Vacant to Viable
Report into the reuse of existing buildings (Including traditionally built buildings)
Project description
Ireland faces urgent housing and climate crises. Many vacant or derelict properties in towns and cities can be revitalised through quality renovations. This approach not only helps alleviate the housing shortage but also revitalises urban and rural areas, offering a cost-effective and sustainable solution to create much-needed homes. The project aims to transform Ireland’s underused building stock by tackling both perceived and real regulatory barriers. It involves a desktop study and extensive stakeholder engagement to gather strong evidence on how Building Regulations and their Technical Guidance Documents (TGDs) affect building reuse.
Goal
Realise the potential of these underutilised buildings and support the government’s commitments to sustainable development and decarbonisation through practical, actionable recommendations.
Timeline
12 months (January to December 2025)
Partners
Who Was Involved?
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University College Dublin
Funders
Who supported the project?
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Construct Innovate
DHLGH/Construct Innovate Housing Related Research Projects 2024.
IGBC Team
Who Works On This?
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Joselyn López Pelayo
Joselyn joined IGBC in 2024 contributing to several projects. An architect with an MSc in Architecture, Urbanism and Climate Action from UCD, she previously worked as a researcher and project manager at UCD on projects including PROBONO, HeritACT and RE-CUGI. Her expertise spans adaptive reuse of existing buildings, stakeholder engagement and life cycle assessment of new constructions and site works.
Latest Insights
How to Get Involved
If you have any questions on this project and want to get involved, please contact Joselyn.
Project