Housing In Germany Research Articles

An examination of the needs and preferences for student housing in Germany in relation to different financial backgrounds using the example of the city of Aachen

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to determine the needs and preferences of students concerning different areas and attributes of dormitories, taking their financial background into account.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative survey was conducted in the 21 publicly funded dormitories in Aachen (Germany) in 2022 to determine students’ needs and preferences for housing. In total, more than 1,200 students participated in the 10-min online survey.FindingsThe findings show the needs and preferences of students from different financial backgrounds for various areas in the dormitory. These include the location of the dormitory, the outdoor area, the shared spaces, the sanitary facilities (bathroom and kitchen), and the students’ private rooms. The results are divided into needs that all students have regardless of their financial background (“must-haves”) and needs that correspond to individual financial groups (“nice-to-haves”).Research limitations/implicationsThe results relate to the medium-sized city of Aachen as a case study in Germany – with an average rent level – and its urban situation. The outcomes are therefore only transferable to a limited extent to cities with different framework conditions, as the needs and preferences of students may differ.Practical implicationsThe results serve as a valuable guideline for future development in the field of student housing for different rental segments.Originality/valueThe paper fills a research gap in the identification of current student housing needs and preferences in German dormitories, taking financial backgrounds into account.

User Cost of Housing Analysis of the German Real Estate Market

Background: This study looks at the development of the German real estate landscape, which recorded a continuous rise in prices between 2009 and 2022. These were due to a genuine excess demand, a shortage of supply and favorable financing conditions. In the course of 2022, mortgage rates then rose after a historically long period of low interest rates. Aim: This study aims in particular to assess whether the financial advantage of home ownership remains robust. The aim is to determine the relative attractiveness of home ownership compared to renting in all 401 German districts and independent cities. Methods: The owner-occupier costs are determined using the user cost of housing approach and compared with the current rental prices in the respective cities and districts. Various factors are taken into account, including the purchase price, financing costs, maintenance and rental prices. Results: The results of the analysis show that home ownership still offers a considerable cost advantage on average across Germany: In mid-2023, it is around 57% cheaper per square meter to invest than to rent. However, it is important to point out that this result does not take into account differences in the population’s ability to afford home ownership. Furthermore, the analysis raises questions about the sustainability of past house price growth and whether this increase is due to fundamental factors or low mortgage rates. In this sense, the study confirms that home ownership on the German real estate market remains economically favorable compared to renting, even with increased interest rates. It underlines how important it is to consider the long-term benefits for wealth accumulation when deciding between owning and renting. Practical relevance/social implications: The study is of practical relevance for people who rent an apartment or house in Germany and are considering whether it is sensible and economical for them to invest in property. The findings from the analysis are helpful for current purchasing decisions. Originality/value: It also offers original results and provides the reader with added value, as it captures and evaluates current real estate developments on the German market in a well-founded manner.

Collaboration between Criminal Justice and Child Protection in Cases of Child Sexual Abuse: Unveiling Inhibiting and Facilitating Factors

AbstractVictims of child sexual abuse (CSA) in criminal proceedings face a range of stress factors. In response to this, collaboration between criminal justice and child protection professionals has been established both legally and informally, such as in the newly established Childhood Houses in Germany, which follow the model of the Scandinavian Barnahus to reduce stress and prevent revictimisation. This study intends to identify facilitating and inhibiting factors in the collaboration between the child protection and criminal justice systems in cases of CSA in Germany. Twenty‐eight qualitative interviews with experts from child protection, like counselling centre employees (n = 5), psychosocial court supporters (n = 5) and youth welfare office workers (n = 5), and the criminal justice system, like prosecutors (n = 5), police officers (n = 5) and attorneys (n = 3). The interviews are structured by a questionnaire and analysed using Kuckartz's method of qualitative content analysis (QCA). Findings show that key factors like information flow, assessments of collaboration partners, uncertainties about laws and actors' perspectives on reporting and networking determine the success or failure of interagency collaboration.

