyond he classic academic heo e ical and empi ical knowledge, i includes
p agma ic unde s anding o complex eali y and also alues as a desi ed di ec ion o go.
This b ings us o a e y use ul dis inc ion in h ee ypes o knowledge as desc ibed by
Buse (2018) and Pohl and Hado n (2007): sys ems knowledge, a ge knowledge and
ans o ma ion knowledge. The h ee ypes o knowledge can be use ully concep ualised
as being loca ed wi hin a iangle delimi ed by ac s, alues, and agency (Figu e 3.2). Fac s
a e s ongly associa ed wi h sys ems knowledge, alues wi h a ge knowledge, and
agency― he capaci y o ac in a pu pose ul way―wi h ans o ma ion knowledge (Pohl &
Hado n, 2007).
Figu e 3.2. Th ee ypes o knowledge. (Pohl & Hado n, 2007)
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 24
Th ee ques ions a e help ul o ope a ionalizing he ela ionship be ween he h ee ypes
o knowledge:
• Ta ge knowledge add esses he ques ion, "Wha ough o be?"
• Sys ems knowledge answe s he ques ion, "Wha is?"
• T ans o ma ion knowledge de ines he ques ion, "How o?”
In he case o a ge knowledge, he ques ion is wha he mul iplici y o social goals
means o esea ch, o socie y’s p ac ice- ela ed p oblems, and o ansdisciplina y
collabo a ion be ween science and ac o s in he li e-wo ld. T ansdisciplina i y aces he
challenge o cla i ying a a ie y o posi ions and p io i ising hem in he esea ch p ocess
acco ding o hei signi icance o de eloping knowledge and p ac ices ha p omo e
wha is pe cei ed o be he common good. This is necessa y no only when he need o
ac ion has o be iden i ied and objec i es ha e o be de e mined, bu also when
desc ibing he sys ems o which hey e e and he possibili ies o inducing change.
Sys ems knowledge con on s he di icul y o how o deal wi h unce ain ies.
T ansdisciplina i y aces he challenge o inding a anspa en way o dealing wi h
unce ain ies in o de o a oid blocking he esea ch p ocess. A e all, i sys ems
knowledge is unce ain, his can be used as an a gumen o block a emp s o ans o m a
p oblem si ua ion. Empi ical o heo e ical knowledge abou a p oblem may be lacking,
and depending on he in e p e a ion o a p oblem, hese unce ain ies may be assigned
di e en deg ees o impo ance, which leads o di e ging assessmen s o he need o
ac ion and o a ge knowledge and ans o ma ion knowledge.
In he case o ans o ma ion knowledge, es ablished echnologies, egula ions, p ac ices
and powe ela ions mus be aken in o accoun . Op ions o change ha e o ely on
exis ing in as uc u e, on cu en laws, and o a ce ain deg ee on cu en powe ela ions
and cul u al p e e ences, in o de o ha e any chance a all o being e ec i e. When hese
social, cul u al and echnological gi ens a e no conside ed, his leads o he o en-
c i icised disc epancy be ween knowledge and p ac ice. The challenge he e is o lea n
how o make wha is es ablished mo e “ lexible” (Pohl & Hi sch Hado n, 2007).
Applica ion o RE-DWELL p ojec
The deba e on ansdisciplina i y demons a es ha ansdisciplina i y is ela i ely young
and he de elopmen o his app oach is ongoing. The e o e, a ully es ed me hod o do
ansdisciplina y esea ch wi h gua an eed success is no a ailable. Being awa e o he
his o y o hinking beyond disciplines and academic deba e a ound his is impo an o
unde s anding he di e en app oaches o exis ing amewo ks o a o dable and
sus ainable housing o de ining RE-DWELL’s own ansdisciplina y en i onmen .
RE-DWELL is a p ojec comp ising ea ly-s age esea che s and supe iso s om di e en
disciplines aiming o wo k oge he beyond hei discipline oge he wi h pa ne
o ganisa ions om p ac ice and policy. I is impo an o no e ha he p ojec does no
aim o de elop a me a- heo y o an o e a ching holis ic app oach o each
ansdisciplina i y as a way o being. Ins ead, he p ojec iews ansdisciplina i y as a
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 25
eam e o o academics and non-academics, aspi ing o con ibu e o he imp o ed
p o ision o a o dable, sus ainable housing in Eu ope and wi h ha o he o e a ching
SDG11: sus ainable communi ies and ci ies in Eu ope. The e o e, knowledge on he a ge
“how can a o dable and sus ainable housing con ibu e o sus ainable communi ies?”, on
he sys em “wha is he cu en si ua ion in housing in Eu ope?” and ans o ma ion “who
and how can con ibu e o mo ing om he cu en si ua ion o he a ge ed si ua ion?” is
c ucial.
T ansdisciplina i y equi es a willingness o engage in dialogue and nego ia e meaning
ac oss disciplina y and cul u al bounda ies, while emb acing unce ain y and ambigui y as
in eg al pa s o he esea ch p ocess. The e o e, a ansdisciplina y p ojec add essing a
complex socie al challenge like a o dable and sus ainable housing equi es an open
a i ude wi hin he esea ch eam, as well as ac i i ies ha c oss disciplines and in ol e
p ac ical engagemen . These aspec s a e elabo a ed in he ollowing ou dimensions:
1. Tackle complex and mul i ace ed p oblems, such as he combina ion o
majo socie al challenges o clima e change and g owing social inequali y.
In ol ing he s akeholde s om p ac ice helps o ensu e ha he esea ch is
g ounded in eal-wo ld challenges and is mo e likely o ha e p ac ical
applica ions.
2. Emb ace ambigui y and unce ain y. This equi es o c i ically e lec on one's
own disciplina y assump ions, go h ough he pain o abandoning one's own
com o zone: e lec on one's own limi s (expe iences du ing secondmen s).
Resea che s engaged in ansdisciplina y esea ch mus be willing o c i ically
e lec on hei own disciplina y assump ions and me hods, and be open o
al e na i e ways o knowing and app oaching p oblems.
3. Nego ia e meaning ac oss disciplines by deba e on a o dable, sus ainable,
and housing. This equi es a willingness o engage in dialogue and nego ia e
meaning ac oss disciplina y and cul u al bounda ies, and o emb ace
unce ain y and ambigui y as pa o he esea ch p ocess (Be ns ein, 2015).
4. Co-ope a e wi h s akeholde s ou side academia. A key cha ac e is ic o
ansdisciplina y esea ch is i s ocus on co-c ea ion and co-p oduc ion o
knowledge wi h s akeholde s ou side o academia. This in ol es engaging wi h
s akeholde s om he ou se o a esea ch p ojec , in ol ing hem in he
esea ch p ocess, and co-designing esea ch ac i i ies and ou pu s ha a e
ele an o hei needs and in e es s.
The e is an o e whelming amoun o deba e and li e a u e on ansdisciplina i y (Pohl e
al, 2020). I is in e es ing o see ha au ho s om di e en disciplines and angles all
emphasise o c oss he bo de s o disciplines as well as he bo de be ween
eali y/p ac ice and academia. This app oach is necessa y o unde s and complex
challenges and o ind ways and ools o deal wi h hem. Howe e , c ossing disciplina y
bo de s and s epping ou o one's com o zone is no wi hou d awbacks, such as he isk
o nega i ely impac ing academic ca ee s and jeopa dising academic independence.
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 32
4. The RE-DWELL jou ney: e en s and ac i i ies
T ansdisciplina y lea ning, as Pea ce e al. (2018) con ended “ e e s o bo h he condi ion
o lea ning in a ansdisciplina y se ing and lea ning abou ansdisciplina i y, including
he me hods and assump ions ha esea che s ake on when ca ying ou
ansdisciplina y esea ch.” In line wi h his pe spec i e, he pu pose o his chap e is o
p esen he cons uc ion o wo undamen al componen s o he RE-DWELL
ansdisciplina y lea ning and esea ch en i onmen . Fi s , o show he s eps ha he
ne wo k ook owa ds de eloping a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and
Sus ainable Housing (TEASH). And second, o explain how di e en ac i i ies helped he
RE-DWELL pa icipan s o be e unde s and he compe ences needed o engage in
ansdisciplina y ac i i ies o he p o ision o a o dable and sus ainable housing.
The lea ning p ocess spanned o e he h ee yea s o he wo k, in h ee s ages. A i s
s age, s a ing wi h he i s on-line ac i i ies in July o 2021 and ending in he Nicosia
summe school in No embe 2021, ocused on ge ing o know each o he , he di e en
app oaches om di e en disciplines, he concep s a ound he housing p oblem and he
ools ha would be used du ing he p ojec : he ocabula y and he case s udies. The
second s age ha ended wi h he Zag eb wo kshop in Ma ch o 2023, ocused on
os e ing a c oss-disciplina y dialogue ac oss ne wo k membe s ( esea che s, supe iso s
and pa ne o ganisa ions). The main objec i e was o p omo e unde s anding o di e en
pe spec i es and alues among he esea che s wi h a ious backg ounds, and be ween
hem and he pa ne o ganisa ions, building on he expe iences o he secondmen s. The
hi d s age, s a ing wi h he ISHF wo kshop held in Helsinki in June o 2021 and ending
wi h he Ba celona con e ence in May o 2024, ep esen ed a s ep o wa d om
in e disciplina i y o ansdisciplina i y. I deal wi h he de elopmen o pa icipa o y
ools o engage non-academic s akeholde s conce ning he p o ision o a o dable and
sus ainable housing, as elabo a e in Deli e able 4.7.
Du ing he h ee yea s o he ne wo k ac i i y, we c ea ed s ep-by-s ep a lea ning
en i onmen o suppo he acquisi ion and applica ion o ansdisciplina y skills among
ESRs. The cons uc ion o he ansdisciplina y lea ning and esea ch en i onmen
comp ised:
− Cou ses, p o iding he undamen al concep s on esea ch me hods and ools and
ans e able skills (see Deli e ables 2.3-2.8)
− Ne wo king ac i i ies, engaging esea che s in c oss-disciplina y dialogues wi h
o he disciplines
− Secondmen s, aining ( aineeships) o he ESRs in p ac ice wi h s akeholde s
in ol ed in he p o ision o a o dable and sus ainable housing
This lea ning and esea ch en i onmen was es ablished om he e y beginning o he
p ojec and de eloped s ep-by-s ep h ough a di e se ange o ac i i ies in a blended-
lea ning o ma . Du ing his de elopmen , we designed and expe imen ed wi h a a ie y o
ac i i ies which combined in-pe son wo k du ing he wo kshops and summe schools wi h
on-line wo k conduc ed in he pe iods in-be ween ga he ings in pa allel o he
de elopmen o he PhD hesis by ESRs.
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 33
The ollowing sec ions p o ide an o e iew o he ac i i ies conduc ed du ing he
de elopmen o he esea ch and lea ning en i onmen . The ollowing sec ions p o ide an
o e iew o he ac i i ies ca ied ou du ing he p og essi e de elopmen o he esea ch
and lea ning en i onmen . Sec ion 4.1 ou lines he ini ial s ages in which ne wo k
membe s me and became amilia wi h each o he 's speci ic pe spec i es, esea ch
in e es s and disciplina y backg ounds. Sec ion 4.2 de elops on he nex s ages o
ac i i ies, du ing which he ESRs es ablish connec ions be ween hei indi idual esea ch
p ojec s and wi h pa ne s om p ac ice. All hese expe iences o med he basis o he
de elopmen o a ansdisciplina y app oach h ough ne wo k ac i i ies p esen ed in
Sec ion 4.3.
4.1. Ge ing amilia
This sec ion p o ides an o e iew o he jou ney, s a ing wi h he p esen a ion o he
ne wo k membe s a he kick-o session in July 2021 and he i s in-pe son mee ing a
he Lisbon Wo kshop in Sep embe 2021.
Dimensions compa ed o RE-DWELL ields o s udy
The RE-DWELL p ocess o cons uc ing a ansdisciplina y lea ning en i onmen began
wi h a ou -day p og amme ha enabled ne wo k membe s o ge o know each o he and
ini ia e collabo a ion on esea ch and aining ac i i ies (Figu e 4.1). Due o he limi a ions
imposed by he COVID-19 pandemic, he ac i i ies we e held online. Ea ly-s age
esea che s (ESRs), supe iso s, co-supe iso s, and secondmen ep esen a i es
pa icipa ed in he e en .
Figu e 4.1. Ac i i ies ca ied ou in he ou -day kick-o p og amme
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 34
The p og amme agenda was as ollows:
− Resea ch eam: ESRs in oduced hemsel es wi h a 2-minu e ideo.
Supe iso s, co-supe iso s, and secondmen ep esen a i es in oduced
hemsel es using a 1-minu e p esen a ion wi h h ee pic u es and h ee
keywo ds. Pa icipan s collabo a i ely c ea ed a mind map o iden i y a ini ies
among eam membe s, supe iso s, ESRs and pa ne o ganisa ions.
− P ojec esea ch: Teams o 3 ESRs explo ed he mul iple meanings o he h ee
key esea ch opics: a o dabili y, sus ainabili y, and ansdisciplina i y. Each
eam p esen ed hei insigh s in a plena y session, and a sha ed mind map was
c ea ed du ing he discussions.
− Indi idual esea ch: Pa icipan s explo ed connec ions be ween indi idual
p ojec s and hei ele ance o he esea ch a eas. Each ESR ga e a 5-minu e
p esen a ion o hei p ojec , a e which pee s summa ised he p esen a ions in
a sha ed mind map, es ablishing links be ween p ojec s. The indings om he
i e eams we e summa ised in he mind map, wi h iden i ied links be ween
ESRs' p ojec s discussed collabo a i ely.
− Collabo a i e wo king p ocedu es: The session in oduced ools o
collabo a i e esea ch, as well as p ocedu es o moni o ing indi idual wo k.
These included websi e sec ions ( ocabula y, case lib a y, blog) and online
collabo a ion pla o ms (Teams, Sha ePoin ).
The kick-o p og amme was he i s s ep in c ea ing a collabo a i e, e lec i e, and
esou ce- ich en i onmen , encou aging pa icipan s o anscend disciplina y bounda ies
and wo k owa ds common goals. Fi s o all, i enabled ne wo k membe s o ge o know
each o he , along wi h hei backg ounds and mo i a ions. Ac i i ies ha equi ed
pa icipan s o summa ise and map ou hei pee s’ esea ch p ojec s p omo ed
e lexi i y—an essen ial aspec o ansdisciplina y educa ion. Th ough mind-mapping
exe cises and sha ed e lec ions, he p og amme acili a ed he ini ial de elopmen o a
collec i e amewo k (Figu e A1.1 in Annex 1).
Fo ou days, he ESRs began exchanging in o ma ion and collabo a ion and lea ning
among hem. They had he oppo uni y o sha e hei knowledge and expe ience on he
opic o a o dable housing and become awa e ha hey we e in a p ocess ha was no
only aimed a de eloping he PhD hesis, bu a mo e a - eaching goal: o acqui e deep
lea ning h ough a ansdisciplina y app oach.
