Housing and Other Premises

Abstract

Housing satisfies a number of basic physiological and social needs for the households. These include a life-sustaining or even comfortable climate, privacy, an existential base, the possibility for manifesting one’s own taste and style, as well as individual design for special needs. Other examples are the division of the social space into arenas for various activities and the control over this space by different persons, households and organizations. The residence is seen as a basic social right serving fundamental needs, at the same time as a large part of the actual use of that residence satisfies desires of a much more exclusive type. For somewhat longer than a century now it has become much easier to use housing in a way that gives high comfort. A number of functions that once called for large work input have by now been mechanized, the most obvious being heating and water supply. This rationalization of housing use and the fact that in the long run energy costs are shrinking, makes it easier to use large surfaces and then in ways that can generate significant energy use. Another factor that has contributed strongly to increased energy use is that both the households and employees have raised their expectations on indoor climate and comfort drastically in just one generation. In Sweden, the housing related energy consumption accounts for between 35% and 40% of the total. Around 80% of the energy used in residences depends on unit size. Thus rather large efficiency gains can be made with improved heating technology and insulation. A collected strategy for reducing energy use in housing should also include a halt to the long-term increase of temperature controlled surfaces and probably a space reduction per capita as well.

Chapter written by Anders Gullberg.