ICONS, as a partner of DEDALUS project, is organising a seminar as part of #ISHF2025 to explore resident engagement strategies and the financial sustainability of interventions in the social housing sector.

On 5 June 2025, the seminar “Innovating Communities: Exploring Drivers and Barriers of Public Engagement in Social Housing” will take place in Dublin, as part of the International Social Housing Festival.

The seminar, organised by ICONS, as a DEDALUS partner responsible for the dissemination, communication, and exploitation activities, will bring together project partners and stakeholders to explore the practical challenges and enabling factors for engaging residents—particularly vulnerable groups—in social housing innovation processes.
Participants will discuss how social housing can support a socially inclusive energy transition and how to address digital, legal, and behavioural barriers. The session will feature presentations, real-world case studies, and interactive tools, and it will foster discussion among practitioners, researchers, housing managers, and policymakers. Special emphasis will be given to trust-building, digital inclusion, financial sustainability, and replicability of engagement strategies.

The Agenda
The seminar will be opened by Chiara Fonio, Head of Social Innovation at ICONS, who will outline the key concepts around social innovation and public engagement, highlighting their relevance in housing transformation processes. It will be moderated by Claudia Crippa (Head of Business Innovation at that same organisation).
Dimitra Xidous, Research fellow at Trinithaus, will present an approach to engaging older adults, showing how participatory processes can be tailored to include individuals with cognitive impairments by centering their lived experience and personal perspectives.

Panos Skaloumpakas, from NTUA, will reflect on lessons learned from the DEDALUS pilots in Denmark and Italy, focusing on practical barriers such as digital exclusion and language challenges, and outlining the solutions implemented to support equitable and meaningful engagement.

Cosmo Murray, co-director at Mazi Housing, will share an organisational model grounded in continuous feedback loops, where current and former residents actively shape internal processes—from project evaluation to staff recruitment and strategic decision-making.

Finally, Paola Zerilli, from University of York and coordinator of the Eu-funded project SUPERSHINE, will address financial barriers and highlight the economic and social benefits of energy efficiency upgrades for both tenants and housing providers, drawing on examples from Italy, Denmark, and Latvia.

The session will include interactive tools to gather direct input from the audience, which will inform future engagement strategies and communication outputs.
The seminar starts at 9.30 AM (Irish Time) in the Liffey Room at the Convention Center of Dublin.

To discover the full programme and participation details for the festival, click here.