“No only we all had a chance o mee each o he in smalle g oups, bu we also had
a chance o sha e ou esea ch in e es s, ambi ions and plans, which e ealed many
possible syne gies and complemen a y opics ha we ag eed o ollow and wo k on
oge he h oughou he p ojec .” (Blogpos by Ma ko Ho a )
This exchange o in o ma ion allowed he g oup o know wha e e yone’s backg ound was
and o unde s and ha i was going o be c i ical h oughou he p ojec o unde s and
he pe spec i es o he o he s o be able o answe a p oblem as complex as ha o
sus ainable and a o dable housing. The i s di icul ies o unde s anding appea ed, and
i was ealised ha each discipline s a ed om di e en knowledge abou a common
p oblem. ESRs e en lea ned ha he wo king ools we e dis inc be ween disciplines, and
unde s anding and de eloping new me hods would be pa o hei lea ning p ocess.
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 35
“These exe cises we e bene icial in iden i ying ou educa ional backg ound and
wo k expe ience, which we hen used in g oup wo k, ying o p o ide meaning ul
de ini ions o ce ain elemen s o he opic we will be s udying. Th oughou he
g oup wo k, we ha e quickly become iends and companions on ou jou neys, and I
can only say ha now, a he beginning o my PhD jou ney, I look o wa d o
collabo a ing wi h o he PhD candida es and supe iso s, all he ha d wo k his
p ojec will b ing.” (Blogpos by Ma ko Ho a )
The concep o ansdisciplina y and he need o his ansdisciplina y en i onmen o be
able o espond o he housing p oblem was add essed, and he con lic s be ween
sus ainabili y and a o dabili y we e made awa e wi h some e lec ions such as his one:
“My g oup consis ed o wo a chi ec s (me included) and a poli ical scien is .
Combining ou mixed expe iences b ough up some in e es ing poin s which I am
su e would no ha e been conside ed, had i jus been limi ed o a chi ec s.”
(Blogpos by Ane e Da is)
“The e m ‘T ansdisciplina i y’ was he mos in e es ing o me o discuss in he
sessions as i is ela i ely new o me. I is a o m o esea ch ha we a e going o
adop in ou esea ch p ojec s whe e di e en disciplines a e c ossing he
bounda ies o each o he o ind new solu ions o complex p oblems. We a e
coming om di e en ields o expe ise and educa ional backg ound. In ou case,
a o dabili y and sus ainabili y a e he wo con lic ing sides o he housing equa ion
and ou eal challenge is o ind a p o ound balance.” (Blogpos by Aya Elghandou )
Lisbon wo kshop – Sep embe 2021
The i s in-pe son ne wo k ac i i y ook place a he Lisbon wo kshop. Be o e he
mee ing, ESRs p epa ed an abs ac o he esea ch p ojec in w i en and isual o ma s
which we e sha ed on he p ojec websi e. They also p oduced an A0 pos e which was
exhibi ed du ing he wo kshop and used in he collabo a i e ac i i ies (Figu e A1.2 in
Annex 1). By ha ing ESRs p epa e abs ac s and pos e s o hei esea ch p ojec s,
pa icipan s a e p omp ed o a icula e hei wo k in a manne ha is accessible o pee s
om di e se disciplines, de eloping a he same ime hei communica ion skills, w i en
and isual. Pos e s allow esea che s o p esen complex in o ma ion isually, de elop
communica ion skills and p omo e engagemen and discussion.
In a g oup session in Lisbon, ESRs and supe iso s o ganised in eams ( wo ESRs and one
supe iso /co-supe iso ) answe ed he ques ions abou each esea ch p ojec :
• Wha o esea ch? Teams de ined he speci ic ocus o hei esea ch, allowing
o a clea e unde s anding o he p ojec 's objec i es and scope. This
collabo a i e app oach helped pa icipan s cla i y hei indi idual and collec i e
esea ch in e es s, p omo ing in e disciplina y dialogue abou a ious opics.
• Why is i needed? By discussing he signi icance o hei esea ch, eams
a icula ed he ele ance o hei p ojec s in add essing eal-wo ld challenges.
This s ep encou aged pa icipan s o conside he socie al impac o hei wo k,
os e ing a sha ed commi men o meaning ul esea ch ha anscends
disciplina y bounda ies.
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 36
• How o do i ? Teams explo ed me hodologies and app oaches o conduc ing
hei esea ch, encou aging a c oss-pollina ion o ideas and echniques om
di e en ields. This collabo a i e discussion allowed ESRs o lea n om one
ano he and adop inno a i e s a egies ha migh no ha e been pa o hei
o iginal disciplines.
• Wi h/by who? By iden i ying po en ial collabo a o s, s akeholde s, and a ge
audiences o hei esea ch, pa icipan s began o build ne wo ks ha ex ended
beyond hei immedia e eams. This elemen is c ucial o ansdisciplina y
educa ion, as i emphasises he impo ance o in ol ing di e se pe spec i es
and expe ise in he esea ch p ocess.
The collabo a i e ac i i y was ollowed by a ou -minu e p esen a ion by each g oup,
which ecei ed eedback om he es o pa icipan s.
O e all, he ac i i ies ca ied ou in he wo kshop os e ed he de elopmen o
ansdisciplina y skills among ESRs by enhancing hei communica ion abili ies,
p omo ing collabo a ion, encou aging c i ical hinking and p oblem-sol ing, acili a ing
ne wo king, and ins illing a p ac ice o e lexi i y.
Pa icipan s app ecia ed he oppo uni y o explo e di e se app oaches— anging om
communi y and inance o design—and ecognized ha collabo a ion would be c ucial in
achie ing sha ed p ojec goals.
The exe cise also os e ed meaning ul dialogue, pa icula ly h ough p esen a ions, which
helped highligh o e a ching hemes, c oss-cu ing concep s, and new ocabula y, such
as "empowe men " and " op-down/bo om-up" app oaches. G oup wo k encou aged
u he explo a ion o hese connec ions and acili a ed p oduc i e discussions. (Figu e
A1.3 in Annex 1). See mo e in Deli e able 3.1.
“The impo ance o de o ing comp ehensi e e o s o de elop he ield o housing
s udies, assembling no only economis s bu also a chi ec s, u ban planne s and
o he p o essionals in ol ed in he p oduc ion o he buil en i onmen ; and o
b ing abou a eal esea ch cul u e a he hea o a chi ec u e schools, a e some o
he akeaways I go om his s imula ing deba e.” (Blogpos , Leona do Ricau e)
Nicosia summe school – No embe 2021
Based on he ou come o he mee ings wi h he supe iso s/secondmen s be o e he
summe school, ESRs me in a hands-on session du ing he Nicosia summe school wi h
pee s in clus e s o wo o exchange in o ma ion abou hei con ac s wi h pa ne
o ganisa ions and o discuss he po en ial ole o he secondmen s in hei esea ch
hesis (Figu e A1.4 in Annex 1). The ou come o hei discussion was p esen ed on pos -i
panels (Figu e A1.5 in Annex 1). The hi y-minu e ac i i y was ollowed by a p esen a ion
by each g oup, which ecei ed eedback om he pa icipan s (ESRs, supe iso s, co-
supe iso s and pa ne o ganisa ions’ ep esen a i es). The g oup s a ed o be awa e o
each o he and unde s ood he p ojec and he need o in e disciplina i y.
I was ein o ced wi h some ac i i ies in place, like o he ne wo king ac i i ies. The
summe school included si e isi s o local housing de elopmen s, ocusing on
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 37
sus ainable and a o dable housing in he his o ic ci y cen e and egene a ion p ojec s in
Limassol and in e ac ions wi h local issues, p o iding insigh s in o eal-wo ld issues.
“The summe school ended wi h he iewing o documen a y ilm ‘Anamones’...The
ilm in es iga es he sociological impac o designing in s a e ba s (s uc u al
s eel ods) p o uding om he oo s o homes in Cyp us o “ u u e use”...This
se ed o highligh he impo ance o knowing wha he end-use needs a e in he
design p ocess in housing, which is one o he key issues being explo ed by he RE-
DWELL ne wo k.” (Blogpos , Anne e Da is)
Pa icipan s app ecia ed he oppo uni y o discuss common secondmen in e es s,
explo e new p ojec connec ions, and b ains o m on how secondmen s could suppo
hei esea ch. The in e ac i e o ma , especially he pos e session and well-ma ched
ESR pai s, was highligh ed as a success ul way o os e collabo a ion. The ERS, he
supe iso s, co-supe iso s and he pa ne s we e awa e o he mul idisciplina i y inside
he ne wo k and hey unde s ood be e hei ela ion o he o he pa icipan s in he
p ocess o knowledge exchange.
4.2. Finding connec ions
Budapes wo kshop – Ma ch 2022
Con inuing wi h he in e wea ing o online and in-pe son ac i i ies, some p epa a o y
wo k was done be o e he wo kshop in Budapes , which was hen p esen ed and
discussed collec i ely. The ac i i ies included explo ing he con en s o he ocabula y
and inding ela ionships be ween e ms and de ini ions p o ided by ESRs. The ellows
u he g ouped he concep s in clus e s, which helped hem unde s and he ela ionships
be ween he h ee a eas o he RE-DWELL esea ch ne wo k: “Design, Planning, Building”;
“Communi y Pa icipa ion”; and “Policy and Financing.” (Figu es A1.6 and A1.7 in Annex 1).
This explo a ion and he e o o he ESRs o explain he signi icance o he ocabula y in
ela ion o he case lib a y enabled ESRs o de elop in e pe sonal compe encies.
Du ing he wo kshop, a game session was o ganised by he local NGO CoHousing
Budapes Associa ion o de elop a common ision ega ding he challenges o
communi y building (Figu e 4.2). The aims we e o lea n me hods and o ms o democ a ic
decision-making, p ac ice socioc acy and di ec democ acy, es ablish a common
s anda d o con lic managemen , and o mula e ules o in e nal and ex e nal
communica ion. Pa icipa ion in his game p o ided insigh s in o he la e ac i i ies
ca ied ou conce ning he de elopmen o a oolki o os e collabo a ion be ween
expe s and non-expe s o he nex s age o building he ansdisciplina y en i onmen
(see Deli e able 4.7).
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 38
Figu e 4.2. In oduc ion o he game session and in e ac ions among pa icipan s, Budapes
Wo kshop
The game ac i i y helped os e he abili y o an icipa e u u e de elopmen s and
challenges ela ed o sus ainabili y and skills in nego ia ion, con lic esolu ion, and ac i e
lis ening. O e all, he session was ecognised o i s engaging na u e and abili y o
p o ide aluable insigh s in o he in e ac ion be ween communi ies and housing
o ganisa ions.
“The e m e lexi i y was o en men ioned in he discussion, e e ing o collec i e
sel - e lec ion p ac ices abou he pa icipan s' posi ionali ies, au ho i ies,
e balisa ion skills, expe ience, and alues. As people o en come wi h di e en
esou ces in he p ocess o co-c ea ing coope a i e housing, a way o ake his in o
accoun is o c ea e a ious le els o pa icipa ion, making i less demanding o
people ha do no ha e he same ime o economic capaci y. In his way, he
collabo a ion ac o would be p esen , being awa e o he impo ance o
edis ibu ing knowledge and esou ces.” (Blogpos by Zoe Tzika)
In e na ional Social Housing Fes i al Helsinki – June 2022
RE-DWELL pa icipa ed in he Fes i al o ganising a wo kshop. The aim o he wo kshop
was o apply a holis ic app oach o he p o ision o a o dable and sus ainable housing
h ough a speci ic use case: “A municipali y has a piece o land in a wo king-class
neighbou hood ha is o be de eloped h ough a sus ainable mas e plan, including
a o dable housing.” Pa icipan s o ganised in eams o de elop a s ep-by-s ep s a egy
ha conside ed he in e ela ionships be ween he h ee hemes o he RE-DWELL
esea ch ne wo k: “Design, Planning, Building”; “Communi y Pa icipa ion”; and “Policy
and Financing.” Fo each heme, pa icipan s ecei ed a b ie explana ion o he mos
ele an issues, me hods, and ools, summa ised in a wheel diag am. This wo kshop
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 39
enabled he ne wo k o pu he ansdisciplina y app oach in o p ac ice o he i s ime
and o s a building a TEASH oolbox1 (see Deli e able 4.7).
Valencia summe school – July 2022
The scena io-based me hodology- he collabo a i e session using some desc ip o s o
each pilla - implemen ed a he ISHF RE-DWELL wo kshop in Helsinki (see Deli e able 4.7)
was e iewed du ing he Valencia summe school. The e was a session discussing how i
could be imp o ed in nex e sions and he beginning o a s uc u ed “game”. Each ESR
p esen ed hei esea ch o pee s, engaging in discussions, asking ques ions, and
p o iding eedback. Supe iso s also pa icipa ed in hese discussions. The ou comes
we e documen ed on a sha ed Mi o boa d, which isually mapped and connec ed he
a ious esea ch p ojec s (Figu e 4.3). These collabo a i e e lec ions enabled esea che s
o de elop sel -awa eness o hei own concep ual amewo ks and con ibu ed o he
eme gence o knowledge ha is “in-be ween, ac oss and beyond disciplines” (Nicolescu,
2007). “The social and public housing sec o has he esponsibili y o balance all hese
aspec s in hei p ojec s, which is o en a e y complex puzzle. I equi es echnical and
inancial capaci y and knowledge on how o wo k wi h esiden s and communi ies as well
as di e en s akeholde s.” “We ha e o make su e he social aspec s o he ene gy
ansi ion a e a he same le el as en i onmen al objec i es, o i will no wo k, no
gene a e he consensus and ake up ha a e needed.” (HE)
1 The e m “ oolbox” e e s o a collec ion o ools ha assis in exchanging knowledge ac oss disciplines and
wi h pa icipan s om p ac ice. The “TEASH oolbox” is desc ibed in de ail in Deli e able 4.7.
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 40
Figu e 4.3. Mapping o links ac oss esea ch p ojec s a ising om he eam ac i i y, Valencia
Summe School
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 41
The ela ionships among he a ious esea ch lines we e examined in a sepa a e ac i i y
using he ocabula y and case lib a y, which se ed as aluable lea ning esou ces. The
collabo a i e ask equi ed pa icipan s o choose one e m om he ocabula y and one
case and hen discuss he signi icance o hei indi idual esea ch pe spec i es. Teams
analysed how he selec ed e m (Figu e A1.8 in Annex 1) and case s udy lib a y (Figu e A1.9
in Annex 1) connec ed o hei speci ic ocus a eas, os e ing a deepe unde s anding o
he in e play be ween di e en esea ch lines wi hin he o e all amewo k. The
collabo a i e ac i i ies u he con ibu ed o he de elopmen o in e pe sonal
compe ences and communica ion skills, while also con inuing o enhance hei sys ems
hinking capaci ies by in e ela ing hei esea ch p ojec s h ough he ocabula y and
case lib a y (see also D4.4 and D4.5). A endees app ecia ed he dedica ed ime o upda e
one ano he on hei p ojec s, os e ing connec ions and knowledge exchange h ough
uns uc u ed discussions.
