The Summit will gather governments, cities, investors, experts and NGOs
Barcelona launches HOWS Barcelona, a new congress on urban and affordable housing
HOWS Barcelona – Housing World Summit, the new international congress on urban and affordable housing, will take place from 3 to 5 November at the Gran Via venue as part of Smart City Expo World Congress. The summit, which aims to lead the international debate on one of the most pressing challenges facing cities today—housing— is promoted by Barcelona City Council and organized by Fira de Barcelona. It will feature a three-day program with 20 sessions and over 100 speakers.
HOWS Barcelona will bring together all the stakeholders with the capacity to transform the housing sector, both nationally and internationally, including cities, housing providers, urban professionals, third-sector and non-profit organizations, real estate developers, investors and academia. The event aims to become a leading platform for debate and innovation in urban housing, fostering solutions to the major challenges of contemporary housing.
The congress program will focus on five key themes: Urban Planning & Land Policy as tools to increase housing supply; Housing Regulation to deliver public and affordable housing; Building Innovation as a driver for accelerating housing delivery; Renovation, Retrofit & Reuse to improve the quality, and Social and Affordable Housing to drive a sustainable housing stock; and financing mechanisms to enable housing development and investment.
High-level summits
In addition to its conference program, HOWS Barcelona will host a series of high-level activities designed to strengthen political dialogue, international cooperation and the exchange of experiences between cities. These initiatives will provide a meeting point for political leaders, mayors and housing policymakers to share best practices, explore common solutions and foster collaboration among cities.
As part of the event, the congress will host the Housing Mayors Meeting, a closed-door working session bringing together mayors and senior housing officials from international cities, as well as the Housing Mayors Roundtable, an open discussion featuring mayors and global urban leaders.
HOWS Barcelona will also incorporate the Barcelona Housing and Renovation Forum (FHAR) into its program. Previously held as a standalone event over four editions, the forum will provide an opportunity to explore key issues such as expanding the supply of public housing, renovating both public and private housing stock, and housing market regulation.
HOWS is supported by the Government of Catalonia, the Spanish Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda, the European Union, and is held in collaboration with organizations and institutions including the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB), the European Investment Bank (EIB), C40 Cities, UN-Habitat, and Metropolis.
Within the Smart City Expo Framework
HOWS Barcelona will be held alongside Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC), the world’s leading international event on cities and urban innovation. The latest edition welcomed nearly 27,000 attendees from 997 cities and 138 countries. It also featured 590 speakers and almost 1,200 exhibitors, consolidating its position as the leading global platform bringing together governments, companies, international organizations and urban leaders.
The integration of HOWS Barcelona into Smart City Expo reflects the need to address the major urban challenges through a holistic approach, linking housing with urban planning, mobility, environmental sustainability, digital transformation, climate resilience, economic competitiveness and social cohesion. In line with this vision, this year’s edition of the World Smart City Awards has introduced a new award category dedicated to housing.
HOWS Barcelona and Smart City Expo World Congress will be held alongside Tomorrow.Mobility World Congress, organized by Fira de Barcelona and EIT Urban Mobility, which promotes a new paradigm for sustainable urban mobility; Tomorrow.Blue Economy, focused on the sustainable use of ocean resources; the Barcelona Deep Tech Summit, dedicated to scientific and technology-based entrepreneurship; and the Barcelona Cybersecurity Congress.
Barcelona, 29 July 2026
Folc Lecha
+34 932 333 555
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