In 2026, Habitat for Humanity GB commissioned masters students from the Central European University to explore the approaches taken by local and combined authorities to make better use of the buildings in their area.
While there are many great examples of individual conversion projects, it is less common for authorities to take a genuinely strategic approach to evaluating and enacting a programme of change for empty buildings.
This research takes learnings from where this is being done, and sets out what is needed for other authorities to take a similarly impactful approach.