Supe iso y boa d mee ing – No embe 2022
The aim o his online mee ing was o sha e wi h all membe s o he ne wo k (ESRs,
supe iso s, co-supe iso s and pa ne o ganisa ions) he wo k done in he secondmen s
comple ed so a . ESRs oge he wi h pa ne o ganisa ions whe e hey held hei
secondmen s we e eques ed o make a 10-minu e p esen a ion ocusing on he
ollowing ela ed o ansdisciplina y esea ch (cu ing ac oss ields, and engaging
s akeholde s ou side academia), answe ing he ollowing ques ions:
− To wha ex en has he secondmen con ibu ed o a be e unde s anding o RE-
DWELL's ansdisciplina y app oach, b idging esea ch o ha e an impac on
exis ing p ac ices (design, cons uc ion, managemen , pa icipa ion, inancing,
policies, e c.)?
− How he secondmen con ibu ed o he PhD esea ch ( opics, me hods,
objec i es).
− How he hos o ganisa ion has bene i ed om he secondmen .
− Wha ans e able skills we e de eloped o enhanced du ing he secondmen ?
− Lessons o be lea ned o u u e secondmen s o achie e be e he objec i es o
RE-DWELL and he indi idual doc o al s udies.
The answe s we e colla ed a he end o he p esen a ions (Figu e A1.10 in Annex 1).
Th ough his session, pa icipan s—ESRs and pa ne o ganisa ions’ ep esen a i es—
enhanced hei communica ion skills on digi al media and e lec ed on hei wo k in
ela ion o o he s. ESRs needed o align hei esea ch indings wi h eal-wo ld p oblems
and, wi h he suppo o he secondmen ep esen a i es, ansla e hose p oblems in o
esea ch ques ions.
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 48
o esea ch opics and esea ch ques ions, in se ing up esea ch me hodologies in ol ing
p ac i ione s and in collabo a i e da a ga he ing, as well as in alida ing and
dissemina ing esul s and in hei ansla ion in o ien a ions o ac ion.
The RE-DWELL secondmen s
The mos in ense in e ac ions be ween pa ne o ganisa ions and he RE-DWELL PhD
esea che s ook place du ing he secondmen s, ha a e pe iods o one o h ee mon hs
du ing which he esea che s we e based on he p emises o one pa ne o ganisa ion
whe e hey pa icipa ed in he o ganisa ion’s ac i i ies, in conjunc ion wi h hei own
esea ch wo k. The exchanges ha ook place du ing hese pe iods ha e uelled he i s
wo phases o he indi idual esea ch p ojec s, namely he elabo a ion o he p ojec
including inpu s om p ac ice, and he de ini ion and implemen a ion o he esea ch
me hodology. ESRs could ga he i s -hand knowledge o p ac ices in hei hos
o ganisa ions and had access o esou ces and suppo o he de elopmen o hei
indi idual esea ch p ojec s.
Mo eo e , secondmen s can be seen as a wo-way exchange and as a way o con ibu ing
esea ch o he ac i i ies o pa ne s, since hey allow pa ne s o use he esea ch
capaci ies o he ESRs o hei own ac i i ies. Since he ela ion be ween he
o ganisa ion and he conso ium is no a comme cial one and he PhD esea che s a e no
in an employmen ela ionship wi h he pa ne o ganisa ion, hei common in e es is in
join lea ning.
Pa B o he su ey add essed o pa ne s (see Annex 2) conce ns hei expe ience wi h
secondmen s and in i ed hem o p o ide eed-back on how hese pe iods we e
pe cei ed by he hos ing o ganisa ion. Fi s and o emos , imme sion in a p o essional
en i onmen is acknowledged as a possibili y o ESRs o b idge heo y and p ac ice and
o ge o g ips wi h he complexi y o eal-li e p oblems. This complexi y is due o he
speci ici ies o he social housing ield and o he unc ioning o la ge o ganisa ions (e.g.
Cla ion), bu also o he local and cul u al backg ound ha is needed o app ehending he
ield when one comes om ano he coun y and a di e en cul u e, since housing policy
issues ha e deep oo s in he “socio-cul u al adi ion o communi ies and socie ies”
(Ce aneo). O e all, secondmen s allowed PhD candida es o pe o m “a eali y check o
hei esea ch hypo hesis” (HE), while also deepening he unde s anding o he opic and
cla i ying esea ch ques ions (MRI).
Mo eo e , esea che s could acqui e a ine-g ained unde s anding o he ins i u ion
con ex s, no only in e ms o cons ain s and wha can be conside ed bu eauc a ic ed
ape, bu also in hei adap a ion po en ial and in e ms o esou ces and le e ages o
ans o ma i e change:
“They lea ned abou he ac ual complex go e nance o social housing managemen
s uc u e and inance in a egion such as Ca alonia. And abou a numbe o p ojec s
ha ha e been upg ading public en al housing in Ca alonia and also p ojec s led
by local au ho i ies ha build on enan s’ in ol emen .” (Incasòl)
“We belie e i was lea n ha he ins i u ions ha e semi- igid ways o acing
p oblems, bu ha he echnical s a , oge he wi h he local pa ne s hey wo k
wi h, p esen c ea i e ways o o e coming his igidi y wi h he ocus on esponding
o he needs o he e i o ies.” (LCC)
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 49
This po en ial o adap a ion also lies in he “suppo i e wo king cul u e” wi hin housing
associa ions (SYHA) and o he o ganisa ions, ha esea che s accul u a ed wi h du ing
he secondmen s. In e u n, ESRs could also con ibu e a hei own le el, o possible
ans o ma ions in hinking abou ce ain aspec s o pa ne o ganisa ions’ ongoing wo k,
by b inging in hei own expe iences and esea ch-based app oaches. O e all, hey
con ibu ed “a di e en app oach o hinking abou ou wo k” (SYHA), c ea i i y, “new
hinking” (Cla ion) new insigh s and he oppo uni y o lea n abou opical issues ha a e
high on he poli ical agenda (EFL, HE). ESRs ha e also helped pa ne s in o ganising and
ca ying ou hei own esea ch wo k by explo ing new ways o “wo king wi h exis ing da a
[…] and h ough i s esul s, build new ins umen s” such as hose o p omo ing
“pa icipa o y ci izenship in a ou o sus ainable in eg a ed local de elopmen ” a Lisbon
Ci y Council, o ca y ou esea ch in a mo e e ec i e way.
“We lea ned how o make empi ical esea ch in a limi ed pe iod o ime wi h
commi ed ESRs on a ele an opic and p esen ou o ganisa ion o local ne wo ks
as an in en i e s akeholde ” (Ce aneo).
Al oge he , ESRs showed a high capaci y o connec o he eal-li e p oblems ha
housing p ac i ione s ace and he e o e b idge heo y and p ac ice o ackling hose
p oblems:
“Wha we no iced so a is ha he ESRs ha e a much be e unde s anding o he
eal p ac ices wi hin he social housing sec o (bo h housing associa ions and
enan s) and he e o e a e much mo e capable o ela e heo y and p ac ice.” (EFL)
5.2. “Wicked p oblems” expe ienced
In his sec ion we illus a e he exchanges be ween he esea ch ne wo k and pa ne
o ganisa ions by means o he conc e e wicked p oblems ha pa ne s b ough in o
discussion, ei he h ough he su ey (Annex 2, sec ion D) o du ing he o um discussion.
Since he RE-DWELL p og amme should allow knowledge building o ackling p oblems
ela ed o a o dable and sus ainable housing, he e y cha ac e is ics o he p oblems
a e key o de ining he speci ici ies and he pu pose o such ansdisciplina y e o s. In
addi ion, pa ne s’ pe spec i es in o he necessa y ing edien s o a a ou able
en i onmen o meaning ul knowledge co-p oduc ion and ans e a e .
One o he equi emen s o pa ne o ganisa ions ega ding knowledge p oduc ion in a
Eu opean ne wo k such as RE-DWELL was i s connec ion o exis ing ins i u ional and
egula o y amewo ks. This cohe ence would ensu e he p ac ical employabili y o
esul s, as, o example, o housing associa ions in pa icula loca ions:
“The p ac ical applica ion needs o be achie able. Ideally wi h amewo ks
embedded wi hin he cu en sys ems ha al eady exis , he planning amewo k,
he egula o y amewo k o unding mechanisms, such as Homes England.” (SYHA)
Howe e , he la ge numbe o s akeholde s and o egula o y amewo ks in ol ed, ha
a e hemsel es a mo ing landscape, cons i u e he e y essence o na ional and local
housing sys ems.
A sys ema ic app oach o app ehending “wicked p oblems”
T ansdisciplina y esea ch in ol ing academics wi h di e en disciplina y backg ounds
along wi h p ac i ione s is needed o ackling “wicked p oblems” (see Chap e 3).
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 50
Mo eo e , sys ems mapping can be used as a ool o app ehending in e ac ions be ween
he di e en dimensions o he p oblem, he in ol ed s akeholde s and hei in e ela ions
(Jonsson e al., 2021; Ri el, 1973). Mo eo e , sys ems hinking has been sugges ed as a
e e ence o RE-DWELL by one o he pa ne housing o ganisa ions, based on p e ious
wo k done in 2020 by he Na ional Enginee ing Policy Cen e , in he UK. This wo k
consis ed o mapping he mul iple ac o s, disciplines and pe spec i es ac oss he
na ional housing sys em, based on a pa icipa o y mapping me hodology. Such a
comp ehensi e and sys emic app oach is conside ed by se e al RE-DWELL pa ne s as
being use ul o ackling complex p oblems o housing and o s ee ing ans o ma i e
change in he ield:
“As a sec o we al eady ha e mul iple checklis s, oolki s and guidance documen s
o all kinds. Wha is lacking is a sys ems app oach o how hese mesh oge he .”
(Cla ion)
“A ull sys em app oach [would be necessa y o la ge scale p oduc ion, especially
when using mode n me hods o cons uc ion (MMC o ‘sma cons uc ion’)], so a
ecogni ion ha i isn' jus an associa ion ha deli e s housing, i 's con ac o s, i 's
smalle , medium sized en e p ises, e c. e c.” (SYHA, o um)
Ce ain aspec s o complex p oblems o a o dable and sus ainable housing can be mo e
ecen o be exace ba ed by he p esen economic con ex , such as:
“The inc easing cos o cons uc ion (mainly d i en by he p ice o ma e ials bu no
only), as well as delays in cons uc ion and eno a ion due o di e en ac o s;
inc easing in e es a es/cos o inance; inc easing in la ion which is impac ing he
capaci y o enan s o make ends mee .” (HE)
Ye , o he aspec s ha a e pa o “wicked p oblems” a e long s anding, o e en
s uc u al, mos ly ela ed o he inancial models o social housing in di e en coun ies:
“in many cases a ‘weak’ inancial model – o be e we should say necessa ily dependen
on public unding” (HE). Such s uc u al p oblems become mo e bu densome in he
p esen con ex o in la ion, bu also in imes o disengagemen o public au ho i ies om
housing issues and in an age o aus e i y in public unds managemen .
“Wicked p oblems” as ade-o s a di e en le els
The economic and poli ical en i onmen s a e un a ou able bo h o he de elopmen o
a o dable housing and o he implemen a ion o ad anced sus ainabili y p inciples in
new housing p oduc ion and e o i . The essence o mos complex p oblems lies in his
double s uggle and e lec s in ade-o s a di e en le els. We will illus a e such ade-
o s ha p ac i ione s om he housing ield ace, s a ing wi h he poli ical and s a egic
le el, o he in e nal p io i ies o housing o ganisa ions’ ac i i ies, all he way o he design
o new de elopmen s o eno a ion schemes. The need o p io i ise in es men s pu s in
compe i ion he main objec i es o housing policies in Eu ope, ha a e, acco ding o
Housing Eu ope, a o dabili y, sus ainabili y and a ailabili y (HE). In hese ade-o s,
p e e ence may also be gi en o ce ain s akeholde s o e o he s, which o en esul s in
he iews o communi ies di ec ly a ec ed by ce ain policies being o e looked:
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 51
“The social and public housing sec o has he esponsibili y o balance all hese
aspec s in hei p ojec s, which is o en a e y complex puzzle. I equi es echnical
and inancial capaci y and knowledge on how o wo k wi h esiden s and
communi ies as well as di e en s akeholde s.” “We ha e o make su e he social
aspec s o he ene gy ansi ion a e a he same le el as en i onmen al objec i es,
o i will no wo k, no gene a e he consensus and ake up ha a e needed.” (HE)
These ade-o s and he necessi y o balance be ween di e se ac o s, and some imes
con adic o y ac o s, a e he essence o wicked housing p oblems, o which add he local
speci ici ies o each housing sys em. Le ’s ake a i s couple o examples o wicked
p oblems a he policy le el. In Ca alonia, Incasòl, as a public housing de elope , p o ides
land, p oduces housing and is also in ol ed in local policy making o inc easing social and
a o dable housing p o ision. Boos ing his p oduc ion, bo h h ough pa ne ships wi h
public and non- o -p o i de elope s, is a complex challenge. Public housing p o ide s
ind i di icul o change he enu e model om owne ship o en al, and non- o -p o i
de elope s ace di icul ies in accessing inance and scaling up hei p oduc ion. The
si ua ion is e en “wicked” since p i a e de elope s don’ ind in e es in engaging in
a o dable en al schemes. Se e al ac o s, such as inc easing cos s and changing
legisla ion, keep hem om de eloping pa ne ships wi h local public agencies such as
Incasòl o accessing land, as well om eaming up wi h in es o s o accessing inance.
In his case, esea ch could gi e an accoun on he mul iple ensions ha need o be
in eg a ed a he s a egic le el, and o iden i y he enable s and inhibi o s o new o ms
o coope a ion o he p oduc ion o a o dable en al housing, o o he eno a ion o he
exis ing housing. “Tools and esou ces, bu no jus inancial” (Incasòl, o um) a e needed
o a ac p i a e companies owa ds he cons uc ion o new a o dable en al schemes,
bu also, in o de o eno a e he exis ing housing s ock such ools and esou ces should
be o ien ed owa ds mobilising homeowne s.
Howe e , wha makes a p oblem “wicked” a e he in e connec ions be ween di e en
ac o s ha new policy adop ion can gene a e unin ended e ec s ha can be con a y o
he o eseen goal. The e o e, unde s anding how he whole sys em wo ks, including
housing policy, he social s uc u e bu also “in e ac ions be ween he di e en ac o s in
he housing ma ke and households” is essen ial o embedding new policy in an exis ing
sys em and in his way ensu e i s e ec i eness. The ep esen a i e o he Me opoli an
Resea ch Ins i u e in Budapes ga e he example o passing a law ha o bids he
e ic ion o amilies wi h child en. Such a law can ha e as an unin ended side e ec he
inc ease o en s o amilies wi h child en e lec ing landlo ds’ eluc ance o le hei
p ope ies o amilies (MRI, o um). Al oge he , a ho ough unde s anding o how he
whole sys em wo ks is he way o ackling wicked p oblems a he policy le el.
