The environment most important in future housing
Digitalization makes our homes increasingly more intelligent. More than 6 out of 10 Swedes believe that environmentally smart solutions is the most important focus area in developing the housing of the future. Also, 4 out of 10 would like to produce, use and resell electricity with their neighbours. Meanwhile, the laundry room is the shared space generating most conflicts. This is revealed in a new study initiated by Tieto.
On June 1st, the first students move into HSB Living Lab, a unique research arena for the housing for the future, located at the Chalmers University of Technology campus in Gothenburg. Some thirty students and researchers will be living in the house, while at the same time being subject to research 24/7 about new technologies, sustainability, architecture, social connections and relationships with the help of thousands of smart sensors and advanced IT solutions delivered by Tieto.
Before the moving in, Tieto has commissioned a study conducted by research company TNS-Sifo on the Swedes’ views on future housing. The results show that environmentally smart solutions are held in high regard – 64 percent indicate that as the most important focus area. Safer and more secure housing, along with smart IT solutions that simplify one’s daily life, are prioritized by some half of the respondents. The exterior and interior are not as important – 13 percent prioritize inspiring architecture, while 18 percent believe that modern and luxurious design is important.
- The results confirm that Swedes in general are very environmentally conscious and smart, and that sustainable solutions should be in focus in developing future housing solutions. New technology plays a crucial role here. By bringing companies from various industries together and co-innovating new solutions from the start, we can encompass all aspects of a smart accommodation with a focus on social, financial and environmental sustainability, says Linnea Källgård, service designer and project manager at Tieto.
Swedes want to produce electricity together - but get annoyed by neighbours´ laundry routines
The sustainability solutions of the future that Swedes would prefer to have access to include the ability to produce, use and resell electricity with their neighbours – 4 out of 10 would like to utilize electricity in this manner. Equally many want the building to be a zero net energy building. 60 percent say they want the ability to monitor and control their energy consumption via an app.
35 percent of respondents want to have access to smart appliances, such as refrigerators that alert you when you´re running out of milk or other supplies or where the item’s “ best before” date is about to expire. In the 16-29 year old age group, half responded that they would like access to smart appliances.
An important part of developing the housing of the future is to look at how residents can share resources in order to reduce negative environmental impact. The study shows that 46 percent would be willing to share activity and exercise equipment with their neighbours, and that 41 percent would be willing to share mechanical tools and garden tools. Only 1 percent would be prepared to share a shower/bathroom.
The shared areas that cause most irritation between neighbours is the laundry room and the garbage room. 63 and 34 percent identified these as the main areas of conflict.
- New digital solutions can perhaps ease tensions, for instance by making it easier to arrange bookings, or to see where in building the housing association’s common property and equipment may be found. In turn, Property managers can get real-time information on, for instance, possible dampness problems in the walls, as the built-in sensors report this automatically. The technology provides the building with its own voice, comments Linnea Källgård.
For further information, please contact:
Linnea Källgård, service designer and project manager, Tieto
phone: +46 73 027 2728, e-mail: linnea.kallgard[at]tieto.com
Excerpts from the survey:
- Environmental, safety and smart living solutions are important: 64% believe that environmentally smart solutions are most important to focus on in developing the housing solutions of the future, together with safer and more secure housing (47%), smart IT and technology solutions that simplify daily lives (46%), and space efficient and functional floor plans (39%). 13% believe that innovative and inspiring architecture is an important area, while 18% say modern and luxurious design is important. Those who live in student housing believe smart IT and technology solutions are important (54%).
- Sensors increase security: Sensors in housing that warn against, for example, flooding, gas leakage, or a short circuit, would increase the resident’s sense of security in the home to the highest degree (33%). Those who live in terraced houses (40%) and single-family homes (36%) perceive to a greater extent than those who live in multi-family rented dwellings (25%) that it would increase their feeling of security. The possibility of oneself or neighbours being able to digitally monitor the apartment while one was away is indicated by 25 percent as something that would increase a sense of security, while biometric entry systems (10%) and access to a security room (8%) is not in as high demand. 16% of 16-29-year-olds want to have access to a security room, while only 3% of those in 55-65 in the age group have such an interest. 33% of those living in student accommodations find that automatic backup of all computer hard disks in the building would increase a sense of security, compared to the overall average of 13% who expressed such an interest.
- Younger people are attracted to research accommodations: 47% of all those in the 16-29 age group could imagine living in a living lab/research house and contribute to research related to the housing of the future, while this attracts only 22% of 41-65 year olds, and 21% of 66-74-year-olds. On average, 30% of Swedes would consider living in a research house for a period of time. Those who live in student housing constitute the housing group who to the greatest extent would consider living in research housing (42%), while the residents of the terraced houses are the least likely (15%).
- Energy a priority among the sustainability solutions: The sustainability solutions that Swedes would prefer to have access to in the future’s housing solutions would be the ability to produce, use and sell electricity with their neighbours (40%) and that the building should be a zero net energy building (40%). Women to a greater extent than men want to be able to wash dishes/clean clothes in an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly way (39% and 27% respectively).
- Smart appliances interest younger people: 60% say they would like to be able to monitor, manage and control energy consumption in the home via an app. 40% of women would like to have access to a digital platform to be better able to view availability, for example, for the laundry room and other common areas, while this is something only interests 29% of the men. On average, 35 % of the respondents would like to have access to smart appliances, such as refrigerators that alert you when something may be running low or where the item’s “ best before” date is about to expire. A full 50% of those in the 16-29 year old group would like to have access to smart appliances, while only 16% of those in the 66-74 year old group say the same thing.
- Want to share tools, courier solutions and housecleaning help: What respondents would consider sharing with their neighbours: Activity and exercise equipment (46%), service/solution to receive deliveries from a courier even when they are not at home (44%), mechanical tools and garden tools (41%), and cleaning/housecleaning help (39%). Only 1% could imagine sharing a bathroom.
- The laundry room causes the most irritation: The spaces where Swedes today find the most irritation and conflict between neighbours is the laundry room (63%), garbage room (34%), stairwells and lifts (15%), and the bicycle room and parking garage (15%). Those living in multi-family rented housing find, to a greater extent than those who live in co-operative housing association apartments, that the garbage room generates irritation (71% vs. 58%).
About the survey
The survey was conducted in TNS Sifo’s web panel with members of the public aged 16-74. TNS Sifo’s web panel is based on panellists randomly recruited, i.e. not self-recruited. The selection is made nationally representative and for the purpose of adjusting for any differences in demographic subgroups, the result were weighed afterwards based on gender, age and region. 1000 interviews were conducted between 2 to 9 May.
More material available on Tietos webpage.
About HSB Living Lab
HSB Living Lab is a globally unique research arena for the housing for the future, located at the Chalmers campus in Gothenburg. Some thirty students and researchers will be living in the house, while at the same time being subject to research 24/7 about new technologies, sustainability, architecture, social connections and relationships with the help of thousands of smart sensors and advanced IT solutions delivered by Tieto.
The house is built as a portable building with four floors and consists of 29 apartments. HSB Living Lab is working jointly with nine cooperative partners to create a collaboration and synergy arena for new knowledge with a focus on social, financial and ecological sustainability and new smart technologies that can be used in the production of the new housing solutions for future. www.hsb.se/hsblivinglab
About Tieto
Tieto aims to capture the significant opportunities of the data-driven world and turn them into lifelong value for people, business and society. We aim to be customers’ first choice for business renewal by combining our software and services capabilities with a strong drive for co-innovation and ecosystems. www.tieto.com
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