Investigating the influence of current trends and behaviours on household structures and housing consumption patterns

Abstract

As a major contributor to overall carbon emissions and energy consumption, the housing sector has great potential to reduce energy consumption, whether by reducing the number of appliances, heating temperature or floor space. Consumption patterns encompass how people choose and consume products that satisfy their needs and wants. However, wants, and to some extent needs, are influenced by various factors and existing material and non-material (infra)structures, especially in the housing sector. Focusing on the floor area, this article aims to identify potentials towards lower consumption lifestyles by applying the Avoid-Shift-Improve framework in the residential sector. Through a conceptual review, the article explores what shapes current patterns of space use and outlines potential future pathways. Starting from the macro level, the article examines existing and emerging (societal) trends with (potential) impacts on housing consumption. It then looks at the structural development of households affected by the studied trends. At the micro level, the article provides an overview of the potential impact of individual behaviour on space use patterns within different categories of housing behaviour. The article identifies the potential for social and technical change in the housing sector and concludes that promoting non-materialistic narratives (avoid), offering alternative and innovative solutions to satisfy people’s spatial needs (shift) and designing flexible buildings (improve) appear to be effective ways for fostering behavioural change towards more efficient use of space.