The Empty Homes Initiative, Ireland

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The Empty Homes Initiative, Ireland

Mismatches Vacant housing
Policies and regulations National policies Local policies
Financing Financial actors Public funding Supply subsidies Demand subsidies
Promotion and production Participatory processes

Main objectives of the project

Amid Ireland's housing crisis, Peter McVerry Trust's Empty Homes Initiative stands as a beacon of hope. By repurposing vacant properties for social housing, they address homelessness and housing shortages. Backed by advocacy efforts and financial support from the charity and government, initiatives like Repair and Leasing and Buy and Renew make significant strides in revitalizing communities. Their impact resonates through policy changes and increased public engagement, cementing their role as a key stakeholder in Ireland's social housing policy landscape.

Date

  • 2015: Implementation

Stakeholders

  • Peter McVerry Trust

Location

City: Dublin
Country/Region: Dublin, Ireland

Description

Ireland grapples with a housing crisis fueled by soaring demand and stagnant construction rates, despite a vast number of vacant properties scattered across urban and rural areas. The situation has led to over 10,000 people facing homelessness while over 182,000 residential units remain unoccupied. In response, Peter McVerry Trust, a prominent non-profit housing association, initiated the Empty Homes Initiative in 2015 to tackle this paradoxical predicament.

The initiative, spanning 14 counties and conducted in collaboration with local authorities, aims to repurpose vacant properties for social housing, particularly targeting areas with acute housing shortages. Through a blend of advocacy and action, Peter McVerry Trust engages in public outreach, media campaigns, and policy lobbying to raise awareness and prompt solutions. Financially supported by the charity and the Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government, the initiative utilizes schemes like the Repair and Leasing Scheme (an interest-free loan of up to €40,000 to bring the vacant property back into use for social housing) and the Buy and Renew Scheme (funding to purchase the empty property and bring it back into use) to revitalize empty properties for social housing purposes. In their website, one can find all the projects they have done.

The advocacy efforts of Peter McVerry Trust have yielded notable policy changes, including the inclusion of an Empty Homes Pillar in Ireland’s Housing and Homeless Strategy, the implementation of vacant homes reuse strategies, and the appointment of dedicated officers in local authorities. Additionally, the initiative has spurred discussions on measures like an empty homes tax and increased utilization of Compulsory Purchase Orders. Public awareness and engagement have also surged, reflecting a concerted effort to address Ireland's housing crisis at multiple levels.

The Peter McVerry Trust serves as a prime illustration of a stakeholder deeply involved in shaping social housing policy. Not only does it actively advocate for change, but it also takes tangible steps to address housing issues on a national scale.

Dublin Housing Observatory

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Dublin Housing Observatory

Policies and regulations Local policies Governance Data and monitoring Evaluation and impact

Main objectives of the project

The Dublin Housing Observatory (DHO) is a pioneering research unit within Dublin City Council, guided by an independent advisory board. It leads the council's efforts in housing, planning, economic development, inclusion, and integration, with a dedicated team reporting to senior management. Committed to providing evidence-based insights, the DHO strives to create an affordable and sustainable living environment in Dublin by fortifying housing policies with robust empirical foundations and managing crucial data on pricing, rentals, vacancies, zoning laws, etc.

Date

  • 2019: Implementation

Stakeholders

  • Dublin City Council
  • AIRO

Location

Continent: Europe
City: Dublin
Country/Region: Dublin, Ireland

Description

The Dublin Housing Observatory (DHO), a novel research unit within Dublin City Council, is steered by an independent advisory board and spearheads the council's multifaceted approach to housing, planning, economic development, inclusion, and integration. It comprises a dedicated team of three professionals under senior management's guidance, reporting to the Deputy Chief Executive in Housing and Community Services.

At its core, the DHO is committed to furnishing evidence that informs housing policy and enhances operational efficacy. Embracing its mission to foster an affordable and sustainable living environment in Dublin, the Observatory strives to fortify housing and urban development strategies with rigorous empirical foundations. It acts as a custodian of crucial data encompassing pricing trends, rental landscapes, vacant properties, and zoning dynamics.

With a clear vision in mind, the Dublin Housing Observatory delineates four primary objectives. Firstly, it aims to bolster Dublin City Council's efforts in delivering top-tier social and affordable housing solutions while nurturing sustainable communities. Secondly, it positions itself as a vibrant knowledge-exchange hub, fostering dialogue and collaboration in policy design, analysis, and implementation within the realms of housing and urban development. Furthermore, the DHO serves as a pivotal research nexus, generating insights crucial for evidence-based decision-making across housing and its allied domains, including planning, economic development, inclusion, and integration. Lastly, it assumes the mantle of a data navigator, offering stakeholders, the public, and elected representatives an objective compass through the intricate dynamics of Dublin's housing system and market.

