News
From 3–5 June 2026, housing professionals, policymakers, researchers and industry experts from across Europe gathered in Rotterdam for the annual European Federation for Living (EFL) Conference. Hosted in cooperation with Ortec Finance and Woonstad Rotterdam, the conference explored one of the most urgent challenges facing Europe today: how to provide sufficient affordable housing while simultaneously addressing urban regeneration, sustainability and demographic change.
The conference featured an outstanding line-up of speakers, including world-renowned economist and Nobel Prize laureate Prof. Paul Krugman, Prof. Peter Boelhouwer (TU Delft), urbanist Prof. Greg Clark, Matthew Baldwin, Head of the European Commission Task Force on Housing.(Head of the European Commission Task Force on Housing), Dr. Frank Suurenbroek and many other leading experts from the housing, finance and urban development sectors. A recurring theme throughout the conference was that Europe’s housing crisis is structural rather than temporary. Housing shortages, affordability pressures, demographic change, climate ambitions and rising construction costs are converging, requiring long-term solutions and stronger cooperation between governments, housing providers, investors and local communities. Below you can find the links for:
(1) conference presentations ; (2) photo gallery and (3) conference video.
Several key lessons emerged from the discussions:
- Housing must increasingly be viewed as critical infrastructure and a foundation for economic competitiveness, social cohesion and climate transition.
- Housing associations and other mission-driven providers remain essential partners in delivering affordable and sustainable homes.
- Existing housing stock represents one of Europe’s greatest opportunities, with renovation, regeneration and intelligent asset management often providing faster and more sustainable solutions than new construction alone.
- Strong financing frameworks, innovative investment models and data-driven business planning are becoming increasingly important to support long-term housing delivery.
- European cooperation and knowledge exchange are vital, as housing providers across Europe face remarkably similar challenges despite different national contexts.
The conference also highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence, digitalisation and innovation in housing management, while discussions with Nobel Prize-winning economist Prof. Paul Krugman provided a broader perspective on the economic and societal implications of technological change.
Participants had the opportunity to visit the Bloemhof neighbourhood in Rotterdam and learn directly from Woonstad Rotterdam’s experience in urban regeneration, housing renewal and neighbourhood development.
Once again, the conference demonstrated the value of the EFL network as a platform for practical European cooperation, mutual learning and innovation. We would like to thank all speakers, participants, hosts and partners who contributed to making the event a great success.