How can Europe turn promising pilots into large-scale, people-centred renovation?
On 18 November 2025, the Affordable Housing Initiative (AHI) Days – Prague edition will bring together policymakers, housing providers, architects and innovators to explore exactly that.
As part of the programme, drOp EU will showcase its integrated renovation methodology, tested in Ermua (Spain), where housing providers and residents co-designed the transition of social housing districts into inclusive, sustainable neighbourhoods.
Together with the ARV project and other AHI pioneers, drOp will demonstrate how district-level approaches can accelerate the green and social transition of Europe’s ageing housing stock.
Full programme
18 November 2025, Grandior Hotel Prague 1052/42 Na Poříčí 110 00 Praha 1 Czechia
09:00 – Official Welcome
Marco Corradi, President, Housing Europe
Miriam Bellušová, Board Member, European Building Confederation
09:15 – Setting the Stage
Joao Goncalves (Housing Europe)
09:20 – Keynote: The Swedish experience. Ensuring Affordability at Scale
Insights and lessons from Sweden’s decades-long approach to housing policy, financing and management.
Current problems and ongoing responses.
Marten Lilja (Housing Expert)
09:35 – Panel: Recent Renovation Practices of Large Housing Estates in Baltic, Central and Eastern European countries
A deep dive into practical experiences, challenges, and latest outcomes from renovating large housing blocks and districts across the Baltic and CEE region.
Moderator: João Gonçalves (Housing Europe)
Panelists:
Anu Sarnet (Estonian Union of Co-Operative Housing Associations, EKYL)
Jana Kubankova (Czech Chamber of Architects)
Martha Giannakopoulou (European Urban Initiative Expert)
Q&A with the audience
Networking Coffee Break
10:30 – Lighthouse District #1: The Karvina Project – the ARV holistic approach in Czechia
A concrete example of a holistic district renovation developed in the city of Karvina by the “ARV” partnership, which showcases the integration of energy, social, and community improvements.
Robert Wawerka (Czech Technical University in Prague)
Michael Sikora (City of Karvina)
10:45 – Lighthouse District #2: Ermua – the drOp lab for building trust with residents
In Ermua (Spain) the “Drop” consortium developed and tested their integrated renovation methodology aiming to transform social housing districts into inclusive sustainable neighbourhoods.
Andreea Nacu (Housing Europe)
11:00 – Fireside Chat: What Is Lacking at the Local Level to Bring About the Desired Projects
An informal discussion on the needs and critical gaps the Affordable Housing Initiative pioneers are facing in their pathway to deliver successful holistic projects.
Moderator: Margherita Marinelli, Housing Europe
Panelists:
Franco Amigoni (Town of Fidenza)
David McCourt (Cooperative Housing Ireland)
Viktor Riabokin (City of Kiev)
Networking Coffee Break
11:45 – Response from the stakeholders: breaking down barriers to scaling up
Their response to the policy, financial, and technical hurdles identified and faced by local promoters.
Panelists:
Matthew Baldwin (European Commission’s Housing Task Force)
Miriam Bellušová (Slovak Association of Construction Entrepreneurs)
Bernd Riesland (Austrian Federation of Limited-Profit Housing Associations)
Michael Sikora (City of Karvina)
Angeliki Konstantinopoulou (Sustainable Energy Finance Association)
12:30 – Interactive Q&A
An open forum for the audience to ask questions to the stakeholders.
12:45 – Takeaways and Closing Remarks
Sorcha Edwards (Housing Europe)
The day will continue with a pitching session which is invitation-only.
Pioneers pitch projects to investors and financial experts
Hotel Grandior, Conference Room and Classroom
14:00 – Welcome and rule setting
14:10 – Presentation from pioneers, feedback, and Q&A
17:00 – Conclusion
The AHI Days are the opportunities to showcase great examples from the sector and elicit discussion across the board on the ways to expand those. The programme is quite multifaceted to accommodate different learning and networking opportunities, encompassing workshops and seminars (open to the public), study visits, and one-on-one organised meetings between practitioners (1 on 1). The events are organised across Europe in Dublin (June 4th and 5th 2025), Prague (November 18th and 19th 2025) and a city to be confirmed (June 2026).
