The effect of resource sustainability interventions on social sustainable development in the built environment

Abstract: The Swedish housing market is under pressure to develop towards sustainability and the built environment as a whole is expected to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases. Housing prices should increase and not inflate, while the development of the built environment should contribute to our well being and decrease segregation. Prioritization amongst these targets is often done through policy and by actors in the housing market. This thesis focuses on the trade-offs between environmental and social sustainable development targets. The thesis builds on two studies of development in the built environment, the main study describing an environmental upgrade of housing in a disadvantaged area of Gothenburg and the second is investigating new built area with high environmental standards. Environmental targets, such as CO reduction, have in some cases been profitably achieved in housing projects in Sweden. The principal study of this thesis describes the implementation of volumetric billing of water at Bredfjällsgatan which successfully reduced water usage and was profitable for the real estate company. However, the system change also increased the average monthly costs for the households and the average rent increased more in the households where the inhabitants were unemployed. The lock-in effect of welfare dependence is increased by increasing monthly expenses. This group lacks economic incentive to save water since welfare pays for water usage. The analyses of water consumption data show that while have economic incentive accounts for some reduction of water consumption, other parameters such as household size, time spent at home per day, and household level of education are also important. Households receiving welfare are not economically affected by the implementation of volumetric billing of water but are further socially excluded from society when trapped in welfare dependence. Economic and environmental aspects were stated motivators for the system change by the real estate owner. Social sustainable development targets on a societal level are not a priority to the same extent. The real estate owner in disadvantaged housing areas should be recognized as an important actor in the development of the housing market in terms of social segregation. The second study focuses on a housing area that is being built with high environmental aspirations. Perspectives of sustainable development amongst developers in the area differ, but it is clear that social dimensions of sustainable development receive less attention. Social sustainable development is thought of as mainly comfortable outdoor environments in the area. This is unfortunate since the social dimensions are complex and the larger societal impact of housing projects is given less focus. Segregation, affordability, and equity were given little focus. However, it is clear that the manner in which these targets are thought to be reached is through varying apartment sizes and mixing tenure in the area.