Insights in action

CONGRESS OVERVIEW

A program packed with high-level discussions, solution-driven talks, and cross-sector collaboration focused on building a more resilient, accessible, and sustainable housing system that works for everyone.

3/11
5/11

BARCELONA

FROM DISCUSSION TO REAL IMPACT

Three days to advance housing solutions for all

A global stage to explore every dimension of the housing crisis through international keynotes, high-level roundtables, expert-led sessions, and more. Learn from best practices in cities worldwide, discover proven solutions that can scale, and join the conversations driving real change.

From planning and finance to construction and regulation, the program tackles the critical challenges and opportunities shaping housing worldwide, featuring leading voices in policy, innovation, finance, social impact, and urban development from across the public, private, and third sectors.

CONGRESS SCHEDULE

3 days of world-class content

SPEAKERS LINEUP

Leading voices on the housing crisis debate

Anacláudia Rossbach

Executive Director, UN-Habitat

Anna Minton

Author and Reader in Architecture at the University of East London

Matthew Baldwin

Head of Housing Task Force, European Commission

Hélène Chartier

Director of Urban Planning and Design, C40 Cities

Daniel Rickenmann

Mayor of Columbia

Tanguy Desrousseaux

Head of Housing, Cities and Regions Department, Project Directorate, European Investment Bank

Jaume Collboni

Mayor, City of Barcelona, Spain

Clotilde Tarditi

Director, Real Estate Strategy and Housing, City of Montreal

Iñaqui Carnicero

Secretary General for Urban Agenda, Housing and Architecture, Government of Spain

Vanessa Alexandra Velasco Bernal

Habitat Chief Secretary, Mayor’s Office of Bogotá, Colombia

Giuseppe Sala

Mayor, City of Milan, Italy

Robert Dijksterhuis

Sustainable Building Envoy, Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning, Netherlands

Anne Hidalgo

Former Mayor of Paris and GCoM Global Ambassador

Juha Kaakinen

Former CEO, Y-Foundation (Finland Housing First Model)

Julie Schneider

Director, Housing and Revitalization, City of Detroit

Andre Dickens

Mayor, City of Atlanta, U.S.

Orna Rosenfeld

Global Advisor on Housing, Living and Inclusion

Eamon Ryan

Chair of the Housing Advisory Board, European Commission

Laura Lieto

Deputy Mayor, Councillor for Urban Planning, City of Naples, Italy

Jordi Gálvez

President, Federation of Housing Cooperatives of Catalonia

Bruce Katz

Founder, New Localism Associates

Gergely Karácsony

Mayor, City of Budapest, Hungary

Christine Lemaitre

Chief Executive Officer, German Sustainable Building Council

Manuel B. Aalbers

Professor of Urban and Economic Geography, KU Leuven

Rogier van den Berg

Global Director, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities

Jordi Mas

General Director of Housing, Government of Catalonia

Layanne Paixão

General Director, TETO (Brazil)

Javier Burón

Managing Director, Nasuvinsa

Ana Abrunhosa

Mayor, City of Coimbra, Portugal

Maria Vassilakou

CEO of Vassilakou Urban Consulting and Vienna’s Former Vice Mayor

Tatsuo Igarashi

Mayor, City of Tsukuba, Japan

Xavier Vilajoana

President, APCE Spain

Juan Caballero

CEO, Build Change

Josep Antoni Martínez Zaplana

President, Gremi de la Construcció de Barcelona

Luísa Salgueiro

Mayor, City of Matosinhos, Portugal

Charalambos Prountzos

Mayor, City of Nicosia, Cyprus

Urban Planning & Land Policy

Rethinking how cities allocate land, plan density, and align spatial development with housing demand.

Housing Regulation

Legal frameworks, regulatory reform, and the balance between market dynamism and public interest.

Social and Affordable Housing

Models, financing mechanisms, and governance structures enabling equitable access to decent housing.

Building Innovation

Industrialization, modular construction, and emerging technologies reshaping how we build at scale.

Renovation, Retrofit & Reuse

Urban regeneration, energy retrofit, and adaptive reuse of existing building stock.

KEY TOPICS

An open dialogue to address a shared challenge.

HOWS Barcelona | Housing World Summit

HOMES FOR PEOPLE. CITIES FOR LIFE.

HELP MAKE HOUSING WORK FOR ALL

NOVEMBER 3 – 5, 2026
BARCELONA

Join our community of city changemakers and receive the latest updates on the new global stage for urban housing strategy.

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WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF

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CONGRESS OVERVIEW

3/11 5/11

Three days to advance housing solutions for all

3 days of world-class content