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This article deals with the increasing demand for participation in sustainable refurbishment projects. Based on a recently finished study and some conceptual considerations we present a flexible model for involving occupants and other stakeholders in large-volume residential refurbishment projects. The study draws on fifteen interviews with refurbishment experts and three focus group discussions with occupants of recently finished projects. The article shows that in practice it is important to offer approriate opportunities for participation at each phase of the process. Although refurbishment projects in general run through a series of typical phases there is no such thing as a standardized ‘ideal’ participation process. Rather participation designs for large projects have to be ‘tailor-made’, taking into account occupants' expectations and abilities, legal requirements, the complexity of projected measures, and finally the often well established ‘style of communication’ already used by the housing company.