A a second le el, ha o o ganisa ions, ade-o s be ween di e en aspec s o hei
ac i i ies become necessa y in o de o manage he inancial ensions be ween hem:
keeping he en s and he inancial bu den o enan s on an accep able le el; imp o ing
he cu en s ock bo h in e ms o o e all quali y and o sus ainabili y; mee ing he
demand and he e o e expanding he housing s ock in a pe iod o housing a o dabili y
c isis; o e ing mo e social suppo o he enan s (EFL).
Finally, ade-o s and con lic ing limi a ions a e ound also a a hi d le el o he housing
p ojec , and hey conce n, o example, he ela ion be ween quali y and cos s in housing
design, as o example a Sou h Yo kshi e Housing Associa ion:
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 52
“We wan o inc ease ou ou pu o new homes wi hou comp omising on quali y i
possible. We alue he impac o place-making on people’s sel -image and quali y
o li e, as well as he quali y o he home i sel . We see ou homes as deli e ing on
people’s wellbeing as well as p o iding a oo o e hei head.”
“We wan o build he highes quali y homes ha we can, bu imes a e ough and
cos s ha e escala ed so he emp a ion is always o cu he up- on cos s and
‘dumb down’ a scheme.” (SYHA)
E idence p oduc ion o ans o ma i e change
Unde s anding he di e en dimensions o “wicked p oblems” in housing is essen ial o
os e ing change h ough he exis ing sys em’s adap a ion. The ole o esea ch om his
pe spec i e can also be he p oduc ion o e idence ha enables decision-making and
ul ima ely shi s cu en p ac ices. E idence p oduc ion as le e age o ans o ma i e
change can come in di e en o ms, as o example, e alua ion and moni o ing o new o
expe imen al policy ini ia i es. Fo example, he e alua ion o ci izen pa icipa ion policies
ca ied ou by Lisbon Ci y Council and he assessmen o hei impac s (LCC) o
“e idence-based policies o ulne able g oups associa ed wi h new social isks ega ding
a o dable housing” (Ce aneo) including he “sys ema ic moni o ing o p og ams and
measu es” (Ce aneo, o um).
E idence can also come in he o m o economic calcula ions o modelling, o h ough he
e alua ion o speci ic s a egies and p ojec s in e ms o e iciency and cos
e ec i eness. Pa ne s ha e p oposed he co-p oduc ion o a business case by
p ac i ione s and academia ha can be used as an a gumen in he ade-o s o social
housing p oduc ion (SYHA). In he con ex o in la ion and aus e i y ha pushes o
supe luous cos educ ion and o a housing ma ke whe e house alues a e low, he g an
a es eques ed by housing o ganisa ions a e no always deemed alue o money by he
unde s ( o um discussion). Changing he inancial a ionale o g an alloca ion needs
solid e idence, such as li e cycle cos s calcula ions ha can p o e ha he cos s a e
lowe on he long un when highe in es men s a e made on “en i onmen al sus ainabili y
measu es and o he quali y aspec s such as highe space s anda ds, public ealm e c”
(SYHA).
E idence can u he con ibu e o change in cu en “business models”, and c ea e
d i e s o he p omo ion o ce ain ypes o cons uc ion, such as p e ab ica ed
sus ainable buildings – o ‘sma cons uc ion’ – when suppo ed by a ge ed policy
incen i es and inancing mechanisms (Casais, o um). Howe e , such change in p ac ices
also elies on change in men ali ies, imagina ies and alues ha a e embedded in he
p o essional and poli ical cul u e. This is ano he dimension ha makes a o dable and
sus ainable housing p oduc ion a “wicked p oblem”. In Po ugal, o example, in o de o
scale up p oduc ion, new alues such as sus ainabili y o buildings and end use
a o dabili y need o gain impo ance o e “ he o e all p o i abili y o he de elopmen ”
(Casais). In a simila way, o new and mo e p oduc i e building solu ions o be
implemen ed “shi ing he mindse [is needed] om con en ional cons uc ion o he
indus ialized one” (Ibid.).
E en i na ional housing egimes a e s ill dominan , especially in e ms o speci ici ies o
legisla i e o ganisa ion o he ield, ce ain “wicked p oblems” need a sys emic
pe spec i e ha goes beyond he na ional scale and includes Eu opean policy and
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 53
in e na ional o ganisa ions. Such an app oach can ins il change h ough ans e s o
policy and inspi ing examples o p ac ices, bu also by join knowledge p oduc ion among
ac i i y sec o s and academic disciplines:
“Sus ainabili y and a o dabili y and mo e speci ic ene gy po e y, equi e a mo e
mul i o ansdisciplina y way o wo king. I would be e y help ul i RE-DWELL could
p o ide a amewo k [ o ] how o align he di e en le els: (in e )na ional policy –
o ganisa ional policy and connec ing he di e en disciplines in ol ed ( echnic,
inance, social).” (EFL)
5.3. A pan-Eu opean pe spec i e
As men ioned in Sec ion 5.1, knowledge exchange and lea ning among he di e en
Eu opean pa ne s is one o he main d i e s o hei pa icipa ion in he RE-DWELL
p ojec . Howe e , he knowledge con ibu ed by hem is si ua ed in pa icula geog aphic,
social and poli ical con ex s, and embedded in e y di e en ins i u ional adi ions and
di e se housing sys ems. How pa ne s’ inpu s a icula e wi h common in en ions in a
collabo a i e p ocess ep esen s one o he mos challenging aspec s o he cons uc ion
o a ansdisciplina y en i onmen wi hin RE-DWELL: “Is he in en ion o de ise a pan-
Eu opean assessmen o one ha is sensi i e o local con ex ?” (Cla ion).
The c ea ion o a ansdisciplina y en i onmen combined di e en le els and con ex s
whe e pa ne s’ p ac ices and knowledge a e oo ed: speci ic local, na ional and
some imes in e na ional se ings (see Table A.1 in Annex 2). In addi ion, ESRs’ esea ch
p ojec s span be ween di e en geog aphical loca ions, such as hose o pa ne
o ganisa ions ha hos ed hem o secondmen s and hose o he case s udies hey
analysed, and c ea e connec ions be ween hem. Mo eo e , he TEASH ools should be
applied in di e en Eu opean con ex s and hus be ele an o s akeholde s in di e en
se ings.
In his sec ion we will discuss he pe spec i es o pa ne o ganisa ions on possible
in e ac ions be ween hese di e en le els – om speci ic local con ex s o he Eu opean
scale. We will also examine he na u e o he possible ela ionships be ween hese
di e en le els o c ea ion and implemen a ion o a ansdisciplina y en i onmen and o
ools o knowledge exchange and knowledge building.
Knowledge building om he local o he Eu opean le el
One o he ing edien s o he cons uc ion o he TEASH is he lib a y o cases (p esen ed
in Deli e able 4.5). These examples ha e been selec ed, documen ed and sha ed h ough
he websi e, while o he s ha e been p esen ed in di e en ne wo k e en s. Sha ing “bes
p ac ices” and lea ning om hem appea ed o be one o he main in e es s men ioned by
se e al pa ne s in he su ey (LCC, Casais, Ce aneo, EFL). Inspi ing examples o p ac ice
in esponse o simila challenges ha pa ne s ace in hei own p ac ice also allow o
ansla e heo e ical posi ions o policy o ien a ions, ha can be conside ed oo abs ac
some imes, in o speci ic and conc e e ac ions:
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 54
“We e y much belie e in bes p ac ices because hey inspi e ou membe s o apply
he ecommenda ions and guidelines in p ac ice. Fu he mo e, policy and p ac ice
ecommenda ions should be well applicable o housing associa ions, which asks
o a eal connec ion be ween heo y and p ac ice.” (EFL)
“Recommenda ions should be ansla ed a a le el a which housing p o ide s can
eally use hem and make hem wo k. This is one o he basic assignmen s ha we
ha e as o ganiza ion.” (EFL, o um)
Knowledge sha ing and lea ning abou di e en p ac ices a Eu opean le el, o be ween
ce ain selec ed a eas, can also be mo e s uc u ed knowledge, such as compa isons and
axonomies. In some cases, ESRs de elop such sys ema ic compa isons in hei esea ch
(e.g. he PhD p ojec o Tijn C oon, he pape o Fe nández e al., 2023). Pa ne s ha e
exp essed hei in e es in his ype o s uc u ed knowledge on speci ic hemes. Fo
example, Lisbon Ci y Council was in e es ed in “a axonomy o local go e nance
s uc u es o sha ed decision-making be ween he public adminis a ion and
neighbou hood local o ganisa ions.” (LCC)
T ans e ing back om he Eu opean o he local le el
Mo eo e , sha ing “bes p ac ices” and knowledge among s akeholde s om di e en
geog aphical a eas should be he i s s ep owa ds ans o ma i e change in one’s own
con ex o p ac ice. Inspi ing examples om a di e en se ing can gene a e expe imen s
o inno a ions in a new con ex . Howe e , in o de o ans e p ac ices, he adap a ion o
he model o he speci ici ies o he local housing sys em appea s o be a huge pi all.
Has y ans e s can be isky:
“The e is huge di e si y ac oss Eu ope and e y di e se ‘s a ing poin s’ in e ms o
quali y o he s ock, ypes o owne ship, ac o s in ol ed, policy and egula o y
amewo ks... we should a oid alling in o he ‘one size i s all’ app oach.” (HE)
“A b oad bes p ac ice o en eels oo oo ed in o a speci ic local en i onmen
(legal, economic, social) and ex emely ha d o ansplan . Guidelines and
ecommenda ions ha ake in o accoun local cons ain s a e mo e use ul.”
(Incasòl)
Local and na ional housing con ex s a e e y di e en in e ms o policies and legal
amewo ks, his o y and adi ions, ins i u ional landscape o housing p o ide s,
cha ac e is ics o he housing s ock, housing and land owne ship pa e ns, e c.
Ne e heless, e en in on o such di e se housing con ex s, p ac i ione s ace
ce ain common and long-las ing p oblems (i.e. housing p o ision o low-income
households) and hey o en de elop simila solu ions and policies o ackle hem.
These commonali ies make he sea ch o inspi ing models o p ac ice om o he
se ings in Eu ope and hei ansla ion in o one’s own con ex a no ewo hy
s a egy. The e o e, RE-DWELL can gi e an impe us “ o ying ou new ideas,
solu ions and policies”, hus s imula ing mobili y o such models o p ac ice, ha
can e en ually p omo e he “mos obus ideas.” (Cla ion, o um)
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 55
Deepening, b oadening and scaling up
In o de o a oid “one size i s all” app oaches and a oo has y ansla ion o “bes
p ac ices”, c oss- e lec ions on one’s own sys em o e e ence and on simila i ies and
di e ences wi h ano he inspi ing con ex a e needed, as sugges ed du ing he o um:
“I 's eally e y impo an o unde s and he di e ence o he na u e o he housing
a o dabili y in Ams e dam and housing a o dabili y in B a isla a o in Budapes .” (MRI,
o um) This can allow a deep unde s anding o he p oblem embedded in a pa icula local
con ex and o possible solu ions ha one needs o align o ha con ex . Such con ex -
ela ed hinking can allow one o e lec on “why migh some hing wo k in his place bu
no in ano he place” (Cla ion, o um). This e lec i e p ocess can esul in changes in he
way o conside ing he p oblem and ha e implica ions in e ms o ans o ming ideas,
p ac ices and e en o ganisa ional a angemen s.
The li e a u e on policy mobili y has s udied such p ocesses o “policy ansplan a ion”
and has s essed he con ex -dependency o policies ha “p ospe unde speci ic
condi ions”, hence he impo ance o paying special a en ion o he social con ex and
cul u al accep ance (Noo i e al., 2023). These au ho s p opose a heo e ical amewo k
o success ul ansplan a ion p ocesses ha comp ises wo p elimina y phases o
“ eadiness assessmen ” and o good p ac ices analysis and lea ning be o e he ac ual
policy ans e (Ibid.). In he p ocess o policy ansplan a ion, he i s phase
concen a es on he socio-economic and echnological en i onmen s o he ecipien
con ex , as well as on he poli ics and go e nance sys ems a he na ional and local le els.
I is a p epa a ion s age ha comp ises knowledge exchange and pilo expe imen s ha
can “shi policy p e e ences o belie s o decision-make s and encou age hem o selec
policy ideas” in o de o answe local p oblems. The selec ion o policies is hus in line wi h
local ci cums ances. Mo eo e , he subsequen “policy localiza ion” o selec ed “good
p ac ices” p epa es he policy adop ion phase by “exe ing con ex ual cons ain s,
applica ion cons ain s, and en ails he mu a ion o ansplan ed policies which leads o
co-called policy inno a ions” (Ibid., p.7).
Knowledge ans e and lea ning hus cons i u e a p e equisi e o policy mobili y. They
help in he selec ion o policies and p ac ices ha a e ele an o a pa icula local
p oblem, and in he adap a ion o s uc u al a angemen s in he ecipien local con ex
p io o policy ansplan a ion. In he li e a u e on he managemen o sus ainable
ansi ion expe imen s, such adap a ions h ough knowledge exchange a e called
“deepening” (Van den Bosch & Ro mans, 2008) :
“Wha ac o s lea n when deepening includes shi s in ways o hinking, alues and
pe spec i es (cul u e); shi s in doing hings, habi s and ou ines (p ac ices); and
shi s in o ganizing he physical, ins i u ional o economic con ex (s uc u e).” (G in
e al., 2010, p. 208)
The TEASH can play a ole in os e ing such “deepening”. I can engage pa ne s in
lea ning p ocesses wi h he aim o unde s anding di e en models o p ac ice and hei
possible implemen a ion in a new con ex wi h he aim o changing one’s own
p o essional cul u e, p o essional p ac ices and o ge ing pa ne s in ol ed in he
ans o ma ion o local ins i u ional s uc u es.
Finally, ano he challenge is o p epa e inno a ions o scale up o be eplica ed in ano he
con ex when “ hei ime has come” (Cla ion, o um). The wo o he phases o expe imen
inno a ion de elopmen owa ds ans o ma i e change ha e been concep ualised as
“b oadening” and “scaling up” (G in e al., 2010; Van den Bosch & Ro mans, 2008).
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 56
“B oadening” means epea ing expe imen al p ac ices “in di e en con ex s and linking
o o he unc ions o domains” (G in e al., 2010, p. 208). In he ield o a o dable and
sus ainable housing, his implies ansla ing p ac ices be ween con ex s, wi h all he
di icul ies ha such ansla ions imply. Howe e , he “deepening” phase, men ioned
be o e, allows o p epa e he “b oadening” s age, h ough comp ehensi e unde s anding
o he p oblem and o possible solu ions and adap a ions o he exis ing sys em in o de
o suppo new solu ions. Finally, “scaling up” allows o he new “cons ella ion” o he
ans o med cul u e, p ac ices and s uc u e, in ela ion o al e na i e p ac ice, o “a ain
highe in luence and s abili y and o inc ease i s sha e in mee ing a social need” (G in e
al., 2010, p. 209) and hus become pa o he dominan way in which housing needs a e
ul illed.
