Île-de-France Study Identifies Potential to Convert Vacant Offices into 150,000 Homes

A new report highlights the possibility of addressing the region's housing shortage by repurposing 5.6 million square meters of unused office space.

The Île-de-France region faces a housing shortage of at least 500,000 homes, with 5.6 million square meters of office space currently vacant.
The Observatoire Régional de l’Immobilier d’Entreprise (ORIE) estimates that converting these offices could create up to 150,000 homes, housing 340,000 people.
Key areas identified for transformation include Clichy-Saint-Ouen, Vélizy-Villacoublay, and Vanves-Gentilly, while Paris intra-muros and certain suburbs are less viable due to economic and logistical challenges.
Two approaches are proposed: restructuring office buildings, which is more eco-friendly, or partial/full demolition and reconstruction, which yields more housing space.
The report emphasizes the need for targeted policies to prioritize viable areas and recommends restructuring over demolition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30%.