Meeting housing needs within planetary boundaries: A UK case study

The resource titled "Meeting housing needs within planetary boundaries: A UK case study" is published in the journal Ecological Economics by authors Stefan Horn, Ian Gough, Charlotte Rogers, and Rebecca Tunstall. The paper addresses the pressing UK housing crisis, focusing on how to decarbonize housing stock rapidly and fairly while meeting the needs of the entire population.

The authors advocate for a radical approach based on "sufficiency," which establishes a housing floor (a decent minimum standard) and a ceiling (above which lies unsustainable excess). They define these thresholds based on bedrooms and floorspace, analyzing the distribution of housing in England. The study reveals that excess housing is prevalent, especially in home ownership, particularly outright ownership, characterized by higher emissions per square meter.

The paper highlights that 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the UK stem from domestic heating, with an additional 4% from electricity use in homes. It argues that merely increasing housing supply and enhancing energy efficiency will not meet decarbonization goals while providing adequate accommodation for those in need. To address the crisis effectively, policies must differentiate between sufficient and excess housing to utilize the housing stock more effectively.

Sufficiency integrates social and ecological dimensions in housing policy. For example, the UN defines sufficient housing space as one-third of a room per person, which is deemed extreme deprivation in the UK today. The authors propose using established UK standards, such as the bedroom standard and the 2015 floorspace standard, to measure housing sufficiency. Their findings indicate that 53% of the housing stock meets needs, 31% provides comfort, and 16% constitutes excess space.

The study categorizes the total available floorspace in England as 2.34 billion square meters. Using data from the English Housing Survey, it allocates this space into three categories: meeting needs, comfort, and excess. The analysis reveals that the English housing stock is more than adequate for meeting needs and comfort, with excess space significantly exceeding what is required for overcrowded and homeless households.

Operational emissions from the housing stock are emphasized as a major contributor to carbon emissions, with total emissions in 2019-20 estimated at 61.4 million tonnes CO2. The analysis shows that 54% of emissions stem from necessary housing, while excess housing contributes 11.7 million tonnes CO2. The findings challenge the notion that wealthier households are more likely to invest in energy efficiency improvements.

The authors suggest that a sufficiency framework should guide housing policy, emphasizing the need for a corridor towards a net zero economy by 2050. They propose several policy options, including pricing and regulation to target excess housing, better matching of housing stock to household needs, and shifting to more effective tenure forms.

The paper concludes that addressing the UK housing crisis requires a fundamental shift in housing policy, prioritizing human needs within planetary boundaries. It stresses that achieving housing sufficiency and decarbonization will necessitate a comprehensive approach that includes retrofitting existing homes, managing the allocation of housing stock, and reducing new builds to what is essential for population growth.