5.4. Conclusion
Pa ne o ganisa ions b ough in conc e e p oblems hey a e con on ed wi h in hei
cu en p ac ice, pu o wa d as “wicked” o complex. Such challenges span o e di e en
domains and in ol e mul iple s akeholde s om mul iple ac i i y sec o s, om he public
o he p i a e and hi d sec o all he way o esiden s and ci izens. Resea ch can suppo
he de ini ion o he app op ia e ools, esou ces and le e age ac ions in line wi h he
expec ed ou comes. I can also help in iden i ying unin ended esul s ha migh appea
when new policies and hei implemen a ion mechanisms a e con on ed o he eali y o
he housing ma ke and o he p ac ices and cul u es o i s di e en ac o s, such as
housing p o ide s, households, inancial o ganisa ions, e c. Resea ch can con ibu e o
add essing he wicked p oblems o housing when hey a e ansla ed in ade-o s
be ween di e en aspec s o a o dabili y and sus ainabili y.
As a gued in his chap e , ade-o s appea a di e en le els. A he poli ical and
s a egic le el, hey conce n, o example, esou ce alloca ion and poli ical p io i ies
de ini ion be ween he social and en i onmen al aspec s o ene gy ansi ion.
Fu he mo e, hey conce n he in ol emen and suppo o ce ain s akeholde s, such as
home owne s and companies in ol ed in eno a ion, o example, and he neglec o
o he conce ned pa ies such as enan s.
A he le el o a o dable housing p o ide s, he ade-o s a e nume ous in he cu en
pe iod o in la ion (o building cos s, ene gy, e c.), o inc ease in land p ices in u ban a eas
and o aus e i y in public expendi u e. In o de o main ain hei economic balance,
housing o ganisa ions mus se p io i ies and media e be ween con lic ing impe a i es:
e o i ing he exis ing s ock o building new in o de o mee he inc easing demand o
a o dable housing. On he one hand, hese expendi u es impose inc easing own unding
ha can be p o ided h ough en inc ease o om selling a pa o he housing s ock, o
example. Bu on he o he side, social impe a i es equi e mo e social suppo o enan s
and main aining en s a o dable, and building new housing a a o dable p ices in well-
loca ed a eas becomes an almos impossible equa ion. Las bu no leas , ade-o s
appea a he le el o new housing p ojec s: be ween quali y o he designed spaces wi h
consequences on he quali y o li e o u u e esiden s, en i onmen al sus ainabili y
pe o mance and, also o he balance, he unding possibili ies and he inal housing cos .
RE-DWELL pa ne s exp essed di e en needs ha he p og amme could answe . Fi s o
all, he knowledge p oduc ion ha hey seek should p epa e hem o engage in hese
ade-o s wi h policy-make s and unde s, among o he pa ne s. They a e looking o
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 57
esea ch-based e idence suppo ing hei a gumen s in nego ia ions, building
al e na i es and ul ima ely changing he dominan p ac ices and men ali ies beyond hei
own o ganisa ions. Secondly, knowledge p oduced in he p og amme should be di ec ly
ela ed o a p oblem s a emen , applicable on policy and o ganisa ional le els, and
ansla ed in conc e e ac ions such as a business case and connec o exis ing
ins i u ional and egula o y amewo ks. Thi dly, he main need exp essed by he pa ne s
was gaining a deepe unde s anding and a b oade iew on possibili ies o ac ion. Las
bu no leas , he knowledge en i onmen he pa ne s need should no be a se o c i e ia
o checkboxes. Ins ead, comp ehensi e ools o a o dable and sus ainable housing
p oduc ion should cla i y he in e ela ions ha cons i u e a local housing sys em, in
o de o allow ac o s o ac i a e le e ages and p e en unin ended e ec s o new policies
o p ac ices. They should acili a e lea ning, be o ien ed owa ds “deepening”, as a
p epa a o y phase o ans o ma i e change. “Deepening” can acili a e he
ansplan a ion o policies and p ac ices om ano he con ex , by embedding such new
ac ions in a local sys em while also ans o ming i . In he lea ning p ocess ini ia ed by RE-
DWELL, ansdisciplina i y is p esen bo h in e ms o luidi y o knowledge ci cula ion
be ween academia and p ac ice, be ween ac i i y sec o s ela ed wi h housing and
be ween di e en Eu opean local con ex s.
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 64
Design assessmen o sus ainable housing (DASH) amewo k
S a ing om he obse a ion ha mos exis ing sus ainabili y amewo ks, assessmen
ools and guides do no adequa ely conside he cul u al aspec s based on esiden
needs, Pipa sania and Kali a’s (2022) de eloped a mul is akeholde amewo k: design
assessmen o sus ainable housing (DASH) amewo k. The ques ion was, basing he
s udy on h ee pilla s o sus ainabili y om he B und land epo (B und land, 1987),
whe he he “cul u al” dimension based on esiden s’ needs can be conside ed as
ex ension o he social dimension o whe he i should be conside ed as a ou h pilla in
sus ainable design.
Figu e 6.6. DASH: e ised amewo k, whe eby cul u al indica o s a e included in he social
dimension (Pipa sania & Kali a, 2022, p. 17)
To o mula e an answe , Pipa sania and Kali a (2022) collec ed ele an indica o s in
seconda y li e a u e, in e iewed Indian esiden s, asked hem o ill in a su ey and inally
ook in o accoun expe opinions. The quan i a i e esea ch was conce ned wi h
calcula ing co ela ions be ween he social and cul u al indica o s and he indica o s om
he so-called G een Building Ra ing Sys em. Figu e 6.6 shows hei p oposed e sion o
in eg a ing he cul u al in he social dimension o he B und land amewo k o
sus ainabili y. The au ho s cau ion ha i is a d a amewo k ha can be u he
de eloped ac oss o he con ex s and wi h mo e eliable da a, while in he end Pipa sania
and Kali a (2022, p. 18) a gue ha hei wo k “can be used as a ounda ion o de eloping a
ool o ansla ing he amewo k in o any sui able applica ion o ma .”
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 65
Capabili y-wheel based on hemes o he Quali y o Li e Founda ion (QoLF)
The inal amewo k discussed in his sec ion is he housing assessmen amewo k ha
Dissa and Ricau e (2023) p opose. They call he amewo k, which Figu e 6.7 shows, a
“capabili y-wheel”, as he concep o social alue (SV) de eloped by he Quali y o Li e
Founda ion is amed in he capabili y app oach. Capabili ies a e adi ionally de ined as
ci izens’ eedom o choose a li e which hey ha e eason o alue. The amewo k’s aim is
o acili a e he unde s anding o esiden s’ pe spec i es on he h ee adi ional pilla s o
sus ainabili y (social, economic, en i onmen al) in e ms o hei cons ain s and
eedoms.
The amewo k aims o assis p ac i ione s in using esea ch o design buildings om he
s a ing poin o esiden s’ capabili ies; in sho o s imula e “e idence-based design
p ac ice” (Dissa & Ricau e, 2023, p. 878): “This aim is in line wi h he need o a chi ec s
o be mo e p esen in discussions abou SV [social alue] and o demons a e he
po en ial o design o unpack and c ea e alue wi hin communi ies h ough pos -
occupancy e alua ion (POE).” (Ibid.) Fu he de ailing o he amewo k is expec ed o
wo k by aking in o accoun eedback om ele an ac o s on he di e en a iables.
Such a sys ema ic app oach aims o allow o p io i ising social alues ac oss con ex s.
Figu e 6.7. The Capabili y-wheel o spa ial quali y o li e assessmen o esiden s (Dissa &
Ricau e, 2023, p. 879)
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 66
6.3. A o dable housing
This sec ion analyses mul is akeholde a o dabili y amewo ks ha explici ly combine
wi h a sus ainabili y pe spec i e o s a ing poin , ega dless o whe he he s a o he
exe cise is om he a o dabili y poin o iew.
A o dabili y and Sus ainabili y Assessmen F amewo k
S a ing om he so-called “sus ainabili y pa adox” ( om Ro mans, 2006, p. 37) ha “ou
cu en p oblems canno be sol ed wi h cu en me hods and ools”, Pullen e al. (2010, p.
52) sugges ed ha sys ems hinking (in e p e a ion o Da idson & Venning, 2009; Daniell
e al., 2005) may be he u u e. This en ails mo ing away om he expe ise “silos” a ound
he h ee dimensions o sus ainabili y owa ds decision making ha akes he “in e -
ela ionships” be ween he h ee dimensions in o accoun (also: Da idson & Venning,
2009, p. 10).
The in e im amewo k designed by Pullen e al. (2010) aims o assess new u ban
densi ying cons uc ion in Aus alian ci ies. I is p esen ed in Figu e 6.8 and depa s om
he sus ainabili y poin o iew bu ocuses on a o dable housing, as i is expec ed ha
mos bene i s o ene gy e iciency can be sco ed whe e hese will be mos needed. I
comp ises a whole lis o indica o s aken om a li e a u e s udy, among which echnical
and a o dabili y indica o s. The pe o mance assessmen amewo k o e alua ing
densi ying u ban house building, ha was pu oge he wi h a eam o expe s om
cons uc ion, a chi ec u e, planning, local go e nmen , land managemen , housing
agency, and wi h consume s, he e o e goes beyond ea lie amewo ks ha mos ly
ocused on en i onmen al sus ainabili y, as Pullen e al. (2010) a gue.
Figu e 6.8. In e im A o dabili y and Sus ainabili y Assessmen F amewo k as p esen ed o Indus y
Discussion Fo um (Pullen e al., 2010, p. 58)
This eali y check deli e ed sugges ions abou possible adap a ions o he assessmen
amewo k. Pullen e al. (2010) conclude ha hei in e im amewo k can al eady be used
o quali a i e assessmen o exis ing and new p ojec s; howe e , assessmen may be
con ex -speci ic, and subjec i e, while he indica o s also p esen “inhe en syne gies and
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 67
ensions” (p. 61) ha need u he s udy. Fu he mo e, “A quan i a i e applica ion will
depend on he e alua ion o mo e igo ous me ics and he de elopmen o mechanisms
ha conside he in e ela ions be ween indica o s.” (p. 61).
Mul ic i e ia decision making amewo ks
In con as o o he amewo ks, Emma Mulline and colleagues de eloped in di e se
publica ions (2013, 2015 and 2016) a mul i-c i e ia amewo k ha is a quan i a i e one:
mul i-c i e ia decision making (MCDM). In hese s udies, au ho s de eloped he c i e ia o
he so-called sus ainable housing a o dabili y indica o . This indica o s a ed om he
poin o iew ha a o dabili y is no only an economic dimension (housing cos s e sus
income), bu also en ails indica o s impac ing on he esiden ’s quali y o li e; la e leading
o he ocus on neighbou hoods, as well as en i onmen al sus ainabili y (Mulline e al.,
2015).
Me hods o build he indica o we e a li e a u e s udy o collec he possibly ele an
componen s which we e hen alida ed (su ey) by checking he ele an s akeholde
pe cep ions o hese indica o s, be i 300 (Mulline e al., 2016, p. 146) o 600 s akeholde s
(Mulline & Maliene, 2015) in di e en s udies and di e en publica ions.
The housing a o dabili y indica o ha was designed aligned wi h adi ional h ee se s o
sus ainabili y c i e ia. The i s se o c i e ia o Mulline and Maliene (2015, p. 255) could
be classi ied in he economic dimension as hey a e conce ned wi h a o dabili y
measu es (house p ice o income, en al cos s o income, in e es a es and mo gage
a ailabili y; and housing quali y) and he a ailabili y o en al dwellings, low-cos and
ma ke alue homeowne ship p oduc s. Unde he social dimension, one could include
sa e y (c ime), dep i a ion in he a ea, and access o employmen , as well as o he
se ices ( anspo , educa ion, e c.). En i onmen al sus ainabili y c i e ia would include
low p esence o en i onmen al p oblems, ene gy e iciency, and was e managemen .
Pu ing weigh s o he di e en c i e ia o he sus ainable housing a o dable indica o ,
he MCDMs o e a way o ading o con lic ing c i e ia as Figu e 6.9 shows o di e en
me hods o MCDM (WSM, WPM, e c. in en loca ions (A1 h ough o A10) (e.g., Mulline e
al., 2013). Weighing implies he impo ance o he a ge s se .
Me hod
Al e na i es
A1
A2
A3
A4
As
A&
A1
As
Ag
A 10
WSM ank
0.1015
0.097
2
0.096
2
0.105
5
0.101
3
0.098
9
0.090
3
0.102
4
0.093
2
0.113
4
4
7
8
2
5
6
10
3
9
1
WPM ank
0
0.092
3
0.093
2
0.102
9
0.098
1
0.097
2
0.081
1
0.090
5
0.083
5
0.110
5
10
6
5
2
3
4
9
7
8
1
Re ised AHP 1
ank
0.81
0.781
2
0.781
6
0.832
0.812
1
0.793
7
0.740
7
0.813
1
0.768
2
0.888
4
5
8
7
2
4
6
10
3
9
1
Re ised AHP 2
ank
0.9222
0.843
4
0.844
5
0.982
4
0.927
8
0.877
5
0.732
6
0.930
8
0.807
9
1.136
5
5
8
7
2
4
6
10
3
9
1
TOPSIS ank
0.4713
0.629
0.488
9
0.790
9
0.614
8
0.544
5
0.299
0.527
1
0.252
0.809
2
8
3
7
2
4
5
9
6
10
1
COPRAS
ank
0.099
0.101
5
0.096
1
0.109
6
0.102
1
0.098
2
0.089
1
0.100
9
0.091
2
0.112
3
6
4
8
2
3
7
10
5
9
1
Figu e 6.9. Ranking o en loca ions (A1-A10) based on di e en mul i-c i e ia decision making
(MCDM: WSM ank, WPM ank, e c.) (Mulline e al., 2015, p. 149)
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 68
Good quali a i e a o dable -equi able- housing p o o ype o p ac i ione s
S a ing om he a gumen ha in e disciplina y academic knowledge does no each
p ac i ione s, Lespagna d e al. (2023) de elop a mul is akeholde p o o ype o a
amewo k ha is o acili a e he communica ion be ween s akeholde s on he p ojec
le el. In hei iew, “mo e sus ainable and equi able li ing si ua ions and buildings” (p. 2)
will be achie ed, de ining equi able housing as “a o dable o quali a i e housing, as he
e m e e s o physical, social, en i onmen al, and inancial aspec s” (p. 2).
This amewo k, as he o he amewo ks in his chap e , was designed based on di e en
ypes o sou ces o in o ma ion: li e a u e and semi-s uc u ed in e iews wi h ele an
s akeholde s. The esul is an o e iew o i een dimensions o equi able housing,
dis inguishing be ween he ollowing ca ego ies o c i e ia: using, li ing, inancing,
dwelling, see Figu e 6.10. The idea is o se uppe and lowe limi s o he di e en
dimensions o nego ia e solu ions ha will be accep able o he ele an s akeholde s.