Aging people with intellectual disabilities in need of care: challenges, strategies, and consequences for special housing in Germany

Objective While the increasing life expectancy of people with intellectual disabilities is a positive development, it also means that special housing for people with intellectual disabilities has to adapt to meet age-related needs. Method This qualitative study analyzes the decision-making processes of staff in special housing facilities for people with intellectual disabilities in Germany regarding care and housing options as these people age and their care needs increase. Results Drawing on 18 interviews with staff, the study describes the challenges that arise as age-related decline increases and behavioral changes manifest, leading to what we call ‘care boundary’. Using a Grounded Theory approach, the study constructs a theoretical framework of the dynamics between challenges, care boundaries, action strategies, and consequences, especially with regard to the decision of people remaining in special housing or having to move to a nursing home. The study underscores the critical role of staff in navigating these challenges and outlines two primary action strategies: ‘compensating’ adaptations within the existing care context and ‘cooperating’ entailing strategic collaboration with external care providers. Conclusion These insights have implications for the future design of care and support systems for aging individuals with intellectual disabilities in special housing settings and beyond.

Subsidies or cost-reflective energy tariffs? Alternative pathways for decarbonizing the residential sector and implications for cost efficiency

This study assesses alternative energy technologies (i.e., PV and battery systems, electric heat pumps, hybrid gas heating with solar thermal energy) in terms of profitability and CO2 emissions, for the case of two simulated typical households living in detached houses in Germany. Under the status-quo regulatory framework, the energy transition in the heating sector is fostered through grants for replacing old heating systems, whereas PV generation is fostered by feed-in tariffs and indirect subsidies for self-consumption. This study considers an alternative regulatory scenario with a more market-oriented approach, finding that a CO2-oriented reform of energy surcharges and taxes, as well as a reform of network charges, can support a more cost-efficient energy transition in the residential sector. The paper concludes with a discussion of the consistency, cost efficiency and effectiveness of past and current policies underpinning the energy transition in the residential sector.

Which factors influence consumers’ selection of wood as a building material for houses?

Construction and use of buildings is one of the highest users of global energy (34%) and one of the highest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions (37%). Using wood instead of carbon-intensive materials such as bricks reduces a building's embodied energy and is a more eco-friendly alternative. Since the quota of newly built wooden houses in Germany is still relatively low, gaining insights into the perspective of consumers is crucial. This study aims to investigate factors from a consumer perspective that influence the selection of wood as the primary building material for residential houses. Therefore, an online survey was conducted in Germany to gather data from individuals ( N = 510) who either bought or built a house in the last 5 years. By conducting a logistic regression, we have identified six influencing factors for the selection of wood. Positive views on wood's eco-friendliness and emphasis on renewable materials are key factors in choosing wood. Higher age and living in rural areas also increase the likelihood of selecting wood, while concerns about value stability and durability have negative effects. We conclude that increasing information activities, raising awareness about wood's ecological benefits, and dispelling prejudices can significantly impact its selection as a preferred building material.

Turn down your thermostats – A contribution to overcoming the European gas crisis? The example of Germany

Europe's current gas crisis requires rapid government intervention to curtail natural gas consumption and mitigate expenses for consumers. This study aims to comprehensively assess the impact of adjusting thermostats, with single-family houses in Germany serving as a case study. A unique bottom-up approach for approximating gas consumption at the level of building archetypes reveals that decreasing temperature setpoints from 21 °C to 19 °C and 17 °C can save about 14 and 30 TWh/a of gas, respectively. This corresponds to 3–6 % of gas imports from Russia to Germany in 2020. The largest absolute savings can be realized in older and larger buildings. Additionally, our findings suggest that the adjustment of thermostats may decrease residential CO2 emissions by 3–6 Mt/a, achieved through a reduction of 2–4 °C in the setpoint. Therefore, the measure shows great promise regardless of the present crisis. From the consumer's perspective, a 1 °C temperature reduction can lead to a gas bill reduction of 4–9 %, contingent upon building type. Nevertheless, the cost burden associated with rising gas prices surpasses these savings. Residents of older buildings suffer more severe financial impacts than those in newer ones. Our research suggests that policymakers should consider implementing adjustments to residential thermostats. Furthermore, consumer financial assistance programs should factor in building type when designing relief mechanisms.

