HOWS Barcelona | Housing World Summit 2026

HOWS Barcelona | Housing World Summit is an international platform promoted and hosted by Barcelona City Council and held within Smart City Expo World Congress. Over three days in Hall 3 of the Gran Via venue it brings national and local governments, investors, developers, builders and social housing organisations together on the housing affordability crisis. The organisers stress that it is neither a real estate fair nor a political forum, but a place to activate projects and partnerships.

Thematic pillars

The programme covers every dimension of urban housing.

• Land use and urban planning
• Regulation and legal frameworks
• Social and affordable housing models and finance
• Industrialisation, modular construction and new technology
• Urban regeneration, energy retrofit and adaptive reuse

Confirmed speakers

Speakers announced for 2026 include Giuseppe Sala (Mayor of Milan), Anne Hidalgo (former Mayor of Paris), Gergely Karácsony (Mayor of Budapest), Hélène Chartier of C40 Cities, Tanguy Desrousseaux of the European Investment Bank and Eamon Ryan, Chair of the European Commission's Housing Advisory Board.

Formats

Keynotes, panels and in-depth sessions on each pillar sit alongside a curated networking area with pre-selected roundtables, project and partnership activation sessions and facilitated introductions between public institutions, investors and developers.

Tickets & passes

• Visitor pass — EUR 200: 3 days, VAT included; also covers Smart City Expo World Congress open stages and exhibition