Recent research identifies 'sufficiency' in the building sector as a key strategy to reduce emissions, alleviate housing shortages, and conserve resources by optimising existing spaces instead of constructing new buildings.

Measures like converting offices to homes, utilising vacancies, and subdividing larger homes offer significant potential, with millions of square meters available in countries like Germany and France.

Although vacant buildings may have higher operational carbon emissions than new, energy-efficient ones, energy-efficiency renovations can reduce whole-life carbon emissions by up to 62%.

However, challenges such as economic and regulatory barriers, limited data, and the need for stronger public administration capacity remain.

The study, conducted by BPIE and Ramboll for the Directorate-General for Environment of the European Commission, aims to support the EU Roadmap for the Reduction of Whole Life Carbon Emissions. It highlights the growing emissions from new construction, alongside operational emissions, while many European cities face a housing crisis. 

Political targets for new housing create a conflict between social goals, such as affordable living space, and environmental concerns. The report suggests reconciling these through sufficiency strategies that prioritise optimising existing buildings over new construction. 

Sufficiency policies, as defined by the IPCC, aim to meet human needs within ecological limits. Successful implementation requires focusing on renovations, increasing space use intensity, and designing buildings for flexible future use. This approach can effectively address both climate and housing challenges.

Sufficiency actions among private building owners in Europe are voluntary and rely on information campaigns that can be tailored to local priorities using existing platforms like One-Stop-Shops.

The report emphasises the several other existing opportunities to promote sufficiency actions in the building sector, such as incentivising the use of vacant spaces, integrating sufficiency into other policy objectives, and leveraging social, economic, and aesthetic benefits. These actions can be cost-effective and quicker than new construction. 

However, challenges include limited data on vacant buildings, voluntary adoption by private owners, and the need for stronger public administration capacity. Overcoming economic and regulatory barriers, addressing upfront costs, and tailoring approaches to specific contexts will be crucial for realising sufficiency’s potential.