Feminist perspectives on housing financialisation: The case of the German social rental housing sector

This paper explores the financialisation of housing in Germany’s social rental housing sector, focusing on the lived experiences of tenants. Drawing on a relational feminist lens, the study examines how macro-level policy shifts, financialised management practices, and tenants’ lived experiences intersect to drive housing precarity. Through the case study of Vonovia, Germany’s largest financialised landlord, the paper illustrates how institutional investors maximise profits by upgrading properties, increasing rents, and displacing vulnerable tenants. The research, based on tenant interviews and document analysis, sheds light on the emotional and material impacts of housing financialisation and the growing disconnect between tenants and their homes. The findings reveal that the financialisation of social rental housing undermines social cohesion, disrupts everyday life, and deepens feelings of alienation and fragmentation

Single People and Mass Housing in Germany, 1850–1930: (No) Home Away from Home

Single People and Mass Housing in Germany, 1850–1930: (No) Home Away from Home

우리나라 구분소유법제 연구의 효시

The first Korean article on aggregate building law theory is Chong Kil Tsche’s paper published in Seoul Law Journal vol. 11 no. 2 in March 1970, under the title of “Rechtsvergleichende und rechtserkennende Studie über das Wohnungsrecht(in English: Comparative and survey-based study of aggregate housing law, hereafter ‘the Paper’).” Though Professor Tsche had left only this one paper on the theme before he passed away at the age of 42 in 1973, the Paper is awarded meaning much more than as the first Korean article in this area of law.
 To begin with, it is worth noting that despite being the first one, the Paper was mentioned in a widely cited German standard commentary, thereby introducing abroad the emerging field of law in Korea. Such an example is rare to find in other legal fields, which could be partly explained in the light of the author’s vivid international exchange activities.
 However, the true value of the Paper should be found in its significant academic worth in and of itself. Firstly, it analyzed how Stockwerkseigentum, once denied by Pandectists in the tradition of Roman law, was revived as sectional ownership form of modern housing in Germany, France, and Japan due to social demand, skillfully using a comparative legal method. The results of the analysis are extraordinarily accurate and suggestive even by today's standards, more than 50 years later. Secondly, the paper scrutinized the legal situations concerning multi-family housing, which just began to take root in our society in the late 1960s, based on the actual documents of contracts. It summarizes how the legal problems caused by the absence or lack of related laws were resolved on-site, concluding that the final and desirable resolution should be possible through the enactment of overall systematic legislation.
 Given our terribly deficient research resources in the late 1960s, the achievements of the Paper without any prior research is remarkably exceptional and admirable. To understand how all these were accomplished, each reference cited in the section on legal history in the Paper is meticulously searched for and compared with the original text. And it could be confirmed that the lack of European literature was supplemented with Japanese literature, and plausibly supposed that Professor Tsche might have at least partially consult the original directly.
 Inspired by the Paper, a series of papers addressing the legal issues regarding aggregate buildings were published not only in practice but also at universities from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s. And the Aggregate Building Act in 1984 was finally enacted in Korea with the full support of the Korean Civil Law Society and the courts. By the way, several key issues raised in the Paper - such as the relationship between shared ownership and exclusive ownership of common areas, as well as the time and conditions for the establishment of sectional ownership - are expected to continue to be discussed in the near future.

On the report of a new world millipede (Rhinotus purpureus) from India

The Indian millipede fauna is diverse with many families and genera but remains seriously underexplored. Among the families of the order polyzoniida, Siphonotidae is the only family to have reports from the southern hemisphere. The tropical tramp species of this family, Rhinotus purpureus (Pocock, 1894) shows a cosmopolitan distribution. It has been repeatedly described as a new species leading to more than a dozen synonyms. It is designated as a common tramp species as it is frequently found in green houses and other synanthropic habitats from many different parts of the world including Kew Gardens in England, green houses in Germany, Central America and Southern USA, Comoro Islands, Madagascar and Indian Ocean Islands. The present study provides the first record of R. purpureus, from the Indian subcontinent.

