The need to improve user participation in social housing retrofit (SHR) projects is widely acknowledged, as effective engagement ensures that retrofit interventions align with residents’ needs and expectations. To facilitate this, the construction industry has increasingly adopted methodologies and digital tools such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Virtual Reality (VR) to enhance stakeholder involvement. Despite their potential, these methodologies and tools have seen limited application in SHR, with many projects continuing to rely on traditional methods such as questionnaires and interviews, which often fail to comprehensively capture user value. Additionally, existing evaluations of user participation tools are fragmented and rarely tailored to the SHR context.This study adopts a qualitative research approach to assess and compare existing tools for identifying user value in SHR. The methodology includes a systematic literature review that synthesises existing research on SHR, user participation, and digital engagement tools. Stakeholder workshops involving representatives from local authorities, housing associations, and retrofit practitioners to explore and evaluate selected tools based on predefined criteria. Thematic analysis is used to systematically examine workshop discussions and identify key themes, challenges, and opportunities in tool adoption.The study’s key contribution is the development of an evaluation model, which provides stakeholders with a structured framework for selecting the most effective tools for user engagement in SHR projects. This model supports decision-making by considering tool usability, relevance, and their impact on user value identification. The findings aim to assist housing providers, policymakers, and retrofit professionals in enhancing stakeholder engagement strategies and ensuring retrofit solutions align with occupant needs ultimately contributing to more sustainable and user-centred housing retrofits.
| Date of Award | 13 May 2025 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Supervisor | Danilo Di Mascio (Main Supervisor) |
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