Towards Energy Sufficiency in the Residential Housing Sector?: Evaluating the design and implementation of policies for living space reduction in Göttingen

Abstract: Energy sufficiency has been recognised as a strategy to promote sustainable energy use and achieve climate neutrality. It aims to reduce energy demand in absolute terms. ‘Living Space Reduction’ (LSR) is one way to achieve energy sufficiency in the housing sector. However, existing studies highlight significant barriers to its materialisation, including the lack of funding and expert knowledge of municipalities to design and implement sufficiency policy measures. The objective of this research was to better understand the design and implementation elements of LSR policy measures that have the potential to advance LSR manifestation, taking the city of Göttingen (Germany) as a case study. Applying a conceptual framework drawing from realist evaluation and using data from semi-structured interviews with practitioners and a supporting literature review, the design and implementation of LSR policy measures were evaluated and complementing policies that can facilitate LSR manifestation were found. Results show that the ‘Living Space Agency’ (LSA), a new institution promoting LSR, is the central policy measure aiming at behaviour changes towards LSR manifestation. Key issues hindering the effective implementation of LSR policy measures are difficulties reaching the target group, unclear roles of implementing institutions, lack of monitoring data, and constrained financial and human resources. The findings suggest several avenues to overcome barriers, including channelling resources to the LSA, promoting LSR through a stronger link with social policy, and incorporating sufficiency in training for energy advisors. Further policy changes and efforts should be focused not only on informing but actually enabling behaviour change towards LSR manifestation by reducing policy incoherence (e.g. inhibiting housing law) and providing alternative accessible housing for people > 50 years. The study concludes that practitioners should focus efforts on generating openness and intention for LSR while policymakers should concentrate efforts on increasing options and funding for LSR living and reducing legal barriers that prevent behaviour intentions for LSR from turning into action.