Associations of production characteristics with the on-farm presence of Fasciola hepatica in dairy cows vary across production levels and indicate differences between breeds

Fasciola hepatica is one of the economically most important endoparasites in cattle production. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the relevance of production level on the associations of on-farm presence of F. hepatica with farm-level milk yield, milk fat, and milk protein in Holstein cows, a specialised dairy breed, and in Simmental cows, a dual purpose breed. Furthermore, we investigated whether differential associations were present depending on breed. Data from 560 dairy farms across Germany housing 93,672 cows were analysed. The presence of F. hepatica antibodies was determined via ELISA on bulk tank milk samples. Quantile regression was applied to model the median difference in milk yield, milk fat, and milk protein depending on the interaction of breed and fluke occurrence. Whereas a reduction in milk yield (-1,206 kg, p < 0.001), milk fat (-22.9 kg, p = 0.001), and milk protein (-41.6 kg, p <0.001) was evident on F. hepatica positive German Holstein farms, only milk fat (-33.8 kg, p = 0.01) and milk protein (-22.6 kg, p = 0.03) were affected on F. hepatica positive German Simmental farms. Subsequently, production traits were modelled within each of the two breeds for low, medium, and high producing farms in the presence of F. hepatica antibodies and of confounders. On Holstein farms, the presence of F. hepatica seropositivity was associated with lower production, while on German Simmental farms such an association was less evident. This work demonstrates that production level is relevant when assessing the associations between the exposure to F. hepatica with production characteristics. Moreover, both models indicate a breed dependence. This could point towards a differential F. hepatica resilience of specialised dairy breeds in comparison with dual purpose breeds.

“I’m Home”: “Russian” Houses in Germany and Their Objects

Abstract In this article, I will focus on the study of the living space in houses of Russian-speaking emigrants in 1990s–2000s in Germany. I will discuss the “home” in several aspects: in a wide sense as a place on Earth where people’s life goes on, as physically built environment where a family dwells, and as objectified everyday life in the interiors. The choice of objects and furnishings for a “Russian” house in Germany cannot be classified, but it is unique and is associated with the biographies of the owners, the history of each individual family, as well as the history of moving to Germany. The “Russian” house in Germany turns out to be a complex phenomenon: it can be seen as a safe space, escape from the outside world, and offering emotional comfort. It is a place for representation of family and personal values, the owners’ identity, and preferences. It is also a scene where scenarios of relationships between a person and objects unfold. The objects that a person places in his/her house appear as objectified memories of life events and other people, reflecting the importance of family and interpersonal relationships expressed in gifts, photos, children’s drawings, and crafts. In a new place, people are no longer limited to a set of typical furnishing patterns that were dictated by a shortage of goods and ideas in the country of origin. House owners show their personality, trying to make their home different from that in the place of origin and introduce a non-standard style of European interiors in their homes, yet unwittingly they often reproduce stereotypes and fragments from their previous houses where they lived before migrating.

Das Quelle-Fertighaus

Abstract The steel prefabricated family house ›Quelle-Fertighaus‹ designed and constructed by the German company Quelle, is an innovative modular system commercialised in 1962. All aspects of the Quelle-Fertighaus are planned on the principle of minimal effort for maximal flexibility. The clever design of the ground plan based on a 4 m × 7 m module offers the flexibility for either one to three additional modules. The steel construction is innovative and unique, consisting of load-bearing portal frames acting as braces. The house design is furthermore characterised by a simple metrical grid layout and the practical placement of the foundation and basement, which allowed the very cost-effective production and the lowest price for a prefabricated family house in Germany during the postwar era. Nowadays its portal-frame-construction offers an interesting approach for its renovation and transformation according to present building demands.

