SFH: Quo Vadis?

Requirements for space-saving utilisation of single-family house stock

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The single-family home (SFH) continues to be highly relevant as a form of housing in Germany. Living in your own home fulfils many needs for security, self-realisation and prosperity, and the demand for detached houses in the countryside remains high. At the same time, detached and semi-detached housing estates are under high ecological, economic and social transformation pressure. The amount of space, resources and energy required per person in a detached house is significantly higher than in more compact forms of construction. The challenge is to reconcile the needs of the residents with the demands of socio-ecological transformation.

This project examines how space-saving use of single-family homes can be achieved and which requirements must be met for a more sufficient use of existing living space in this segment. To this end, space-saving housing alternatives are analysed and discussed with a view to their feasibility from both a supply perspective (administration, municipal policy, housing industry) and a demand perspective (SFH residents).

The guiding research questions in the project are:

• What (space-saving) housing alternatives can be identified or developed for single-family households or single-family neighbourhoods?
• What areas of tension can be observed or expected in the development and realisation of these housing alternatives? How can these be resolved if necessary?
• Which stakeholders play a role in the development and implementation of such housing alternatives and how do these stakeholders view possible development paths?
• How do SFH households assess various options for changing their housing situation?