Protecting Tenants in Social Housing against Heat

Abstract

Climate change poses a significant challenge to humanity, nature and the environment. Next to climate mitigation, climate adaptation becomes increasingly important to ensure liveable surroundings. Rising temperatures are causing more intense and more frequent heat waves, impacting housing conditions. Housing associations have the duty to provide safe and healthy dwellings for their tenants, which is why it is important to also focus on heat. This research focuses on composing a transition image and transition paths for housing associations in the Netherlands. A literature review, content analysis, and interviews with various stakeholders were conducted to assess the current state, the urgency to act, and the ambition level. 70% of the housing associations are aware of the rising problem and have any form of adaptation. The amount of adaptation is not sufficient to meet the requirement of providing safe and healthy dwellings. To accelerate the process, housing associations must continue refining their policies, stakeholders should collaborate to share knowledge, the frontrunners of housing associations should share their strategies, and differing opinions among stakeholders should be openly discussed. Additionally, housing associations should set up a proper complaints procedure and should implement solutions such as providing cool spaces, appointing tenant complex managers and utilizing the skills and knowledge of tenants with different cultural backgrounds, when technical adaptation is not possible in the short term.