Towards a Diagnostic Framework of Sustainable Housing Expertise

Abstract

This paper examines the tensions between housing affordability, environmental sustainability, and development viability, conceptualising these competing policy objectives as a “housing trilemma”. Focusing on the Irish context, the study argues that these conflicting imperatives produce housing outcomes that fall short of what is termed “sustainable housing equitability”, defined as a fair system of access to safe, comfortable, and culturally adequate housing that supports the long-term prosperity of communities. Using a problematising literature review methodology, the research analyses how affordability, sustainability, and viability have been defined, measured, and contested across academic, policy, industry, and media sources. The findings reveal three key themes: the persistence of siloed research domains, an overemphasis on technical sustainability metrics, and the dominance of cost-driven approaches to development viability. The paper argues that sustainability and affordability should not be treated as competing objectives but as mutually dependent aspects of housing justice. To address these challenges, it proposes a diagnostic framework structured around three analytical dimensions—value, care, and agency—which can support reflection, stakeholder dialogue, and decision-making throughout the housing development process. The framework reframes housing policy conflicts as questions of justice and professional responsibility rather than technical trade-offs, offering a governance tool for promoting sustainable and affordable housing.