Defining Renovation Quality in Dutch Social Housing
From organisational goals to a shared quality framework
N. Noort (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
K. Qian – Mentor (TU Delft - Design & Construction Management)
A. Straub – Mentor (TU Delft - Design & Construction Management)
Stefanie Horian – Mentor (TU Delft - Design & Construction Management)
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Abstract
Dutch housing associations have an important role in the energy transition of the built environment. The housing associations in the Netherlands own a large share of the housing stock and must meet European, national, and regional climate targets, including removing poor energy labels and achieving energy neutrality by 2050. At the same time, their primary task remains social: providing affordable housing for vulnerable citizens. This creates a difficult balancing act. Renovation is urgently needed, but financial capacity is limited, with renovation
and maintenance costs rising. Housing associations operate in the same institutional context but do not translate it into renovation quality in the same way. This research examines how organisational goals shape how Dutch housing associations define and use renovation quality indicators, and explores what is needed to align these indicators when housing associations collaborate on renovation projects. The research employs a qualitative comparative multiple-case study design. Four housing associations from the same regional context were studied. The findings show that renovation quality is shaped through the translation of organisational goals from strategy to project execution. At the strategic level, the housing associations all refer to affordability, availability,
sustainability, quality and liveability, and they all respond to national ambitions such as eliminating EFG labels and preparing the housing stock for 2050. The diAerences become visible when these ambitions are translated into tactical renovation choices. Based on the results, this research develops a shared quality framework for collaborative renovation. The framework is meant as a decision-making tool to help housing associations align the quality of a renovation
project. The organisational goals that shape renovation quality are defined by translating strategic ambitions into project requirements. Housing associations operate within the same institutional context and share comparable strategic objectives, but they operationalise renovation quality differently. To enable collaboration, alignment is needed at the tactical layer, where renovation triggers and ambition levels are negotiated.