Housing in many European countries has become unaffordable for many. In fact, it is now considered to be one of the most important national issues in Europe and its solution is proving very challenging. Providing affordable and sustainable housing is a complex task: it involves multiple disciplines, sectors and actors and requires transdisciplinary research.

The EU-funded RE-DWELL project will train 15 early-stage researchers (ESRs) in design, planning and building, community participation, and policy and financing, providing them with the capacity to operate across fields and sectors, generating innovative solutions for the housing problem in the EU.

RE-DWELL will train a new generation of professionals with the transdisciplinary skills which are needed to address the urgent need of affordable and sustainable housing, a major challenge for European societies. To date, affordability and sustainability of housing have been addressed separately, from various disciplinary perspectives (e.g. architecture and planning, economics, sociology) and realms (e.g. policy-making, sustainable development, urban planning, green building). However, recent research indicate that it is necessary to consider the affordability and the sustainability of housing as complementary and interrelated aspects which need to be addressed with a transdisciplinary approach, by combining academic disciplines and engaging non-academic sectors in a common production of knowledge.

Ten academic beneficiaries and twelve non-academic partner organisations will jointly contribute to creating a transdisciplinary research environment which encompasses the various disciplines, sectors and stakeholders involved in the provision of A&S housing.

Fifteen ESRs research works will interlink three key areas underpinning affordable and sustainable housing:

1. Design, planning and building;
2. Community participation; and
3. Policy and financing.

ESRs trained in this programme will be able to develop a capacity to operate across fields and sectors, to provide innovative solutions to the growing housing problem affecting our societies.