Since its inception, the Dublin Housing Observatory has made significant strides. From the launch of a comprehensive Mapping Viewer, in partnership with AIRO and OSi, to the publication of an insightful report on the city's Rapid Build Programme, the Observatory has enriched public discourse and policymaking with invaluable data and analysis. Moreover, its contributions extend to informing strategic initiatives, supporting departmental reviews, and fostering collaborative events attended by national and international stakeholders, reinforcing its pivotal role in shaping Dublin's housing landscape.

Dublin City Housing Regeneration To Passive-Grade & Community Hub

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Dublin City Housing Regeneration To Passive-Grade & Community Hub

Mismatches Functional adequacy Vulnerable groups Climate change
Promotion and production Public promotion

Main objectives of the project

Municipal housing bedsits had become a problem for Dublin. Many of them remained vacant due to their small dimensions and deterioration. To tackle this issues, Dublin generated a pilot programme in one of the buildings containing this “zero-bed units”. In all, 22 bedsit apartments were amalgamated into eleven one-bed apartments as part of this phase of the project, undergoing a passive retrofit in the process. In addition, the community centre which forms part of the complex was also renovated to a very high standard.

Date

  • 2019: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Promotor: City of Dublin
  • Architect: Design & Kelliher Miller Architects
  • Passive House Academy
  • EU Horizon 2020 programme

Location

Continent: Europe
City: Dublin
Country/Region: Dublin, Ireland

Description

Decades ago, the local autohority of Dublin implemented the “zero-bed units” as a social housing solution. More than 1,500 bedsits of no more than 26 square meters were built across the city. However, due to its small dimensions, they became progressively unattractive. So, it began a vicious cycle of vacancy, dilapidation and social deterioration. To stop this cycle, the local authorities started a retrofit programme whose goal was to provide tenants with more space, rebuilding the housing units pursuing the transformation into a passive house while pushing for an active community of tenants.
The programme started with the refurbishment of 22 bedsit apartments. They were amalgamated into eleven one-bed apartments as part of this phase of the project, undergoing a passive retrofit in the process. In addition, the community centre which forms part of the complex was also renovated to a very high standard.
Provided the vast majority of tenants were elderly people facing fuel poverty, the passiv house permitted a low-cost and low-maintance energy installations, while improving the health thanks to the clean air generated. The project was certified by MosArt on 1 May 2019, with a space heating demand of 21 kWh per square metre per year, comfortably below the threshold of 25. The newly upgraded apartments have vastly improved thermal performance – up to 80% better than the previous units – and are fully compliant with the current building regulations. Because the apartments will remain in the ownership of the council in the years ahead, one eye is kept on long-term maintenance issues.
How was the passive house achieved? A combination of Blowerproof paint-on airtightness sealant applied at junctions of floors and walls, Siga membranes and tapes at ceiling, and tapes to external windows and doors achieved an average standard of 0.55 air changes per hour (better than the passive house standard of 0.6, never mind the Enerphit standard of 1.0). Achieving these levels of airtightness, especially on retrofit is a result of an excellent teamwork. In terms of external insulation, it was deployed to achieve the requisite U-values on the walls and to eliminate thermal bridges. To the same end, a large concrete eave to the front of the building had to be cut away and the new eave wrapped in insulation. Ceiling heights were very restricted and existing walls also caused problems, so the Council had to work with confined spaces while at the same time trying to keep duct lengths as short as possible. Each of the is equipped with a Nilan Compact P exhaust air heat pump, which provides space and water heating, and ventilation. Insulation is accessible and replaceable (some of them have to be replaced every fifteen years).
The actions were finished in 2019 with a budget of €1.7million.
The central achievement of the retrofit is the ability to transform an outdated building with social and climatic issues into a larger, more comfortable, healthier and more cost-efficient social housing project. It is a clear example of how we can maintain the existing housing units, yet making them a resilient and community centered buildings with a social purpose.

Timberyard Social Housing

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Timberyard Social Housing

Urban Design Environments Quality Liveability

Main objectives of the project

This Dublin project arose from the need to relocate residents affected by road construction. The 47-unit development was designed in consultation with local residents and meets high environmental standards. The concrete structure allows for flexible apartment layouts. The triangular courtyard offers a secure social space with window seats, balconies, and winter gardens. The use of brick and timber reflects the surrounding area's architecture and history as a timberyard.

Date

  • 2009: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Architect: O’Donnell + Tuomey

Location

Continent: Europe
City: Dublin
Country/Region: Dublin, Ireland

Description

This project in the historic Liberties area of Dublin arose from the need to relocate the residents of the existing pockets of social housing that had been demolished in order to make way for a new road. The client brief, which was set out in consultation with the local and new residents, called for an exemplar social housing development and in response, this 47-unit project provides compact city living adjacent to schools and services. Built to the latest environmental standards including fuel and energy conservation, the concrete structure enabled a greater flexibility with apartment layouts by stepping the internal party walls vertically. 2106 14137 2106 14135

The triangular courtyard provides a secure social space with passive surveillance from the adjacent apartments. This space is animated by window seats at ground level with recessed balconies and projecting winter gardens above. Brick and timber echo the existing housing and industrial buildings, and the former use of the site as a timberyard.

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