Landlords vs Tenants = Top vs Bottom? Class Positions in Rental Housing in Germany

Home ownership status is closely linked to social inequality in Germany, where tenants face several disadvantages in multiple dimensions. Even though Germany is one of the biggest renter and therefore landlord nations, in the context of the housing question it is the demand side that has been discussed and studied most. Less attention has been given to the supply side, particularly individual small-scale landlords. This article is one of the first attempts to shed light on the largest provider group that literally holds the keys to homes in its hands. Drawing on quantitative data, this article examines the socioeconomic profiles of landlords compared to tenants over time, finding landlords in the upper strata and witnessing long-term wealth divides in relation to tenants. Coupled with structural power imbalances during tenancies, this research seeks to stimulate research on private renting in the future from a class perspective.

APPLYING 3D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY IN CONSTRUCTING SUSTAINABLE HOUSES

Innovation is advancing at an ever-expanding pace and has been for decades. Regular objects have gotten to be minimal in measure and cheaper to deliver. 3D printing technology (3DP), also known as additive manufacturing (AM), has gaining rapid development in recent years. is a method for turning a computer file into 3D solid objects of any shape or geometry. The creation is accomplished by building up layers of a certain substance until the full item is produced. The 3D printing technologies, comparing to traditional techniques of constructing the buildings, could be considered as environmentally friendly derivative giving almost unlimited possibilities for geometric complexity realizations. The primary issue is that the building sector has a significant negative influence on the environment. Some modern technologies are being applied to reduce materials usage and carbon emissions like 3D printing. The major purpose of this article is to compare between conventional approaches and 3D printing technology to assess their effects on sustainable housing, evaluate how 3D printing functions and consider its advantages and disadvantages. To conduct the research, a comparison between traditional techniques and 3d printing technology will take place to see their impacts on sustainable houses, theoretical studies will be done on both :3D printing concepts and application in architecture and its effectiveness on environment and sustainability. In addition to the practical studies, experimental ones where case studies are selected according to the inductive method mentioning the selection criteria. Three case studies will be analysed, where the 3D printing technology is achieved, TECLA, a circular housing prototype in Ravenna, Italy, the Dubai municipality and Beckum First 3D Printed house in Germany.

The Application of Finite Element Simulation and 3D Printing in Structural Design within Construction Industry 4.0

Three-dimensional (3D) printing, or additive manufacturing (AM), is a production can be utilised to fabricate 3D shapes from a simulated file. This technology has gained global popularity in the construction industry since 2014 due to its wide range of applications. AM promotes a more automated, innovative, flexible, and sustainable construction method, making it an integral part of the Construction Industry 4.0. However, there need to be more detailed studies regarding the effectiveness of AM as the future direction in the construction industry. This paper investigates the application of the finite element method (FEM) in assessing 3D-printed structures to get insight into the performance of these structures. Three leading 3D-printed structures were selected, including Dubai Future Foundation in the United Arab Emirates, Apis Cor house in Russia and PERI house in Germany. Structural and thermal analyses, including linear static, natural frequency, spectral response, and steady state heat, were performed using Strand7 to assess the effectiveness of AM in construction and the reliability of FEM in analysing 3D-printed structures. Although there are limited standards and regulations for 3D-printed structures in most countries, it was concluded that 3D-printed structures presented a similar strength to traditional ones. Moreover, FEM can be used to provide a reasonable analysis of the performance of these structures, while complying with the relevant standards. This paper presents a novel numerical procedure to assess the performance of small-scale 3D-printed structures under various mechanical and thermal loadings by checking against the relevant standards.

