“Since my children moved out, our house has become far too big for my needs.” Hanna Wagener laments what many homeowners experience in the course of their lives. However, for the woman from Freiburg to be idly burdened with superfluous square meters is out of the question. As part of the “living smaller – living better” campaign, the architect Helma Haselberger developed ways for them to downsize within their own four walls. Because the campaign, which is funded by the state, offers interested parties free information and specific advice on reducing individual living space. It was brought into being and organized by the Freiburg Regio Energy Agency in cooperation with many municipalities in Freiburg and the surrounding districts.
A look at the website of the State Statistical Office explains why this campaign makes sense: In Baden-Württemberg between the turn of the millennium and 2020, the number of square meters per capita increased by more than six square meters to 46.7. At the same time, there is a growing trend towards living alone. In Freiburg, for example, only 1.9 people live in an apartment on average, in the districts of Emmendingen and Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald it is 2.1 people.
Not easy emotionally
On the other hand, there is a housing shortage, high energy costs and the climatic necessity of emitting as little CO2 as possible. All good reasons to downsize your living space. Why do older people find it so difficult? “Reducing the size of your living space is often not easy emotionally. Too many things need a new place.” Architect Haselberger has long been advising people who are looking for attractive forms of living together. She sees only advantages: “Especially for older people, it is important to keep in touch with the outside world, to have other people in the house who look after them, to share tasks in the yard and garden.” The advice could encourage unnecessary work Rededicate space in a good way.
This means granny flats, attic conversions, the subletting of rooms or the development of separate residential floors via external stairs. “It is particularly important to us that the consultations not only highlight structural aspects, but also address financial issues or building regulations,” says Lea Unterreiner from the Freiburg Region Energy Agency, who is in charge of the project. After all, money must first be raised for structural measures, but this is offset by long-term rental income. A first construction request has already been made in the project.
More efficient than just energy efficient
The Staufen architect Michael Sellner has long been committed to energy-efficient construction and renovation, also as a speaker at public events. With his involvement in “Living smaller – living better”, he goes one step further: “As an energy consultant, I see that there is no point in making houses more and more energy-efficient if fewer and fewer people live in them at the same time.” Sellner has already consulted on several occasions Reduction of living space with the feeling “something will come of it”. In his experience, you have to give people time afterwards.
“The fact that I’m doing something for climate protection on the side and maybe even motivating others to do the same is particularly motivating for me.” Hanna Wagener was the first to want to downsize her living space to meet her needs as part of the “living smaller – living better” campaign. But she thinks far beyond her own needs.
In addition to the district of Emmendingen, the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald also supports the campaign. Its climate protection manager, Sabine Barden, sees this as a “contribution to relaxing the housing market and at the same time to climate protection in the region”.
More information at www.earf.de/klein-besser-wohnen. An information event for interested parties is being planned. http://www.earf.de/va-klein-wohnen
O-Tones and Quotations
Dipl.-Ing. Ingeborg Thor-Klauser, freelance architect and energy consultant “Many of my customers live in houses that are actually much too big for their current living situation. That can be stressful, because the effort that so many square meters require is not inconsiderable. In the “living smaller – living better” project, as an architect, I can work with people to develop individual solutions for better use of the living space. I am particularly pleased when this not only reduces CO2 emissions, but also opens up new perspectives in life through architecturally exciting solutions and more social interaction.”
Hanna Wagener, owner “Since the children moved out, our house has become far too big for my needs. I am very curious how the living space can be better divided. The fact that I’m also doing something for climate protection on the side, and maybe even motivating others to do the same, motivates me particularly.”
Sabine Barden, climate protection manager of the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald “It’s great that this project takes on the challenge of reducing living space! That means overcoming informational, financial, organizational and emotional hurdles. The Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district is happy to support this contribution to easing the housing market and at the same time to climate protection in the region.”
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