Minister Lawless announces the publication of the Design Guide for State Sponsored Student Accommodation
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Ó: An Roinn Breisoideachais agus Ardoideachais, Taighde, Nuálaíochta agus Eolaíochta
- Foilsithe:
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 24 Meitheamh 2025
Minister for Further and Higher, Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless today announced the publication of the Design Guide for State Sponsored Student Accommodation.
Following a recommendation from the Residential Construction Cost Study Report 2023, the Student Accommodation Standardised Design Study commenced in August 2024 with the objective of establishing design standards to support the delivery of high-quality student accommodation by driving consistency in design, enhancing cost-efficiency, and facilitating the use of modern methods of construction.
Speaking today, Minister Lawless said:
“This Design Guide is a significant step forward in delivering more student beds, more efficiently, and at better value to the State. By standardising core elements and embracing practical layouts, we can scale up supply and ensure our public investment goes further while still providing high-quality spaces for students to live, study and thrive.
“We’re shifting away from the old model of multiple self-contained units towards a more flexible, integrated approach with shared bathrooms, more efficient use of kitchen/living areas and social spaces, as well as options for twin rooms. This not only allows us to deliver more beds within the same footprint, it also promotes a more collaborative and connected student experience.”
The Design Guide has been developed following a comprehensive literature and policy review, an extensive stakeholder engagement process, and a benchmarking study on national, European, and international design practices. It therefore reflects feedback from a wide range of stakeholders, including students and parents, accommodation providers, and industry, construction, and policy experts.
While the Design Guide sets out new design standards for state sponsored student accommodation, it is also intended that certain relevant standards will be identified for broader application, including in privately led student accommodation developments with a view to incorporating into Section 28 planning guidelines to be issued by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for use in the planning process.
Minister Lawless continued:
“I am engaging with Minister Browne in relation to issuing Section 28 planning guidelines to support the implementation of these standards. This will help ensure consistency in how student accommodation is planned and approved across the country and provide greater clarity to developers and institutions alike.”
The Design Guide is an iterative framework that reflects best practices and supports the efficient delivery of student accommodation. It seeks to ensure value for money for the State while promoting the development of modern student residences that are functional, sustainable, maintainable, flexible, safe, and architecturally well-designed.
Ciarán McCaffrey, Head of Capital Programmes in the Higher Education Authority (HEA) added:
“The publication of this Design Guide for State Sponsored Student Accommodation, arising from comprehensive sectoral engagement, provides new standards for the Higher Education sector. This Design Guide will inform future projects and seeks to enable efficient delivery of high-quality student accommodation to meet the needs of our students."
The provision of shared bathrooms and the reduced space per resident sharing kitchen, dining and living spaces within clusters of 10 or more students, will result in overall space savings and, in turn, deliver greater cost efficiency for the State.
Minister Lawless concluded by recognising the collaborative effort behind the initiative:
“I want to thank the HEA for their work in delivering this Design Guide. It reflects extensive engagement with students, providers, and experts, and delivers a ready-to-use template that can fast-track the roll-out of modern, affordable student housing nationwide.”
Notes
In May 2023, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) published the Residential Construction Cost Study as part of the government’s Housing for All strategy. The study was commissioned to examine the underlying factors contributing to residential construction costs in Ireland and to benchmark these against comparable developments in other European cities.
The analysis focused on four typologies of residential development including purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA).
Findings from the study indicated that residential construction costs in Ireland are generally higher than in peer countries. This is particularly evident in the case of PBSA, where higher costs were attributed to more generous unit sizes, broader specifications, and greater scope of works. The study also highlighted systemic issues such as regulatory requirements, delivery models, and procurement processes as contributing factors.
One of the key recommendations from the study was the development of a standardised specification for student accommodation in Ireland. The objective is to support the delivery of high-quality student accommodation by driving consistency in design, enhancing cost-efficiency, and facilitating the use of modern methods of construction.
In response, the Higher Education Authority (HEA), on behalf of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS), appointed an expert multi-disciplinary design team to research and develop new design standards for State supported student accommodation. The successful consortium is comprised of Metropolitan Workshop, KPMG and ORS Engineers.
The standardised design study commenced in August 2024 and a steering group was established to provide oversight to the study, comprising representatives from the HEA, DFHERIS and DHLGH.
The design team undertook a review of policy and literature, an extensive stakeholder engagement process and a benchmarking analysis of comparator countries in relation to student accommodation. The countries include Canada, Germany, Netherlands, UK, Denmark and France.
The Design Guide defines best practices, ensuring value for money for the State, while supporting the delivery of additional student accommodation. It aims to promote the development of modern student accommodation that is functional, sustainable, maintainable, flexible, safe, and architecturally well-designed.