NaWo - a Tool for More Sustainable Residential Location Choice

Abstract

Urban sprawl is a major problem in many metropolitan areas. Especially in cities with high housing prices people are looking for residential locations in suburban or remote areas where residential costs are lower. Still, these decisions are often made without being fully aware of the consequences on mobility patterns and transport costs. Furthermore, residential location shapes social, economic and environmental issues and thereby the sustainability of human life.To foster sustainable residential location choice a decision-making aid which is focused on the effects of residential location on daily mobility has been developed as part of the project “Sustainable choice of residential locations” and made available in the greater Munich area as well as the Austrian province of Tyrol. Using this web-based calculator (“NaWo”), property seekers are given an initial insight into the distances to be covered at the desired location considering their personal mobility behavior. With this awareness-raising measure, it is possible to take the sustainability aspect into greater consideration in residential location choice with regard to the costs, impact on the environment and the opportunities for social inclusion.