Budapest

Housing

E-Co-Housing - Co-creating a Regenerative Housing Project Together with the Community

“An environmentally conscious district leader should always keep their eyes on the interests of the next generations. We have to handle social problems with respect to the environment while we motivate people to be self-conscious about planning and self care.”

Gergely Karácsony, Mayor of District 14 Zugló of Budapest
Chiffres clef
24,4%
the share of housing costs of a total household budget
39%
the share of poor people overburdened by housing costs
2.400 m2
derelict city area will be covered with multi-story prefabricated modular construction
30%
of total proposed additional social housing stock increase
EUR 4,508,055.00
Total ERDF budget granted
Challenge addressed

Housing affordability is a key issue both in Europe and in the District 14 Zugló of Budapest, Hungary. Social housing providers face many problems, e.g. residents with shrinking incomes, long waiting lists, expensive utilities, inefficient energy use, and unsustainable lifestyles producing significant CO2 emissions. The district of Zugló provides more than two thousand units of subsidized housing but most are only one-room apartments and are therefore inappropriate for families. An additional key problem is the lack of high-quality buildings. After several decades of neglect, many units are poorly insulated and have significant problems with damp and mold.

Solution proposed

The main objective of E-Co-Housing is the creation of a regenerative and collaborative social housing community that is co-created by residents to house approximately 100 people in a social community. Considering prevention of urban sprawl, the site of the project is currently not in use. The building will be a multi-story prefabricated modular construction, with different unit sizes to house different sized families (e.g. single-parent, double-income large families, disabled and elderly couples, etc.) that reflect a cross-section of housing needs in Zugló. Low construction costs will enhance affordability and the regenerative use of land and recyclable materials, respecting Circular Economy principles, will contribute to climate resilience and a greener urban environment.

Partnership
  • City of Budapest, District 14 Zugló Municipality
  • HBH Strategy and Development Ltd. - SME
  • Energy and environment Ltd. - SME
  • ABUD Advanced Building & Urban Design Ltd.- SME
  • GreenDependent Institute Nonprofit Ltd.  - SME
  • Hungary Green Building Council (HuGBC) - nonprofit association
  • Budapest University of Technology and Economics - higher education and research institute
  • HABITAT for Humanity Hungary - nonprofit organisation
  •  Zugló City Management and Public Services Company - infrastructure and public service provider
Expected results

It is expected to reduce the number of residents eligible for social housing on the waiting list by 50% by providing social housing for around 100 individuals drawn from different groups of residents. Zugló will increase its stock of units that is appropriate for housing families with more than two members thus contributing greatly to solving a major local challenge.
The utilization of a currently unused urban site will contribute to the prevention of unnecessary urban sprawl, in addition to the greening of the area and overall urban improvement and the use of recyclable or recycled materials will result in resource efficiency.
A net-zero energy building will contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of Zugló.
Re-using wastewater and rainwater, composting, and re-using bio-waste for urban gardening will partly contribute to the goals of the EU action plan for the circular economy.

Main milestones

May 2019: As a result of an integrated design process (IDP), supported with the use of a Building Information Modelling (BIM) system, tender documentation for public procurement prepared for modular multistory regenerative building
Dec. 2019: Expanded socially sustainable and transparent selection criteria for future residents created ensuring tenants highly motivated for cooperation and community development
June 2020: Modular multistory regenerative building with a smart integrative energy and IT system constructed with residential apartments of different sizes and community spaces to be used by all residents, designed and constructed to support collaborative, cross-generational and healthy lifestyle
August 2020: Community development and economic empowerment mentoring programmes (to run until the project end) started enabling the residents to set up and create the framework of a sustainable social housing community
May 2021: Complex multi-scenario feasibility study created for implementation of housing models in Zugló to be adapted to Zugló’s long term housing development programme
October 2021: Validated regenerative urban living and community guidebooks covering different aspects of modern urban living and cohabitation within a community, serving as a tool for wider uptake

Chiffres clef
24,4%
the share of housing costs of a total household budget
39%
the share of poor people overburdened by housing costs
2.400 m2
derelict city area will be covered with multi-story prefabricated modular construction
30%
of total proposed additional social housing stock increase
EUR 4,508,055.00
Total ERDF budget granted
Contact du project
Rita Andrasek
Head of Project Management Unit
Annette Kuhk
UIA Expert

Actualités du projet

Mexikói 2: Zugló Municipality

A new building, an original concept

The E-co-housing project, which started in November 2018, took a final new turn at the end of 2021. Why was this change necessary? ...
wood construction, wood crisis, eco-housing

Not a worm this time: a virus and the wood sector

How can a global sanitary crisis affect a single construction project in Budapest? A taste of the housing crisis in 2021 in Budapest: “The renta...
E-Co Housing project was presented on Eco-logical Architecture Conference in Hungary

E-Co Housing project was presented on Eco-logical Architecture Conference in Hungary

Eco-logical Architecture Conference takes place every Spring in 7 cities of Hungary with the participation of 500-600 architects. This year, the confe...
E-Co-Housing Journal 1: More than a house

E-Co-Housing Journal 1: More than a house

UIA Expert Annette Kuhk “elaborates on the ambitions of the E-Co-Housing project, with a zoom-in on the specific location (Gizella út), the programme ...
The 'soft' elements of the E-Co-Housing project

The 'soft' elements of the E-Co-Housing project

An important part of Zuglo’s E-Co-Housing project, besides the smart, energy-efficient, social apartment building is the forward-looking initiative th...
housing is a human right

Cities engaging in the right to housing

Urban Innovative Actions (UIA) and URBACT are joining forces to push the right to housing...
E-Co Housing Kick-off event

Presenting the E-Co Housing project to the public

The E-Co Housing project of Zugló, XIV. district of Budapest was presented to the public on 20th September, ready to make a buzz of novelty and innova...
focus group meeting

Focus Group Meetings – The beginning of Co-Designing

Sustainability have three equally important pillars: environmental, economic and social pillar. The E-CO-Housing project is focusing on all three: it ...

Media

E-co Housing animation video

Budapest – E-Co-housing: a social and sustainable housing solution

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