Enhancing public social housing management: A Level(s)-based approach for European sustainability goals

Abstract

This study addresses the management of public social housing in Europe, focusing on sustainability and the circular economy. It highlights that the construction sector is responsible for a large share of the European Union's energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, a shift towards regeneration of existing housing stock instead of urban sprawl is proposed. The research presents an innovative methodology based on indicators such as Level(s) that allows to diagnose and characterize the public social housing stock. This methodology is divided into several phases, including the identification of scales of application, sustainability criteria, management indicators, and diagnostic activities. Relevant indicators are identified at different scales (regional, local, neighbourhood and building) to evaluate social, economic and technical aspects. In addition, a case study was carried out in a social housing neighbourhood in Baena, Spain, where these indicators were applied to assess the current situation and the need for improvement. The paper concludes that this methodology helps inventory the public housing stock and allows for more efficient and sustainable management aligned with European guidelines such as the European Green Pact and the New European Bauhaus.