VCÖ-Factsheet: How sustainable mobility reduces housing costs

How people live and what mobility services they find in their surroundings determine the costs and the environmental balance of their daily journeys. Municipalities and companies can reduce housing costs with measures for sustainable mobility.

In Austria, a household spends an average of 5,100 euros a year on mobility, 95 percent of which is spent on the car. It pays to plan for mobility in housing construction and settlement development.

A housing location with walking distances and good infrastructure is the basis for lower transport costs. Since central plots of land are more expensive, mobility offers that help to keep the construction of underground garages or the land consumption for above-ground parking spaces low significantly reduce construction costs. At the same time, mobility offers that avoid the dependence on one's own car reduce the expenses for mobility.

From energy-saving house to transport-saving house

Significant progress has been made in the energy efficiency of residential buildings. However, climate-friendly mobility only plays a subordinate role in planning. However, residential projects need the integration of sustainable mobility concepts already in the planning stage. The concept of the energy-saving house must be further developed into a transport-saving house. The housing construction enables the right climate-friendly mobility offer for every way without the need for a car. Urban and spatial planning ensure short distances and a dense public transport network.

Every year, around 40,000 flats are built in new buildings in Austria. Eight out of ten everyday journeys begin or end at home. Where we live and what mobility services are available in the residential environment has a great influence on our mobility behaviour.

Including climate-friendly mobility in the planning of housing and settlement development reduces both construction costs and mobility costs.

"Instead of the obligation to build car parking spaces, offers for climate-friendly mobility should be created. In many places, expensively built underground car parks have a high vacancy rate."

Markus Gansterer, VCÖ Transport Policy

You can find the online version or download it here:
VCÖ Factsheet 2017-01