Download the New PSLifestyle Policy Brief on Housing

A new policy brief on sustainable housing choices from PSLifestyle is available for download. PSLifestyle is a pan-European research project funded by the European Union that aims to support the incorporation of sustainability into citizens' everyday choices and lifestyles. 

As part of this project, PSLifestyle designed and distributed a "Lifestyle Test" that people could take to learn more about their personal carbon footprint and receive tips to save time and money while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

The policy brief on housing from PSLifestyle drew from over 410,000 anonymous responses to the Lifestyle test to identify what lifestyle changes people are most willing to make to be more sustainable and what challenges hold them back from further actions.  In this report, you can also find a set of policy recommendations to improve sustainable housing in Europe, based on the findings from the Lifestyle Test. 

Conserving energy in homes is an example of an action that many are willing to take, while prohibitive financial costs and lifestyle needs or expectations are highlighted as frequent barriers to sustainable housing choices. Included in the policy recommendations are insights into how subsidies for sustainable home renovations can reduce financial barriers to the implementation of sustainable housing practices such as geothermal heating, improved insulation, and the installation of solar panels. 

Shifting to building smaller and sustainable housing and implementing the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) at the national level are also examples of policy recommendations in the brief. The necessity of encouraging sustainable behaviour is also highlighted, as socioeconomic hurdles and unsustainable societal aspirations, such as larger houses, deter people from adopting climate-friendly practices. Public campaigns, educational programmes, and media regulation are proposed as tools to encourage sustainable communities. 

To read the housing policy brief, you can access or download the file below. The policy brief is one of four policy briefs that PSLifestyle published on sustainable lifestyles. The other four focus on transport, food, and purchases and can be accessed at this link.