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Housing Adaptability

Housing Adaptability

SPECIAL ISSUE LAUNCH: Join us for a webinar exploring how housing can be made more adaptable

While retrofitting the existing housing stock for climate change mitigation has been well researched, less consideration has been given to the increasingly important issues of the adaptation and flexibility of our homes - especially given the decreasing size of dwellings and changing nature of work and education. What can policymakers, planners, clients, developers and designers do to make new and existing dwellings more adaptable?

To attend, please register in advance:
https://ED136-Housing_adaptability.eventbrite.co.uk


Housing Adaptability: More Than (But Essential To) Climate Issues?

A home's adaptive capacity supports an individual's and community's resilience when faced with inevitable life events and changing demographics (ageing population, migration, fluidity of household structures) and their associated disruptions and consequences.

Based on the recent Buildings & Cities special issue "Housing Adaptablity" guest edited by Sofie Pelsmakers and Elanor Warwick, this event will explore the climatic /environmental, social and economic perspectives for making housing more adaptable. An emphasis on durability will entail buildings that are adaptable to different user needs, but also able to respond to the changing climate to remain fit for purpose. Can a small additional initial investment in adaptability maximise a building's value throughout its life - if so, what is holding us back and what needs to change?

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This virtual event is hosted by The Edge in conjuction with Buildings & Cities. It will explore these questions in relation to current practice and new initiatives with contributions from an invited panel and afterwards from the audience.


Participants

Chair: John Palmer UK Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities
Introduction: Elanor Warwick Clarion Housing Group, UK
Speakers: Jyrki Tarpio Tampere University, Finland

Astrid Smitham Apparata Architects, UK

Marta Smektala Wroclaw University of Science & Technology, PL
Respondents: Kirk Archibald Think Three, UK

Amy Burbidge Homes England, UK

Philip Graham University of Cambridge, UK
Q&A


When and where

Online event. Free.
Monday 27 February 2023, 17.00-19.00 GMT/UTC
Advance registration is essential. There are limited places.
Registration: https://ED136-Housing_adaptability.eventbrite.co.uk

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Journal Content

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R Al-Rabady

Commutes to alternative workplaces: GHG emissions and physical activity
J Taylor, L Thoen, A Espinosa Mireles De Villafranca, P Anashin, J Vanhatalo, D Milián Bernal & I Okkonen

Nine ‘myths’ about the building stock of Great Britain
S Evans, P Steadman, A Neto-Bradley, D Humphrey, R Liddiard,H Shamsi, J Palmer & G Simons

Critical Reconstruction Theory and the invention of post-disaster response
G Lizarralde, D Wachsmuth, F Özdoğan & M Cossu

Post-war reconstruction-as-knowledge practice: Fukui’s dual disaster recovery
A Y F Urushima & K Yamaguchi

Critical reflections on the process of interdisciplinary building science research
G T Morgan, M F Touchie, J Robinson, A Jakubiec & J Tran

Comparing technical disassembly potential methods for concrete and timber buildings
N Westerholm, A Tuure, S Pajunen & M Kuittinen

One-stop shops as leverage points for renovation sufficiency
G Pardalis & M Sula

Creating resilient cities: advocacy and planning for equity-based recovery
A Paidakaki

Impact of glazed balcony design on daylight in Finnish apartments
L Jegard, R Castaño-Rosa & S Pelsmakers

Climate-related risks: implications for municipal governments in Brazil
C Nastari Fernandes, P Ciminelli Ramalho & F Lima-Silva

Changing land-use metrics in mass housing: Türkiye case study
M S Çepni, A K Kutluca, T Salihoğlu, A Atmaca & S Mintemur

Personal comfort systems for adults with intellectual disabilities
K Exss, M Trebilcock, P Wegertseder-Martínez, S Schiavon & H Zhang

How buildings shape occupant movement: a systematic review and framework
G Chinazzo & N Wang

Rethinking the second life of post-disaster and post-conflict temporary housing
N Akdede, B Ö Ay & İ Gürsel Dino

Embodied carbon impacts of residential development siteworks: new assessment framework
P Comerford, O Kinnane, R O’Hegarty & P Crowe

Horizontal building extensions: potential in Finnish blocks of flats
J Tarpio & P Lehtovuori

Post-disaster reconstruction and ethics: the power of social capital
B Ubesingha, G Ofori, G Agyekum-Mensah & D Frings

Towards net zero: sectoral ambitions and global trends in building decarbonisation
C E Caballero-Güereca, J Vogel, N Alaux, C M Ouellet-Plamondon, J Silva Santana, G Foliente, T Lützkendorf & A Passer

Climate literacy and labour agency in vocational education and training
J Calvert, V Price, C Winch, L Clarke, M Sahin-Dikmen, P-L Bilodeau & E Dionne

Towards a new neighbourhood-scale climate risk-adaptation approach
C Rigoni, S Oliveira, O Romice, A Moreno-Rangel & A Chatzimichali

Sharing energy renovations know-how through citizen–professional knowledge networks
C Foulds, S Royston, A Aggeli, A Crowther & R Robison

Environmental impacts of reclaimed bricks: comparing different deconstruction methods
E Salmio & S Huuhka

eCOMBINE: framework for energy, comfort, behaviour and a multi-domain environment
V M Barthelmes, C Karmann, V Gonzalez Serrano, K Lyu, J Wienold, M Andersen, D Licina & D Khovalyg

Living labs as ‘agents for change’ [editorial]
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Latest Commentaries

Photo: courtesy of Howayda al-Harithy

Lebanon’s history has been shaped by recurrent cycles of war, disaster, and economic collapse, with each episode leaving enduring imprints on the country’s urban and social fabric. Howayda al-Harithy (American University of Beirut) critically examines Lebanon’s historical cycles of destruction and reconstruction. Recovery involves more than rebuilding buildings; it requires a framework that is people-centered, heritage-led and place-specific together with an emphasis on restoring social relations, cultural identity, community agency while addressing structural inequalities.

War damaged energy infrastructure in Ukraine. Courtesy: Shutterstock

Marco Nicola Binetti (University of Bremen) argues that energy reconstruction should be understood as a core pillar of post-conflict recovery rather than a narrowly technical undertaking. Restoring electricity and fuel supplies enables essential services, supports economic growth, strengthens state legitimacy, and reduces the likelihood of renewed violence. However, successful reconstruction requires overcoming substantial financial, logistical, institutional, and political obstacles. Reconstruction strategies must also adapt to emerging threats and vulnerabilities created by modern warfare.

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