Just Power
A Strategic Roadmap For Housing Corporations
J. Boschero (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
K.Y. González Kieboom (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
J.P. Heeres (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
M. Raimondi (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
Lucia Scanlan-Bloor
T. Verbeek – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
V.E. Balz – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
More Info
expand_more
Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.
Abstract
Energy poverty is an increasingly urgent issue in the Netherlands, particularly in neighbourhoods with a high concentration of social housing. As the energy transition progresses, vulnerable populations are at risk of being disproportionately affected. Many low-income households remain heavily dependent on gas and live in poorly insulated homes, meaning that policies aimed at phasing out gas can unintentionally exacerbate existing inequalities. These low-income households generally live in social housing and is either experiencing or at risk of energy poverty. Within this context, housing corporations play a central role, while residents often lack the resources, agency, and institutional support required to improve their conditions.
This project addresses the urgent need for strategies that ensure a just energy transition, focusing on the province of Zuid-Holland as a case study. It develops an integrated spatial strategy alongside a policy-oriented rulebook aimed at guiding housing corporations toward more equitable and effective interventions. The research is grounded in a socio-spatial justice framework, structured around recognitional, procedural, and distributive dimensions, and draws on the theory of the commons to emphasize collective governance and shared responsibility (Soja, 2010) (Ostrom, 2021). Central to the approach is the inclusion of community perspectives, ensuring that strategies reflect the lived experiences, needs, and values of affected residents.
A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods was employed, including spatial data mapping and media analysis, to understand energy poverty across multiple scales. This multi-scalar analysis provided insight into spatial inequalities, power dynamics, and the lived realities of residents in Zuid-Holland. Based on these findings, a community-informed vision was developed, prioritizing health and wellbeing, improved living conditions, and the recentring of resident agency.
The resulting strategy operates across regional and local scales, with spatial interventions explored in the context of The Hague. By combining a spatial framework with a procedural rulebook, the project proposes a comprehensive approach that not only addresses the physical conditions of housing but also restructures governance processes. In doing so, it aims to create the conditions for a more just, inclusive, and future-ready energy transition.
Sources
Ostrom, E. (2021). Governing the commons: The evolution of institutions for collective action. Cambridge University Press.
Soja, E. W. (2010). Seeking spatial justice. University of Minnesota Press.