These limi s a e ound a he edges o he black a ea in he igu e.
Figu e 6.10. To c ea e an equi able housing p ojec , s akeholde s should s i e o s ay in be ween
he de ined limi s (black a ea) (Lespagna d e al., 2023: 7)
The p o o ype was es ed wi h non-academic s akeholde s in wo wo kshops s udying
e ospec i ely he decision-making p ocess o wo p ojec s in Belgium. The p o o ype
aims o acili a e discussion be ween all s akeholde s o a design p ojec , which will
include he esiden s (Lespagna d e al., 2023, p. 6):
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 69
“The e o e, he amewo k o equi able housing ocuses mo e on he discussion
ha can a ise be ween di e en s akeholde s and how one design decision can
igni e a se ies o consequences o o he dimensions. Ra he han ob aining a
sco e, he amewo k leads owa ds an inclusi e equilib ium o design decisions
ha i wi hin he limi s indica ed by di e en s akeholde s.”
I will be clea ha no only because each indica o has di e en dimensions, he impac s
will also be di e se, impac ing di e en dimensions o equi able housing, each wi h i s
own limi s. Sha ing acili ies, o example, may impac on social con ac , sa e y and
solida i y in a p ojec , possibly educing he cos o owne ship. Gi en di e en limi s o
he di e en dimensions, i is he e o e likely ha he links be ween he i een
dimensions in he p o o ype equi e nego ia ions, mos likely s i ing o win-win
si ua ions. Main win will be he communica ion s i ing o unde s anding among
s akeholde s:
“Gi en ha e e y p ojec is unique, he amewo k allows enough oom o
in e p e a ion and does no make judgemen s on he alues o s akeholde s.
Mo eo e , i allows design eams o hink u he han hei discipline. The
amewo k allows s akeholde s om a ious niches o speak he same language
and discuss hei needs. I does no ell he use s exac ly wha o do bu guides and
opens he con e sa ion on opics he s akeholde s migh no ha e hough abou o
we e no able o exp ess be o e.” (Lespagna d e al., 2023, p. 11).
6.4. Tools compa ed
In ended as a s a e o he a p esen ed in Table 6.1, his sec ion explo es exis ing ools,
mos ly called amewo ks by hei designe s, ha in eg a e a o dabili y and sus ainabili y
dimensions o housing. These amewo ks a e ools ha p o ide knowledge o he
challenge a hand by in eg a ing bo h housing dimensions om di e en poin s o
depa u e. Column 1 o Table 6.1 shows he poin s o depa u e o he amewo ks, hose
ha depa ed explici ly om a human- igh s-based policy pe spec i e, hen om a
sus ainabili y pe spec i e and ending om an a o dabili y s a ing poin . This o de may
be pe cei ed as a bi loose, as echnically he sus ainabili y amewo k wi h he h ee o
mo e dimensions can be de i ed o en (implici ly) om human igh s oo s (B und land,
1987), al hough his is no always acknowledged as such.
A wide ange o publica ions exis s on amewo ks o a o dable and sus ainable housing,
especially hose conside ed mul is akeholde amewo ks om a design pe spec i e. The
ypes o s akeholde s consul ed in he design p ocess a e lis ed in column 4 o Table 6.1.
This column, which b ie ly desc ibes each amewo k's me hods, shows ha mos
amewo ks we e de eloped by di ec ly combining insigh s om academic li e a u e wi h
inpu om p ac ice (such as su eys o expe panels). This app oach helped c ea e
de ini ions o assessable elemen s and indica o s ha cha ac e ize he dimensions o
sus ainabili y and a o dabili y, d awing on knowledge om bo h academia and p ac ice.
The amewo k designed may se e se e al pu poses: assessing ypes o sus ainable and
a o dable housing p ojec s o policies, de ining sus ainable and a o dable housing,
p o iding policymaking guidelines, o acili a ing communica ion among s akeholde s
(and po en ially os e ing a common language) (see column 3). The s udies add essed
a ious challenges, as shown by he a ge s akeholde s (column 5), a ge housing ypes
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 70
(column 6), and speci ic ou comes (column 7). Consequen ly, each amewo k was ailo ed
o mee i s unique design objec i es.
Mos s udies we e explo a o y in na u e (see column 3). Du ing he design phase, hese
amewo ks bene i ed om inco po a ing insigh s om a ious s akeholde s—p ima ily
p o essionals bu also esiden s— o unde s and di e se pe spec i es. The s udies o en
ecommended u he e inemen o hei d a , ini ial, o p o o ype amewo ks (as
indica ed in column 7), wi h he aim o ad ancing o he nex s age o de elopmen .
Toge he , he s udies indica e a shi om ocusing solely on g een sus ainabili y c i e ia
owa d a b oade ange o sus ainabili y dimensions, including social, cul u al, economic,
echnical, and inancial aspec s. This expansion in dimensions and c i e ia inc eases he
complexi y o housing p ojec s and hus heigh ens he po en ial o con lic s among
di e en c i e ia, a challenge no ed by many s udies. F om a ansdisciplina y pe spec i e,
his de elopmen demands g ea e e o s o b idge disciplina y di ides—whe he among
con en a eas o be ween ac o s.
Complex challenges necessi a e some o m o nego ia ion o egula ion o balance he
a ious aspec s o sus ainabili y, mus be he conclusion. The mul i-c i e ia decision-
making (MCDM) models p esen ed by Mulline and colleagues (2011, 2013, 2015, 2016)
illus a e his poin well: ou comes a y based on he weigh ing o c i e ia. In his con ex ,
alues and jus ice a e use ul concep s o conside . Ins ead o p esc ibing igid measu es,
he equi able housing p o o ype de eloped by Lespagna d e al. (2023) p o ides a lexible
amewo k o dialogue, adap able o speci ic con ex s and he pe spec i es o
pa icipa ing s akeholde s. In summa y, amewo ks ha acili a e communica ion and
knowledge sha ing appea o be a p omising app oach o add essing he complexi ies o
housing a o dabili y and sus ainabili y.
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 71
Table 6.1. Mul is akeholde amewo ks o housing a o dabili y and sus ainabili y e iewed in his chap e
(1)
Pe spec i e/ Angle
(2)
Publica ion
(3)
Type o amewo k
(4)
Me hod o amewo k
design
(5)
Ta ge s akeholde
(6)
Ta ge housing
(7)
Ou comes
Policy making based
on housing as a
human igh ,
UN Habi a
(Golubchiko &
Badyina, 2012)
Mul i-scale sus ainable
housing policy amewo k
UN-Habi a
coope a ion wi h
o he s; au ho
pe spec i e
Policy make s
Policy making,
sus ainable ci ies,
de eloping coun ies
Recommenda ions o policy
design
Policy making based
on housing as means
o imp o e quali y o
li e
Ibem & Azuh
(2011)
P oposed amewo k o
e alua ing he
e ec i eness o he
sus ainabili y o public
housing p og ams
Li e a u e e iew
End use and p o ide
(including a chi ec ); howe e ,
es ing o amewo k:
esea che s, policy make s and
p o essionals in he ield
Public housing,
de eloping coun ies
Recommenda ions on applying
and es ing he amewo k
Sus ainabili y
Tu co e & Geise
(2010)
A i s e sion o he
amewo k o guide
sus ainable housing
de elopmen p ojec s
Li e a u e s udy
ollowed by in-dep h
in e iews
De elopmen indus y
p o essionals, planne s,
esea che s, and cons uc ion
ade union o icials
New housing p ojec
de elopmen p ocess
in u ban a ea, US
10 p inciples, whe he hey a e
applied o de elopmen p ocess
Sus ainable housing
Adamec e al.
(2021)
P oposed housing
sus ainabili y assessmen
ool (HSAT)
Li e a u e e iews and
expe panel
Planne s, policy make s
ci izens
Sus ainable housing,
u ban a eas
Indica o s o sus ainable housing;
o be ans o med in o use -
iendly sys em
Sus ainable housing
Pipa sani & Kali a
(2022)
D a design assessmen
o sus ainable housing
(DASH) design amewo k
Li e a u e s udy
ollowed by in e iews
wi h esiden s
Schola s, esea che s and
p o essionals de eloping
sus ainable design
assessmen amewo ks
New housing
de elopmen p ojec s,
India
Indica o s o cul u al
sus ainabili y; in eg a ion o
cul u al a iables in B und land
social sus ainabili y dimension
Sus ainabili y
Dissa &
Recau e (2023)
P oposed assessmen
amewo k o esiden
quali y o li e: capabili y-
wheel
Social alue as
de eloped in he UK
Quali y o Li e
F amewo k
Policy make s and
p ac i ione s (a chi ec s,
designe s)
Design and buil
en i onmen , UK
Indica o s ha
measu e/unde s and he esiden
quali y o li e by design: ba ie s,
capabili ies, quali y o li e
Sus ainabili y o
a o dable housing
Pullen e al. (2010)
2nd in e im assessmen
amewo k o a o dable
and sus ainable housing
Li e a u e s udy,
indica o s and
amewo ks, es ed
wi h expe s
(discussion o um)
Building indus y s akeholde s,
such as designe s, planne s,
including policy make s,
consume s
New housing p ojec s
o u ban
densi ica ion,
Aus alia
Pe o mance indica o s:
a o dabili y and en i onmen al
sus ainabili y
Sus ainable
a o dabili y
Mulline &
di e en
colleagues (2013,
2015, 2016)
Sus ainable a o dabili y
housing indica o s,
quan i a i e mul i-c i e ia
decision making (MCDM)
Li e a u e s udy
ollowed by su ey wi h
ele an p o essionals
P o essionals a housing
associa ions, local au ho i ies
(planning, housing se ices),
and housing de elope s
Local policy make s,
UK
Ranking o impo ance o c i e ia
and compa ed ac oss egions,
ypes o p o essionals, and MCDM
models
Sus ainable
a o dabili y
Lespagna d e al.
(2023)
Visualising equi able
housing: a p o o ype o a
amewo k
Li e a u e s udy, expe
in e iews, wo
e ospec i e case
s udies
P ac i ione s akeholde s in
p ojec design; esea che s
Design p ojec
communica ion,
Belgium
F amewo k ha o e s he
de elopmen o common
language among s akeholde s
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 72
6.5. Conclusion
The amewo ks analyzed in his chap e we e selec ed based on hei mul is akeholde
app oach, in ol ing di e se s akeholde s and an academic ounda ion. These amewo ks
sha e se e al key ea u es. They a e mul idimensional, linking housing a o dabili y wi h
sus ainabili y challenges and objec i es, and add essing a ious dimensions o each
concep . This app oach unde sco es he complexi y o housing a o dabili y and housing
sus ainabili y, and di e en con ex s in oduce unique equi emen s. As such, hese
amewo ks b ing oge he di e se dimensions, s akeholde s om p ac ice and academia,
di e en disciplina y pe spec i es, and a ange o con ex ual ac o s.
Gi en he cu en s a e o he a , amewo ks emain explo a o y, p ima ily in eg a ing
he knowledge a ailable a he ime o w i ing. Typically, hey p esen academic insigh s
and hen assess hese wi h s akeholde s wi hin speci ic con ex s. They call o u he
e inemen . O new amewo ks may need o be designed o o he pu poses.
Impo an ly, hese amewo ks o en do no se e as di ec e alua o s o housing issues.
Ra he , hey unc ion as ca alys s o acili a o s o communica ion among ele an ac o s,
dimensions, and con ex s. By guiding discussions and nego ia ions, amewo ks help o
de elop a sha ed unde s anding (o e en a common language), which is essen ial o
balancing he in e connec ions among dimensions and s akeholde s in a o dable and
sus ainable housing con ex s. This sha ed unde s anding also lays he g oundwo k o
nego ia ing success ul, mu ually bene icial—so-called win-win—solu ions.
The main akeaway om his chap e is he sha ed need o g asp he complexi y o
a o dable and sus ainable housing, as well as he impo ance o ools ha acili a e his
unde s anding. The amewo ks discussed he e a e shown o suppo communica ion,
hough each has i s limi a ions. In he nex chap e , RE-DWELL add esses he need o
knowledge exchange in building i s ansdisciplina y en i onmen .
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 73
7. T ansdisciplina y en i onmen o a o dable sus ainable
housing
RE-DWELL’s esea ch aces a cen al challenge: how o e ec i ely b idge disciplines and
make a ansdisciplina y app oach impac ul o socie y. In he con ex o a o dable and
sus ainable housing, ansdisciplina i y means os e ing a "join ocus" h ough
coo dina ed ac i i ies ha build sha ed unde s anding and acili a e knowledge
exchange. Achie ing his equi es c ea ing ansdisciplina y esea ch and lea ning
en i onmen , in ol ing bo h he compe encies o pa icipan s and ools ha suppo
knowledge sha ing.
In his chap e , we in oduce a RE-DWELL ansdisciplina y en i onmen o a o dable
and sus ainable housing as he esul o he collec i e ac i i ies, a comp ehensi e
li e a u e e iew, and an assessmen o he needs o pa ne o ganiza ions. The ocus is
on equipping ESRs wi h he skills o make a meaning ul impac on he "wicked p oblem"
o a o dable and sus ainable housing p o ision in Eu ope.
The chap e includes lessons lea ned om ou p ojec jou ney and es ablishes he
ounda ions o he RE-DWELL ansdisciplina y en i onmen . I co e s he s eps aken
and he lea ning p ocess o no only ESRs bu he whole conso ium, in pa icula in
o e coming di e ences in me hods, concep s, and app oaches. Addi ionally, pa ne
o ganiza ions and socie al s akeholde s look o insigh s ha can help add ess hei
challenges. They alue esea ch ha gene a es knowledge di ec ly applicable o hei
complex issues. The li e a u e shows ha nume ous ools exis o add essing a o dable
and sus ainable housing, each wi h unique s eng hs and limi a ions. Howe e , i also
indica es ha ansdisciplina i y is a demanding app oach, equi ing ime, e lexi i y om
academic pa ne s, and s uc u ed ac i i ies o de elop mu ual unde s anding o he
complex challenges and each o he 's pe spec i es.
7.1. Lessons om li e a u e and RE-DWELL e en s
RE-DWELL aining sessions and wo kshops ha e e ealed nume ous connec ions
be ween he ESRs’ PhD p ojec s and he h ee RE-DWELL esea ch a eas: “Design,
Planning and Building,” “Communi y Pa icipa ion,” and “Policy and Financing.”
Fu he mo e, in e ac ions and assignmen s ha e highligh ed he mul iple e ms and
concep ual amewo ks o app oach he common p oblem o housing a o dabili y and
sus ainabili y. Secondmen s and aining sessions ha e demons a ed ha b idging he
gap be ween academia and p ac ice equi es bo h eam compe encies and ools o
e ec i e knowledge exchange.
