Sufficient housing culture (SuWoKu)

Needs-orientated, intergenerational and environmentally friendly housing

© ifeu/BIS/Bring-together Patchwork Communities GmbH

The research project aims to promote a housing culture in Germany that is characterised by needs orientation, intergenerational equity and environmental compatibility. Essentially, the aim is to develop and implement strategies that increase the acceptance of significantly reducing the living space per person, especially after the family phase. At the same time, living comfort and quality of life should be maintained or even improved and all generations should benefit.

Firstly, the needs-orientation is examined, with the focus on the housing needs and acceptance of (older) people, who often have more living space than they actually need after the family phase. The aim is to find solutions that enable these people to move into smaller flats that are better suited to their current needs or to make optimum use of their living space through subletting and communal living.

In a second step, the project is dedicated to intergenerational justice. The aim here is to develop housing strategies that benefit all generations. In particular, the project is investigating how older people can be supported by moving into barrier-free housing that is better suited to their needs, thereby freeing up more living space for young families.

Finally, environmental compatibility is being analysed. The aim is to conserve resources and reduce CO₂ emissions by reducing the average living space per capita. To this end, positive narratives are developed that present sufficient housing as an attractive and sustainable living model.

Goal and outcome

SuWoKu aims to evaluate and promote the acceptance and implementation of a sufficient living culture at municipal level. 

The results of the project will be presented in the form of working papers, blog posts and publications in specialist journals. Recommendations for action and positive narratives will be developed to support local politics in the implementation of sufficient housing strategies. Through active communication and exchange with relevant stakeholders, the findings will be widely disseminated and put into practice.​