High-quality design is essential to viable, sustainable housing and must not be sacrificed for short-term cost savings
The RIAI notes the recent comments by Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Jack Chambers on prioritising cost considerations over design in the delivery of buildings, as well as the new apartment guidelines announced last week by Minister for Housing, James Browne. We recognise the pressing challenges raised around the viability and affordability of housing delivery, which are key concerns shared by the RIAI. However, the recent statements appear to suggest a shift in direction to lower-quality solutions driven by short term expediency, rather than long term vision and sustainable solutions that deliver real value for money.
It is critical that we get this right. We are deeply concerned that moves to relax key design safeguards risk undermining the creation of sustainable, high-quality living environments and will create future long-term challenges for apartment owners and tenants. The new guidance will allow for development of apartment blocks with single typologies which is completely at odds with the previous work of the Department of Housing to strengthen the sustainable communities approach to delivering homes.
There is evidence that, over time, the cumulative effects of poorly sized and designed homes can contribute to social inequality and reduce overall productivity. It may also diminish Ireland’s international competitiveness, particularly in retaining talent who value quality of life. The new proposals also risk causing further delays to delivery of new housing projects as options are reassessed and new designs commissioned, which will take time to work through.
The RIAI agrees that action is urgently needed to accelerate housing delivery; however, there are other ways of addressing this. In Dublin, land prices are one of the single biggest contributors to the high cost of building homes, partly driven by speculation on land assets as a commodity. While not the only factor, they significantly affect affordability, feasibility, and development timelines. The RIAI believes a better, and more sustainable approach, is for the government to seek greater control of land values in the first instance.
Making better use of existing infrastructure that already benefits from essential services like water, heat, electricity, schools, and shops also presents a real opportunity to speed up supply. In this regard, we need to continue incentivising the adaptation and reuse of existing vacant and derelict buildings and properties across the country, including vacant office spaces. (*The vacancy rate for Dublin office spaces is now at 17.5% according to Savills 2025 Market Outlook Report). The RIAI is advocating for increased resources to be deployed within our local authority housing delivery staff to kick start immediate progress in this vital area.
The 2025 RIAI Planning and Development Policy document sets out key strategies to enable improved delivery of our housing and infrastructure needs. This policy also addresses the significant costs associated with prolonged planning and bureaucracy, which must be addressed as a matter of urgency to allow projects in the public interest to proceed without unnecessary obstacles.
Action is urgently needed to accelerate housing delivery, but a broader perspective and range of actions is necessary. The recommendations of the Housing Commission highlight this broader perspective. They emphasise that housing policy must be based on robust assessments of societal need and should account for the full economic and social costs of not meeting Ireland’s housing requirements, including the long-term costs of poor-quality planning. They also stress the importance of enabling infrastructure to support sustainable, well-designed development.
The government’s National Policy on Architecture – ‘Places for People’ (2022) explicitly prioritises quality and long-term value over short-term cost in the design and delivery of our public building infrastructure. It challenges the traditional lowest-cost procurement model, advocating instead for approaches that consider life-cycle value, design excellence, and sustainable outcomes that benefit communities across Ireland.
The RIAI is available to engage with Ministers, Departments, and all stakeholders to support changes that will improve quality and speed up delivery. As architects, we remain committed to helping meet Ireland’s housing needs by ensuring we build not only more homes, but more enduring, inclusive, and sustainable places and homes that deliver real long-term value for our people.
The RIAI is the professional body for architects in Ireland, supporting and regulating architects to ensure the highest standards in the built environment. Our members work across the full breadth of the construction industry, playing a vital role in the public and private sectors. They are at the forefront of designing and delivering the homes, schools, workplaces, and civic spaces that shape our communities, projects that prioritise sustainability, safety, and quality of life.
Claire McManus MRIAI, RIAI Housing Spokesperson, was interviewed on RTE Radio 1’s Claire Byrne Show to discuss the impact of the new apartment standards and explore architectural solutions. Listen back here.
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