Pa ne o ganisa ions wo king in he ield o housing a e in e es ed in esea ch ha
cla i ies p oblem s a emen s o make hem applicable, con ex -speci ic, and ele an o
exis ing ins i u ional amewo ks. They seek assis ance in add essing ade-o s be ween
a o dabili y and sus ainabili y in housing policy, pa ne ships, and p ojec s, including
ools, e idence, a gumen s, and business models. They aim o c oss-lea ning be ween
esea ch-p ac ice and Eu opean con ex s, “bes p ac ices” ansplan a ion h ough
“deepening” (shi s in pe spec i es, p ac ices, s uc u es).
An o e iew o ools o knowledge exchange be ween academia and p ac ice in
a o dable and sus ainable housing has shown ha mul is akeholde amewo ks a e jus
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 80
Figu e 8.1. Disciplina y backg ounds and esea ch a eas o he ESRs
Di e en disciplines apply dis inc e minologies, a poin ha became inc easingly
e iden du ing he RE-DWELL e en s and assignmen s, as desc ibed in Chap e 4. To
acili a e unde s anding o di e se e minologies, he eam de eloped a join ocabula y
(see Deli e able 4.4), which p o ed o be an essen ial ool. This ocabula y allowed
pa icipan s o sha e de ini ions and gain insigh s in o how o he s unde s ood he key
e ms used in he p ojec .
Addi ionally, he p ojec included an o e iew o case s udies on a o dable sus ainable
housing. The pu pose o his "case lib a y" was o sha e eal-wo ld examples conside ed
inspi a ional bo h esea che s and pa ne o ganisa ions. In e es ingly, he e m “case
s udy” i sel became an ea ly sou ce o misunde s anding wi hin he conso ium. In
a chi ec u e, a case s udy ypically e e s o a concise desc ip ion o a building o p ojec ,
p esen ed in a s ic o ma ha includes de ails such as he yea , s yle, designe , and an
explana ion o i s signi icance as an inspi ing example. In social sciences, howe e , a case
s udy e e s o he selec ion o loca ions o a ge g oups ela ed o he esea ch opic,
used o ga he empi ical e idence h ough me hods such as in e iews o ques ionnai es.
Un a elling hese di e ing de ini ions spa ked aluable discussions abou e minology,
ul ima ely leading o he decision o ename Deli e able 4.5 as a “case lib a y” o a oid
con usion a ound he e m “case s udy.”
Du ing RE-DWELL e en s, i became e iden ha a chi ec u e and social sciences no
only co e dis inc ields and apply di e en e minologies bu also adop undamen ally
di e en ways o epo ing wi hin hei espec i e disciplines. This dis inc ion was
pa icula ly no iceable when using isual ep esen a ions—bo h in online and li e
sessions— o iden i y connec ions be ween opics (see Annex I). In he design and
a chi ec u e disciplines, ESRs wi h a backg ound in a chi ec u e o en ely on g aphs and
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 81
complex igu es o isually illus a e how di e en opics and p ojec s a e in e connec ed.
In his con ex , a isual ep esen a ion is o en seen as a esul in i sel , isually
showcasing hese connec ions and allowing he diag am o "speak o i sel ." In con as ,
social scien is s o ganize hei indings by o mula ing and answe ing esea ch ques ions.
Fo hem, a isual ep esen a ion is mo e o a s a ing poin o heo y-d i en explo a ion
o causal ela ionships a he han a sel -explana o y esul . In o he wo ds, hese
di e ing app oaches o epo ing e lec he unde lying ocus o each esea ch ype:
sys ema iza ion in a chi ec u e e sus causal ela ionships in social sciences.
Mo eo e , he disciplina y di e ences ex end beyond de ini ions, me hodologies, and
modes o communica ion o include a ia ions in ou pu s as well. Fo ins ance, RE-DWELL
ea u ed se e al exhibi ions—a amilia me hod o p esen ing esul s o a chi ec s bu a
no el ou pu o social scien is s. Table 8.1 p o ides an in en o y o he di e se
disciplina y elemen s ha eme ged and we e discussed du ing he p ojec .
Table 8.1 Di e ences in ocus be ween disciplina y ields encoun e ed du ing e en s
A chi ec u e/design Social sciences
Focus Inspi ing design Tes ing o building heo ies
Resea ch O ganising in o ma ion in a sys ema ic way Answe ing esea ch ques ions
Me hodology Mapping and building lib a ies Sea ching o causali y
Ou pu s Visual ep esen a ions/exhibi ions,
lib a ies/ eposi o ies, books, academic a icles
Academic a icles, special issues, books
C ossing disciplines and na iga ing di e en ways o wo king, analysing, dissemina ing,
and p esen ing appea ed bo h complica ed and wo h doing. The nex sec ion p esen s
e lec ions om he 15 ESRs on wo king ac oss disciplines and wi h pa ne o ganisa ions
on a o dable and sus ainable housing.
8.2. Re lec ions om ea ly-s age esea che s
C ossing disciplines, dealing wi h di e en “languages”
A chi ec s and social scien is s a e ained in di e en ways and he e o e ha e di e en
ocabula ies, me hods and quali y s anda ds. The ollowing con ibu ions make clea how
di e en ESRs deal wi h his: di e en ways o p esen ing, di e en meanings o same
wo ds, di e en app oaches. Disco e ing own disciplina y logic: “na ow down o esea ch
ques ions” in social science, “b eaking down in o ma ion in ixed chunks” in a chi ec u e
and wi h ha lea n abou own quali ies and he need o coope a e wi h o he s o ull
unde s anding and collabo a ion o c ea e ans o ma ional knowledge. Finally, one o he
ESRs chose he ou side pe spec i e and was only c i icising he p ojec design
conside ing ansdisciplina i y as an app oach o igh agains , exp essing appa en ly no
eeling pa o he jou ney.
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 82
A chi ec s end o app oach housing wi h a ‘holis ic’ lens, using wha social scien is s
migh deem ‘buzzwo ds’ o ‘window d essing’ like democ a isa ion o social cohesion.
Con e sely, a chi ec s o en pe cei e social scien is s as o e ly inc emen al and
ocused on na owing esea ch ques ions o he poin whe e he b oade socie al
implica ions migh be los . This di e gence can also be illus a ed in ou way o
p esen ing. A end a RE-DWELL ne wo k mee ing, and you will see in an ins ance
whe he a slide deck is om an a chi ec (pic u es and mind maps) o a social scien is
(bulle poin s).
Tijn C oon
Al hough I ha e always ound he beau y in p oducing diag ams o communica ing
hough s and p ocesses, le alone p oduce hem collabo a i ely (e en in cases ha he
esul s we e mo e supe icial o ague), he e was a pa icula momen ha I el ha
uly e lec ed ou collec i e wo k in a hough -p o oking way. This was du ing
de eloping he p epa a o y diag ams o he wo kshop we hos ed in he Social Housing
es i al in Helsinki. In my opinion his momen ma ked a shi owa ds a mo e
meaning ul use o diag ams as a ool o collabo a e wi hin he ne wo k and was also
he i s s ep in he de elopmen o ou ansdisciplina y esea ch amewo k -e en i
we didn' know i a ha momen .
And oniki Pappa
While I belie e a chi ec s a e c ea i e p oblem sol e s, social scien is s ce ainly
demons a e g ea e s eng h in asking he igh ques ions. This may lie in a chi ec s’
aining in ca ego ising in o ma ion, c ea ing ypologies, wo king wi h planning
equi emen s, and mee ing sus ainabili y ick-box exe cises. I’ e lea ned ha no
e e y hing can be pu in a box; pe haps in o ma ion can i in o wo ‘ca ego ies’ a he
same ime, and concep s a e much mo e complex and luid in eali y, especially when
ackling a sys emic issue such as housing.
Anne e Da is
The e o e, he concep o ansdisciplina y esea ch has been especially di icul o
adop om he beginning. E en owa ds he end o he p ojec , he e m a guably s ill
bea s some ambigui y amongs us. I pe sonally began o unde s and he e m as being
subjec i e and a ying acco ding o he way one unde s ands hei ole 'ou side' o
academia.
And eas Panagidis
By o e looking c i ical ques ions ega ding socie al impac and esou ce alloca ion, Re-
Dwell ails o add ess he complex ade-o s inhe en in housing p o ision. This
o e sigh pe pe ua es in e gene a ional dispa i ies and exace ba es exis ing inequi ies
wi hin housing access and a o dabili y.
Re-Dwell's p ocedu al igidi y s i les c ea i i y and inhibi s he explo a ion o
uncon en ional solu ions. In conclusion, Re-Dwell's unc i ical adhe ence o
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 83
ansdisciplina i y, coupled wi h i s emphasis on design, lack o me hodological
cohe ence, and p ocedu al igidi y, impedes i s e icacy in add essing en enched
socio-economic dispa i ies in housing p o ision.
Alex Fe nández
Wo king ansdisciplina y goes beyond c ossing disciplines, i equi es join unde s anding
o each o he and o he socie al challenge a s ake. Du ing he p ojec i became clea
ha e en he key e ms a o dabili y, sus ainabili y and amewo k we e subjec o
di e en in e p e a ions. To build he necessa y join unde s anding equi es openness
and willingness o lea n as explained in he ollowing con ibu ions:
In he discussions ha ollowed, my colleagues – om a managemen and asse s
backg ound – exp essed a di e en unde s anding o sus ainabili y, emphasising
aspec s such as p ojec easibili y, unding a ailabili y, ope a ional challenges, ca bon
educ ion, and ene gy e iciency. This e ela ion led o a c ucial shi in my PhD ocus
owa ds in es iga ing he di e en pe cep ions and in e p e a ions o sus ainabili y
among housing p o ide s and p ac i ione s.
Mahmood Alsaeed
I hink ha he main lesson all he Re-Dwell pa icipan s ha e abso bed is lea ning o
lea n, changing one’s own codes o ope a ing o pu some hing in be ween: a laye
supe codes and in a p ac ices, be ween e lexi i y and ope a ion e e y indi idual
ca ies on. I would call his laye he lea ning o lea n pos u e, ha is sup a you codes
since i p e en s you om ope a ing au oma ic cogni i e pa e ns, ha is also he wo k
ca ied on wi h e lexi i y, and i is in a since i in o ms you p ac ices and ou ines, i.e.
you ope a ions, meaning you a e e ec i ely c ea ing a kind o mo e awa e
bou dieusian habi us.
Lucia Chaloin
Th ough he p ojec , we ha e emba ked on a jou ney o lea ning how o app oach
complex socie al p oblems and pa ing he way o ou po en ial con ibu ions o he
housing sec o . I el ha he main objec i e o he inno a i e esea ch ne wo k was o
p epa e young esea che s o he challenges ha lie ahead: con ibu e o he housing
sec o by unde s anding how o communica e, collabo a e and co-c ea e ac oss
di e se disciplines. I ha e ealised he impo ance o openness - openness on how o
unde s and eali y, how o analyse i , how o communica e i and how o c ea e sha ed
ways o imp o ing i . The ue measu e o ou p ojec 's success will un old in he yea s
o come as we explo e no el a enues o os e syne gies and anscend adi ional
bounda ies in add essing p ac ical challenges. As we look a he oad ahead, we a e
aced wi h an impending challenge: how do we ansla e he lessons lea ned om his
p ojec in o angible con ibu ions o ou u u e endea ou s?
Zoe Tzika
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 84
I pa icula ly emembe he wo kshop in Zag eb as a de ining e en o he RE-DWELL
p ojec . The p epa a o y ac i i ies in which, along wi h wo o he colleagues, we had o
add ess he un il ha poin ecu ing bu in angible heme o ansdisciplina i y; s a ed
o p o ide he discussion wi h e y much-needed subs ance o go beyond wha is
e iden - ha ansdisciplina y makes sense and ha is in dange o becoming ano he
buzzwo d ha esea che s use ligh ly…. The c oss-pollina ion be ween us e e y ime we
had he chance o mee up a a di e en e en o he ne wo k is one o he main
akeaways o me. We we e building b ick by b ick a he ime he communi ies o
knowledge and p ac ice ha Monse a men ioned, in he same p e iously men ioned
wo kshop in Zag eb.
Fo ansdisciplina y esea ch, i is undamen al o ha e an open a i ude owa ds each
o he inpu s o c ea e he common g ound necessa y o push he bounda ies o
disciplines a li le u he . I is no an easy p ocess - he e’s no doub abou i .
Leona do Ricau e
Zag eb assignmen by And oniki Pappa, Tijn C oon, and Ca olina Ma in
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 85
T ansdisciplina i y is simply abou "Being Humble," pu ing ou biases and egos aside and
ocusing on he p oblem a hand. I is abou ecognising ha e e yone is on a con inuous
lea ning jou ney and ha no one knows e e y hing. Th oughou my RE-DWELL jou ney,
discussions, secondmen s, and esea ch in e iews, I lea ned ha wha I migh hink a solu ion is
and being exci ed abou i , could be p oblema ic o someone else.
"Being Humble" en ails lis ening, ques ioning o he s and ou sel es, e lec ing, and sha ing. I is
also abou being open o change and exp essing wha we need o ha change, bo h o o he s
and o ou sel es.
Aya Elghandou
Combining di e en pilla s c ea es ensions
P o iding a o dable and sus ainable housing in Eu ope is he ocus o he RE-DWELL
p ojec . This join ocus is add essed om h ee di e en angles, called pilla s in he
p ojec : design, planning & cons uc ion; communi y pa icipa ion; policy & inance.
Wo king ac oss hese pilla s makes clea ha he e a e ensions be ween hese angles: a
solu ion om one angle may be a challenge o ano he . Mo eo e , he secondmen s and
ieldwo k o he PhD esea ch ook place in di e en coun ies wi h di e en con ex s o
a o dable and sus ainable housing. The e lec ions o he ESRs on his opic a e
collec ed in boxes.
Zag eb assignmen by Anna Ma in, Aya Elghandou , and Zoe Tzika
The in ol emen o esiden s in he decision-making o mul i- amily housing equi es
longe pa icipa ion p ocesses ha a e in mos cases con adic o y o he sho e
ime ames o building wi h indus ialised me hods o cons uc ion.
Addi ionally, case s udies analysed showcased ha no e e y hing can be
cus omisable a an a o dable p ice.
Ca olina Ma in
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 86
Fi s ly, he policy and inance pilla did no pu sue a housing policy aimed a ulne able
g oups, bu a young amilies eligible o a mo gage. This policy led o a g adual
inc ease in housing p ices, which wo sened he a o dabili y o housing o ulne able
g oups. Secondly, he e was a ension be ween policy and inance and he sus ainable
planning sub-pilla which ailed o conside he wellbeing o u ban spaces and how he
inc ease in housing p ices and home owne ship will impac on ci ies and inco po a e
dimensions o sus ainabili y. Fu he mo e, he sub-pilla o inclusi e neighbou hood
design and quali y o li e in he ci y was no conside ed.
