Comparative on Housing in the UK and the Netherland - Essay Example

THE PROBLEM OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE HOUSING SPHERE OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE NETHERLANDS by Sur 16 May 2015 Abstract The problem of housing and its development with the consideration of challenges of the modern life, such as environmental issues and ecology damage, use of renewable sources of energy and resources waste, air pollution due to the increasing number of car occupants is a point of significant concern and demands much attention from both sides: the government and the society. The objective of today’s housing developers and providers, as well as the users, is to adopt new models of behaviour in this regard so that to both contribute to preserving safe surroundings and benefit from the advantages which can potentially be gained in the course of such models application in practice. Introduction The problem of housing and any things related to it have always been a point of primary attention of human beings. This is, logically, explained by natural predetermination as the human beings must have their own living areas, which are homes and flats today, and creates conditions for normal life and any activity. In modern world housing has a dubious nature: it is, to be more precise, its accessibility for anyone, often referred to as a necessary element of a welfare state and an argument in favour of such a state (this point of view is most popular with the supporters of a welfare state concept), whereas the opposite party argues that the society and the government of any country in the world have still not elaborated and applied an adequate housing programme which would cover all the persons in need for shelter. (Stephens, M., van Steen, G., 2011). This paper will consider the modern state of affair in the housing sphere in two countries: the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, and will compare the approaches of both to the problem mentioned. Targets of the Social Housing in the UK and the Netherlands The main target of social housing provision in both countries is solution of the problems of people with low rates of income who cannot afford themselves live in usual accommodation. Another objective is maintenance activity of organizations which provide such services. The difference in this regard is that the UK has lower per cent of socially owned buildings – 18 per cent, whereas the index of the Netherlands is 35 per cent. Transport in the UK and the Netherlands and its Relation to Social Housing There are different ways of transport which are, naturally present in both of the mentioned countries. It is necessary to consider and to compare means of transport in both and to define their relation to the social housing. The major part of the UK transport system is made by motorways and roads. The length of the British roads is approximately 225,000 miles. The most popular means of traveling is automotive vehicle driving, such as van, taxi or an ordinary car, and this way makes about 85 per cent of the total mileage of the British passengers. The number of the British households which possess a car makes 75 per cent from the total quantity. Motorcycling is another very popular means of British transport, and the number of people taking it up makes about one million. Lorries are used mainly for the goods transportation, with the total percentage of the goods carried this way making 65 per cent. Public conveyances provide a good access to the point of destination and include buses (double- and single-deckers), trams, trains, subways and taxis. Air and sea transport is another way of travelling used to reach distant places of the continent and the world (Barrow, M., 2013). The Netherlands have similar state of affairs in the sphere of transport, however, there are some differences from the British one. The Dutch system, in comparison with both the UK’s and the European ones, needs more mobility because the share of the travels made by bicycle and train is extremely high. “There are, however, great regional differences. In highly urbanised areas public transport accounts for as much as 40 to 50% of journeys…” (Eurling, C., 2010, 11). This is explained that people in the Netherlands prefer traveling for medium distances from city to city, which is, obviously, better to do my means of train which is very convenient in this regard. (Eurling, C., 2010, 11). In terms of transport influence on social housing it is necessary to admit that it can play a significant role in making social housing more available to people in need for such a thing. This can be done by means of laying the public transport routes close to the areas of social housing location, together with the fact that the public transport access should not be limited and difficult, but, on the contrary, easy and overwhelming. (Bergman, N., Whitmarsh, L., Köhler, J., 2008, 5). Energy Efficiency and the Social Housing The problem of energy efficiency is actual for all the countries of the world today, and the UK and the Netherlands are not exceptions. The UK’s state of affairs with energy efficiency is a point of concern. It is stated that too much energy, and, consequently, resources, are used in the country, and the quantity used is bigger that the quantity which is really needed. It is mentioned that the task in this sphere is to use only the energy that is really necessary, which would bot economize resources and reduce harmful effects, such as environmentally unfriendly emissions. (Davey, E., 2012, 1). Bergman et al. argue that “…residential sector in the UK, including planning, building and renovating houses, and planning and managing the larger community area, including density, zoning, traffic management and community support, shows unsustainability in various contexts” (Bergman, N., Whitmarsh, L., Köhler, J., 2008, 5). The authors also state that the key point which would allow for the housing becoming more sustainable is the housing which is more energy efficient. In this regard, such actors as land-efficient planning, schemes of recycling which will be present in the planning, and Provision of the housing has also much to do with the appropriate attitude to the communities and neighbourhoods and consciousness in terms of environmental friendliness to these important features. (Bergman, N., Whitmarsh, L., Köhler, J., 2008, 5). The Netherlands have different situation in this sphere. It is reported that the energy efficiency has improved between 2000 and 2010, and the energy efficiency is no longer a primary national strategy. It is also necessary to mention that “…largest efficiency improvement in households has been achieved in heating, but large electrical appliances are also improving.” (Gerdes, J., 2012, 2). This is contrasting with the above mentioned situation in the UK. Energy efficiency in terms of social housing provision is a very important issue. It deals with building of this type housing using environmentally friendly materials with minimal content of harmful substances together with rational use of building materials which would help to avoid contamination of the environment by the building trash. This is one more direction towards sustainable development of the social housing. (Bergman, N., Whitmarsh, L., Köhler, J., 2008, 5). Eco Towns in Terms of Social Housing The concept of eco town is a vital project of today’s environmental situation. The eco town is a town which is built with the use of environmentally friendly materials and which does not damage the environment by its activity. The UK has reached understanding of the necessity of practical application of the mentioned concept. The