Housing After the Storm: Regulation, Resilience & Sustainable Living

Housing is no longer just a market issue — it’s a social, economic, and political priority across Europe. In the wake of recent storms and mounting pressure on housing affordability, access, and resilience, the conversation around how we build, finance, regulate, and live in our homes has never been more urgent.

Earlier this year, Lisbon was chosen by the European Commission as the stage to unveil the new European Plan for Affordable Housing, underlining the city’s central role in the debate. The message was clear: housing must be treated as a fundamental right, and delivering affordable, resilient homes will require coordinated action between policymakers, investors, engineers, legal experts, and the private sector.

Against this backdrop, the Ireland Portugal Business Network (IPBN) invited its members Thursday April 30 from 1000 to 1200 at the new Engineers Hub in Lisbon for a very special event entitled “Housing After the Storm: Regulation, Resilience & Sustainable Living”. We brought together members from across the housing value chain for a focused discussion on what comes next — and how Ireland–Portugal collaboration can help shape smarter, more sustainable housing solutions.

This in presence event highlighted IPBN members working across regulation, investment, engineering, sustainability, and design, and featured two panel discussions:

Panel 1: Housing Regulation, Engineering & Investment

This panel explored how regulatory changes, financing structures, and engineering expertise can unlock more affordable and resilient housing solutions — particularly in light of climate events and evolving EU and national frameworks. Followed by Q&A

Panel 2: Sustainable, Cost-Effective & Human-Centred Living

The second panel shifted focus to the home itself — how innovative construction, energy solutions, and design choices can make housing more sustainable, affordable, and genuinely liveable. Followed by Q&A

With speakers joining from Ireland and Portugal, this event offered a unique opportunity to hear cross-border perspectives, exchange practical insights, and explore how collaboration between Ireland and Portugal can help address one of Europe’s most pressing challenges.

We invited IPBN members, partners, and stakeholders across housing, construction, sustainability, and investment to join the conversation.

The event was open to members and non-members and free of charge

Programme 

0930 – Registration, welcome coffee and networking

1000 – Welcome Statements - Arnold Delville, GM, Ireland Portugal Business Network & Catarina Andrez, Engineers Hub Manager

1015 -  Panel 1 – A conversation about Housing Regulation, Engineering & Investment with IPBN members:

• Barry Flynn, CEO, IN2 Engineering
• Rodrigo Jardim Gonçalves, Founder JGSA Lawyers
• Paulo Sousa, Coordinator Operational Algarve, Sabseg Seguros
• Moderated by IPBN Board Member Susan Cabeceiras, Founder & Chair KONCEPTNESS

1100 – Panel 2 – Innovative construction, Energy solutions, design choices to make housing more sustainable, affordable, and genuinely liveable with IPBN members:

• Christopher Garner, Founder of Eco Dome Homes - Sustainable, disaster-resilient and cost-effective housing solutions
• Roland Kern, Co-Owner Redwellstore Iberia, Energy-efficient heating and comfort solutions for all business and private homes
• Sandra Nascimento, Owner SAL Home & Living, Interior Design perspective creating homes that are welcoming, efficient, and adaptable
• Moderated by IPBN Board Member Rachael Milne, Rachael Milne Consulting

1145 – Networking

1200 - End