Ma ko Ho a
Du ing my wo secondmen s, I wi nessed si ua ions whe e communi y engagemen
p o ed di icul . Fo ins ance, in Lisbon, he SRU a chi ec s esponsible o a o dable
public housing had only h ee mon hs o p epa e a design b ie , making i ha d o
in ol e he communi y meaning ully. In England, he SYHA eam wo king on new
de elopmen s canno engage u u e esiden s because hey ha e no ye been
iden i ied.
Aya Elghandou
These ensions be ween he pilla s we e cla i ied and esul ed in a numbe o s a emen s
abou he need o sha ed ambi ion o add ess he wicked p oblem o a o dable
sus ainable housing.
Cleaning up concep s and de ining hei bounda ies and meanings ac oss disciplines
does no equi e complexi y bu a holis ic pe spec i e o add ess he challenges
in ol ed. To his ex en , I quo e Alexis de Tocque ille (1835): "A alse bu clea and
p ecise idea will always ha e mo e powe in he wo ld han a ue bu complex one". In
sho , ansdisciplina y esea ch o e s a new way o add ess he pa hways o a
p oblem a he han p oposing ad hoc measu es o sol e i . Howe e , he ea o
implemen ing ansdisciplina i y is s ill eal, as i s exac meaning, possibili ies, and
limi a ions ha e ye o be de e mined and discussed.
Mahmoud Alsaeed
I lea ned ha he pa h o sus ainable housing solu ions necessi a es he collec i e
inpu o a chi ec s, echnicians, housing p o ide s, esiden s, and o he s akeholde s,
unde sco ing he indispensabili y o hyb id decision-making amewo ks. In add essing
he mul i ace ed challenges o social housing e o i , no single s akeholde holds he
de ini i e answe ; ins ead, i is h ough collabo a i e syne gy ha inno a i e solu ions
eme ge.
Saskia Fu man
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 87
The inadequa e conside a ion o a o dabili y and sus ainabili y wi hin p e ailing
app oaches highligh s he necessi y o ansdisciplina y in e en ions. While
con en ional mono- and mul i-disciplina y me hodologies necessi a e a s ic
adhe ence o disciplina y bounda ies among esea che s, ansdisciplina y knowledge
p oduc ion o e s a mo e e lec i e and socially accoun able app oach o p oblem-
sol ing.
The es ablishmen o a "pool o expe ise" is essen ial o acili a e he exchange o
bes p ac ices and knowledge dissemina ion. Collabo a i e pa ne ships should in ol e
a wide a ay o s akeholde s, including bo h public and p i a e en i ies.
Anna Ma in
The pu sui o a sus ainable u u e equi es a depa u e om supe icial decla a ions
such as “housing o all” o “ze o po e y”. Likewise, he e icacy o ansdisciplina y
collabo a ion anscends supe icial inclusion in decision-making p ocesses. The
cul i a ion o sha ed alues and isions, i no ideologies, along wi h a sha ed, nuanced
comp ehension o he hizoma ic na u e by which hegemonic s uc u es in e wine o
sus ain sys emic injus ices, is a ounda ional impe a i e in os e ing any meaning ul
ansdisciplina y endea ou .
E osyni Roussou
8.3. T ansdisciplina y lessons
Thinking in disciplines is inhe en o he academic communi y and i s way o pe o ming
and compe ing. Di e en disciplines apply dis inc me hods, de ini ions, and
communica ion s yles. In he RE-DWELL p ojec , hese di e ences played an impo an
ole, and he ESRs sha ed some o hei expe iences and lessons in his chap e .
Collabo a i e aining ac i i ies inc eased he unde s anding o he di e ences, which
along wi h he quali ies o e lexi i y and collabo a ion, played a key pa o he aining o
he ea ly-s age esea che s in RE-DWELL.
The implica ions o in e linking housing “a o dabili y” and “sus ainabili y” we e no
unde s ood in he same way by e e yone. The con e sa ion abou cla i ying hese
concep s played an impo an ole h oughou he p ojec and in he a ious join
unde akings o he ne wo k. Many ESRs ha e now become awa e o hese challenges
and complexi ies. They ha e de eloped an open mind owa d o he pe spec i es and
ecognize ha a solu ion om one iewpoin can c ea e p oblems in ano he dimension.
This was pa icula ly he case o he wicked challenge o a o dable and sus ainable
housing; aiming o a o dabili y impac s sus ainabili y and ice e sa. The e o e, a sha ed
unde s anding is necessa y o o mula ing esea ch ques ions and ensu ing ha
esea ch esul s ha e a meaning ul impac on socie y.
Building knowledge and awa eness o one’s a eas o expe ise—and, e en mo e
impo an ly, a eas whe e one is no an expe —is likely he co ne s one o a
ansdisciplina y esea ch. Re lec ing on he bounda ies o one’s expe ise and
ans o ming hem in o connec ions wi h o he expe s, bo h in academia and p ac ice, is
essen ial o c ea ing added alue in he ield o a o dable and sus ainable housing.
D4.6 Towa ds a T ansdisciplina y En i onmen o A o dable and Sus ainable Housing 88
9. Bibliog aphy
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Con e ence.
A usey, C., Njo oge, R., O inga, A. N., & Ng'e ich, W. (2018). E o s owa d imp o ing maize
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li e cou se. Aspi a ions, needs and policy, B is ol: The Policy P ess.
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Educa ion, 12(1), 41-54.
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o g/10.5334/bc.328
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h ps://doi.o g/10.1371/jou nal.pone.0221246
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Eu opean coun ies. CEPS/INSTEAD, Wo king Pape No 2011-04.
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Golubchiko , O., & Badyina, A. (2012). Sus ainable housing o sus ainable ci ies: a policy
amewo k o de eloping coun ies. Nai obi: Uni ed Na ions.
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in es men : he case o housing. Del Uni e si y o Technology.
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Annex 1 – Ou pu s om ne wo k ac i i ies 2
Figu e A1.2. A0 pos e summa izing he esea ch p ojec , by E osyni Roussou and A0 pos e
summa izing he esea ch p ojec , by Zoe Tzika p ojec , by E osyni Roussou
Figu e A1.3. Summa y o he discussion be ween he eam, supe iso Ca la Sen ie i and ESRs
E osyni Roussou and Leona do Ricau e and Summa y o he discussion be ween he eam, co-
supe iso Vasco Mo ei a Ra o and ESRs Aya Elghandou and Tijn C oon
Annex 1 – Ou pu s om ne wo k ac i i ies 3
Figu e A1.4. Collec i e map o ESRs’ esea ch as pa o he RTM1 cou se ac i i ies. Sou ce: Ad iana
Diaconu, UGA
Figu e A1.5. Exchanging expe iences abou secondmen s and hei impac on esea ch p ojec s
Annex 1 – Ou pu s om ne wo k ac i i ies 4
Figu e A1.6. Clus e ing and ela ing concep s connec ing he h ee a eas o he RE-DWELL esea ch
amewo k , done a Budapes wo kshop by Ca olina Ma in
Figu e A1.7. Clus e ing and ela ing concep s, by Zoe Tzika
Annex 1 – Ou pu s om ne wo k ac i i ies 5
Figu e A1.8. Team discussion a ound he e m “Co-c ea ion”
Figu e A1.9. Team discussion a ound he case “Ma malade Lane”
Annex 1 – Ou pu s om ne wo k ac i i ies 6
Figu e A1.10. Compila ion o he esponses p o ided by ESRs and pa ne o ganisa ions eams a
Supe iso y Boa d mee ing
Figu e A1.11. S uc u e o he assignmen Zag eb wo kshop
Annex 1 – Ou pu s om ne wo k ac i i ies 7
Figu e A1.12. Wo k by ESR eam Mahmoud Alsaeed, Ma ko Ho a , and Leona do Ricau e, Zag eb
wo kshop
Annex 2 – Pa ne o ganisa ions 8
Annex 2 - Pa ne o ganisa ions
2.1. The RE-DWELL pa ne o ganisa ions
The su ey esponses om he pa ne s mus be unde s ood in he con ex o hei speci ic
cha ac e is ics, including o ganiza ion ype, ac i i y sec o , loca ion, and geog aphic
scope, which a e summa ized in Table A2.1.
Annex 2 – Pa ne o ganisa ions 9
Table A2.1 Cha ac e is ics o RE-DWELL pa ne o ganisa ions
PO name (sho name)
O ganiza ion ype
Ac i i y sec o
Loca ion
Geog aphic scope
Lisbon Ci y Council (LCC)
Public au ho i y
Public adminis a ion
Lisbon, Po ugal
Lisbon
Budapes i Módsze ani Szociális
Közpon (BMSK)
Public agency
Homeless se ice p o ide
Budapes , Hunga y
Budapes
Ce aneo
Think Tank
Resea ch and ad ocacy in social policy
Zag eb, C oa ia
C oa ia, CEE coun ies
Ins i u Ca alà del Sòl (Incasòl)
Public agency
Implemen housing and local de elopmen
policies, de elop land in he public in e es
Ba celona, Spain
Ca alonia
Cla ion Housing G oup (Cla ion)
Housing associa ion
Social housing landlo d
London, UK
England
Casais
P i a e company
Enginee ing and cons uc ion, Special ies and
indus y, Asse managemen
B aga and Lisbon,
Po ugal
Po ugal and o he 16
coun ies
Cyp us Land De elopmen
Co po a ion (CLDC)
Public o ganiza ion
Implemen a ion o housing policies, land
de elopmen
Nicosia, Cyp us
Cyp us
Sou h Yo kshi e Housing
Associa ion L d. (SYHA)
Housing associa ion
Social housing landlo d
She ield, UK
Sou h Yo kshi e and
No h Eas De byshi e
Eu opean Fede a ion o Li ing
(EFL)
Eu opean ne wo k o housing
associa ions, companies and
expe s
Resea ch and inno a ion p ojec s, ne wo king
Ams e dam, The
Ne he lands
19 Eu opean coun ies
Housing Eu ope (HE) - he
Obse a o y
Ne wo k o public, social and
coope a i e housing p o ide s
The Obse a o y: Resea ch, policy suppo
B ussels, Belgium
25 Eu opean coun ies
Vá osku a ás K (Me opoli an
Resea ch Ins i u e – MRI)
Scien i ic Think Tank
Resea ch and consul ancy on housing and
u ban de elopmen
Budapes , Hunga y
Eu ope
Annex 2 – Pa ne o ganisa ions 10
Table A2.1 shows a g ea di e si y among he ele en pa ne o ganisa ions ha pa icipa ed
in he su ey:
- one is a local public adminis a ion, in Po ugal’s capi al ci y (Lisbon Ci y Council
- LCC);
- wo a e housing associa ions, bo h loca ed in he UK ( he la ges housing
associa ion in he UK ha builds and manages homes all ac oss he coun y –
Cla ion, and a local housing associa ion in Sou h Yo kshi e - SYHA);
- wo a e land de elope s engaged in p omo ing a o dable housing in Ca alonia
(Incasòl) and in Cyp us (CLDC);
- one is a p i a e company in he ield o enginee ing and cons uc ion in Po ugal
(Casais);
- one is a se ice p o ide o he homeless in Hunga y (BMSK)
- ou o ganisa ions a e ac i e in he ield o esea ch and ad ocacy, and among
hem wo a e Eu opean-wide ede a ions o housing p o ide s (EFL and Housing
Eu ope), whe eas he o he wo a e hink- anks, one based in Budapes (MRI) and
he o he one in Zag eb, C oa ia (Ce aneo).
The needs and in e es s o pa ne o ganisa ions span widely be ween mo e p ac ice-
based, and mo e esea ch-based app oaches, and co e a wide ange o hemes:
- om building echniques and p ocesses: i.e., in eg a ion o in o ma ion and
p oduc ion in he building p ocess, deploymen o BIM and de elopmen o a
ma e ial passpo philosophy (Casais), and mo e gene al cons uc ion p ocess
managemen models aiming o sho en he p oduc ion ime (Incasòl),
- o ools o decision making in housing in es men , such as “li e cos analysis”
(SYHA),
- and mo e police-o ien ed hemes, like he “ he ole o pa icipa o y mo emen s”
and me hods o boos ing pa icipa o y ci izenship (LCC), o ad ocacy o
housing o ulne able g oups and p omo ion o “e idence-based policies”
(Ce aneo).
Pa ne o ganisa ions hus co e di e en sec o s and ha e di e en posi ions in he
housing sys em: om local policy-making, policy counselling and ad ocacy, housing
p oduc ion and managemen , o he design o cons uc ion and building p ocesses.
These speci ici ies a e e lec ed in hei expe ise and in hei s andpoin s in he housing
deba e, and also in luence hei expec a ions o collabo a ion wi h academia (Table A2.2).
A common elemen o he p oblems hey b ing in o he discussion abou a o dable and
sus ainable housing is he necessi y o adap he p esen housing sys em in o de o
achie e he ansi ion o sus ainabili y, wi hou comp omising on he social ole o
housing.
Annex 2 – Pa ne o ganisa ions 11
Table A2.2 Main hemes o in e es b ough in o discussion by pa ne o ganisa ions
PO name
(sho name)
Themes o in e es
Lisbon Ci y Council (LCC)
Pa icipa o y mo emen s – i s oles in u ban de elopmen ,
me hods and ools o local au ho i ies o suppo he
de elopmen o pa icipa o y ac ions
Budapes i Módsze ani
Szociális Közpon (BMSK)
Housing accessibili y o people excluded om he p i a e housing
ma ke
Ce aneo
E idence-based policies o ulne able g oups associa ed wi h
new social isks ega ding a o dable housing; ad ocacy and he
ole o media
Ins i u Ca alà del Sòl (Incasòl)
Sho ening he ime o housing p oduc ion h ough mo e e icien
building p ocedu es
Cla ion Housing G oup (Cla ion)
The sus ainabili y agenda o social housing
Casais
In eg a ion o he in o ma ion o buildings (
de elopmen o BIM, “ma e ial passpo s philosophy”) and o
p oduc ion (building design, cons uc ion and ope a ion) o
inc easing sus ainabili y, inc easing e iciency, lowe ing cos s and
hus p omo ing a o dabili y
Cyp us Land De elopmen
Co po a ion (CLDC)
P o ision o a o dable en al and a o dable home owne ship
Sou h Yo kshi e Housing
Associa ion L d. (SYHA)
Li e cos analysis o he e alua ion o design op ions o new buil
homes
Eu opean Fede a ion o Li ing
(EFL)
Ene gy po e y and i s e ec s on enan s
Housing Eu ope (HE)
The G een Deal/Reno a ion wa e in p ac ice and he social
aspec s o he ene gy ansi ion; he e ec s o he inc easing cos
o cons uc ion and o he delays in cons uc ion and eno a ion;
he e ec s o in la ion and o inc easing in e es a es on
accessing housing and on housing a o dabili y; he impac he
e o med EU economic go e nance on go e nmen s’ spending
(i.e., membe s a es’ public suppo o he housing sec o )
Vá osku a ás K (Me opoli an
Resea ch Ins i u e – MRI)
In oduc ion and de elopmen o di e en o ms o a o dable
housing in CEE coun ies: subsidized en al housing and es ic ed
housing owne ship
