RIAI Research and Policy: Housing
Low Rise Medium Density Housing Model
The RIAI has written to Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien TD proposing that a new Low-Rise Medium-Density Housing model should be introduced as a priority as part of a new Ministerial Directive for National Housing Planning Standards. The RIAI submission (below) explains that currently, it is extremely difficult to achieve housing density above 30 units per hectare in Ireland. Low-Rise Medium-Density Housing is a category of housing, providing typical densities of 35-80 dwellings per hectare. It exists in most European countries including Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Germany, in Australia and New Zealand. The Low-Rise Medium-Density Housing model would allow for the creation of places that provide high quality homes building on existing infrastructure by incorporating new housing types.
Published: February 2023
RIAI Housing Statement 2022
The RIAI has launched a new Housing Statement in support of Housing for All – A New Housing Plan for Ireland. The report focuses on innovative architectural solutions to address the housing challenge and calls for “an Architect for every municipality who will be tasked with developing a vision statement for our villages, towns and cities to ensure we are planning our future with quality in mind.”
Published: March 2022
Designing Homes for an Ageing Population
The RIAI has published a new research report with recommendations on designing homes for Ireland’s ageing population, which the Institute says will ease pressure on the housing sector in general. This research is intended to support Government in its efforts on facilitating older people staying in their home or community as long as possible. Our research has found that new ways of designing purpose-built apartments and houses are essential to keep older people in the community. (October 2018)
Published: October 2018
RIAI Research Report on Housing Delivery
Government policy has used planning and taxation policy to encourage the faster delivery of new multi-unit residential developments. Notwithstanding these efforts, the process of bringing a new housing scheme to occupation remains very slow. The RIAI Research Report on Housing Delivery hopes to stimulate a wider debate in Irish housing policy in respect of the role of the planning system in the delivery of housing. The report makes recommendations for policy-makers about reforms of policy, planning processes and procedures. (September 2017)
Published: September 2017