Editors' Page

Editors' Page Stephanie G'schwind and Donald Revell Whatever plans you think you got, you better get some others." An ominous bit of advice given, in Brendan McKennedy's "Deep River," to a young woman struggling to make a meaningful life as a millhand in 1920s North Carolina, it might well be the motto for the last three years, when we've had to pivot, accommodate, reimagine, reconfigure. It certainly rings true for the characters in this issue's fiction, who find themselves having to make all manner of unforeseen adjustments. In Joanna Pearson's "The Favor," a couple become the hosts to an unexpected houseguest at a time when they are questioning the boundaries of what makes a family. The narrator of Deepa Varadarajan's "How to Give a Best Man Toast" wrestles with the shifting of attachments as his beloved older brother gets married. And in Naihobe Gonzalez's "Southern Cemetery," a young woman spontaneously spends an evening with a new friend, exploring the risky space between safety and uncertainty, confronting her relationship to fear. Shifting focus, the essays here are concerned with the spaces we inhabit—and how they shape us. "First you live in a house, and then it lives in you," writes Emily Winakur in "Who Lives in That House," an essay that explores, among other things, the relationship of place to memory. Jonathan Gleason's braided essay "Proxemics" is a meditation on architecture, spatial relationships, family, penitence, and forgiveness. And in "The Other Erica," Erica Goss contemplates the multigenerational impact of her grandmother's death, leading her to search for the house in Germany where her mother and grandmother endured the Second World War, seeking clues about her mother's, grandmother's, and, ultimately, her own identity. Whatever space you find yourself in, whatever plans you have, I hope you can make room and time for the stories, essays, and poems we've gathered for you in these pages. Welcome to the spring issue. [End Page 1] ________ Given the turbulent mundanity of our day—its diminished expectations and dire prospects—it is time, surely, to take a lesson from springtime itself and to venture all upon a reckless moment of beauty. When it comes to beauty, I'm with Cocteau: "a little too much is just enough for me." Call it, as Emma De Lisle does, "some helpless faith of my flesh," but I cannot help but choose the apple blossom over the killing frost, the bear cub over the melting ice cap, no matter what the odds. The question, then, becomes just how and when to improve those odds in beauty's favor. Our poets rise amply to the question. Wisely, Rachel Abramowitz advises, "If you see a saint, speak to it," i.e., engage with transcendence wherever it appears, then ask for directions. Angela Ball suggests, with just the right touch of metaphysical insouciance, that we explore "the space between / two swans," there, perhaps, to discover the grace that moves all graciousness. It's worth a try, and in the trying we may delight to find what James Davis May calls (and calls for) "not just beauty, then, but its excess." When I was young, the phrase "too much" was an earnest form of praise. In our more-than-praiseworthy gathering of poets, may you find ample and adequate excess. [End Page 2] Copyright © 2023 Center for Literary Publishing

Redefining contemporary housing spaces through architectural transformation

Today, the need for designing appropriate housing spaces becomes a fundamental aspect of architecture. To ensure the operation of these spaces and their sustainability, an architectural approach is needed. Transformable architecture, which encompasses designs that can be transformed according to different functions and used for many purposes, is the architectural approach for enhancing housing spaces that might adapt with the ongoing process of changing needs. Hence, architects are challenged to create innovative spaces to satisfy the needs of all users. Therefore, the main aim of this research is to explore the role of transformable architecture in redefining contemporary housing spaces in respect to the various needs of users in different psychological, environmental and economic contexts. To achieve this aim, this research employs a scientific methodology starting by reviewing the literature that provides knowledge about transformable architecture and its implementation in contemporary housing spaces; then analyzing four selected international case studies: Suitcase house in China, Safe house in Poland, Living Room House in Germany, and Sharifi-ha House in Iran and comparing them. These facts serve as the foundation for the authors' argument that transformable architecture is a good stand point for suitable design strategies to improve the functionality of housing spaces and to respond to diverse users’ needs. A set of recommendations regarding the application of this architectural approach are drawn as guidelines in designing contemporary housing spaces.

Mind the housing inclusion gap: The voice of people with disabilities in German housing politics

AbstractAccessible housing is essential for disabled and elderly people with physical restraints to live independently. In reality, however, there is a considerable lack of accessible housing in Germany. While investigating the reasons for this insufficient supply, this article discusses the underlying policy mix and scrutinizes German accessible housing politics. Based on 50 semi‐structured interviews in the two states Saxony‐Anhalt and Hesse, it identifies the weak political influence of disability lobbyists as the primary reason. Lacking structural, organizational, and institutional power, they do not get access to decision‐makers in housing politics but are labeled as social policy actors. On the other hand, housing and building industries have considerable resources to push their housing policy agenda. Nevertheless, the empirical findings clearly show the challenging endeavor of integrating social and building policies in accessible housing while contributing to the overarching understanding of politics in minor policy fields.