Sustainable Retrofit of Social Housing: The Role and Future of Multi-Year Programs and Strategic Partnerships

Dutch housing associations, being semi-pubic construction clients, have been assigned an important role to help to realise the national goal of a CO2 neutral housing stock in 2050. Practice shows that to achieve this goal, a growing number of housing associations bundle sustainable retrofit projects in multi-year programs. Those programs are implemented by entering into strategic partnerships with retrofit contractors. Based on an explorative literature review and case-study research, this article zooms in on the rationale behind the development and its effects and future. The process of establishing the partnerships and the organizational consequences for the partners involved, are discussed. The findings show that housing associations that opt for strategic partnering, significantly change their tendering process and, above all, look for the right contractors. The novel approach increases the retrofit rates and the tenant satisfaction with the process. Trust is key in the collaboration between clients and contractors. Hindering factors are the needed cultural and organizational changes on both the supply and demand side.