problem solution in the UK is in the process of its realization as the first eco town construction has started. It will differ from the usual construction because it will be truly carbon free, the houses will have a progressive system of recycling of the water and will be able to react to the temperature changes up to plus or minus ten degrees, the waste treatment will allow for zero landfill waste, and such important feature as the electricity generation from solar elements. (NW Bicester, 2014). The Netherlands are also advanced in this matter and also have their eco town which is called Amersfoort. As of 2008, the construction was 25 per cent complete, and the total number of the houses planned was 11,000. The understanding of importance of this problem was embodied also in the VINEX programme which supposed building of many houses on greenfield sites which is a beginning of the eco town idea. (von Bradsky, A., Falk, N., Birkbeck, D., 2008, 11, 14). The eco towns will provide social housing in the same way as the usual towns do, but the advantage of such measure will be the environmental friendliness of this housing. As people who need social housing usually have to economize on their money expenditures and optimize them, the eco town would be the place where they could do this by means of spending on the things that are really necessary. Land Supply and the social Housing The UK faces shortage in the area of the land available, which makes the sustainable housing development in the greenfield locations difficult. (Bergman, N., Whitmarsh, L., Köhler, J., 2008, 5). This means that it is necessary to either increase the area of housing in the areas with the nature surroundings or to find a solution to the problem of the mentioned land shortage. The state of affairs with the land supply in the Netherlands is different. The shortage of land supply is a point of serious concern when the demand for the houses built exceeds the expected numbers. Though there is also such a problem here as in the UK, it is not the key reason for decrease of the housing demand. (Monk et al., 2013, 64). The land supply shortage in both countries is, of course, an adverse effect in terms of the quantity of the social housing that can potentially be built. The shortage of the greenfield land is a significant threat to sustainable development of the sphere of social housing, as this deprives the prospective inhabitants of the socially owned and built houses from environmentally friendly living location and makes them use ordinary accommodations. Renewable Energy in Terms of the Social Housing Another point which demands much attention is the use of renewable energy in sustainable development of the social housing. This is an overwhelming problem of today’s life as people use very much resources rarely considering that it is possible to reduce the excessive use and prolong the time of use of some resources, especially those which are not renewable. The approach in the sphere of jousting is equal use of the resources and a shift towards the sources of energy which are renewable: wind, sun and water. (Bergman, N., Whitmarsh, L., Köhler, J., 2008, 5). The UK possesses huge possibilities in terms of use of renewable and natural sources of energy, such as tides, waves and wind. “Switching to renewable energy is essential for reducing the devastating effects of climate change, and protecting the natural environment for future generations”. (Renewable UK, 2015). The Netherlands and their population, together with the government, have also realized that the resources provided by nature are endless, and that it is more beneficial to use unlimited energy rather than to deplete expensive and non-renewable resources. The Netherlands use, besides the above mentioned, the technique of energy production from biomass and algae, and production of such energy is stimulated by the governmental programmes. (Holland Trade, 2013). The relation of the renewable resources use to sustainable social housing development is direct and clearly visible. The electricity which can be produced from natural resources can be consumed by the inhabitants of the social housing, which will decrease domestic waste of energy resources which has always been relatively high: the consumption of electricity has increased together with the increase of the number of electric-consuming devices, and as the share of renewable resources in this sphere is still relatively low, it is vitally necessary to introduce them into the sphere of social housing. (Bergman, N., Whitmarsh, L., Köhler, J., 2008, 5). Reducing Carbon Emissions in Social Housing Context “The UK is currently on track to outperform the first two carbon budgets, largely reflecting the impact of the recession.” (CCC, 2012). The point of concern in regard to sustainable development is the adversarial situation with the CO2 emissions which keep on increasing year by year, and the UK has adopted consolidation of efforts of the residential housing market players and their skills in order to reduce the mentioned harmful emissions in residential housing to the level of 60 percent till the year 2050. (Bergman, N., Whitmarsh, L., Köhler, J., 2008, 5). Many efforts are constantly taken on reduction of the factors that cause carbon dioxide emissions. According to Nijemanting and Senel, “Sustainable building design has been a topic of discussion from about the oil crisis and the Club of Rome publications in 1972”. (Nijemanting, F., Senel, M., 2010, 8). They also mention that, though understanding of the word ‘sustainability’ has significantly broadened today, in the Netherlands the regulations are still mainly focused on reduction of energy consumption in houses, which is reached by means of “energy performance coefficient (EPC)” and the label of energy which shows performance. (Nijemanting, F., Senel, M., 2010, 8). This has led to necessity of the governmental interference with the problem and originating of the state programs on sustainable housing development. There is, for example, a 2001 National Environmental Policy Plans programme which determines the strategic aims till the year 2030 and provides an outline of the policy of the government in terms of elimination of the environmental problems and their negative effects on the generations to come. (Nijemanting, F., Senel, M., 2010, 9). The programme addresses seven key problems which demand solution within the future years and include the problem of change of climate conditions (emissions of carbon dioxide). (Nijemanting, F., Senel, M., 2010, 9). The solutions offered to the mentioned problems in terms of social housing include combination of the efforts from governmental, business and social and research sides in order to elaborate an appropriate mode of energy. The common feature of the Dutch programme and one of the UK’s aims in sustainable housing development is reduction of the carbon dioxide emissions in the Netherlands to 40 to 60 percent till the year 2030. According to the programme, the environment which is artificially built shall reduce its energy consumption till the mentioned year. (Nijemanting, F., Senel, M., 2010, 10). The social housing would benefit from these programmes because it would let the households use less substance and perform fewer activities that would lead to carbon dioxide emissions. Social Housing and Construction The sphere of construction is one of the key sectors of the economy of the UK. It is a relatively high developed and technologically advanced activity of the nation and can cover the demands for housing of all types and kinds. (Rees, A., 2013, v). The situation with the Dutch construction is similar to the mentioned UK’s one, as both countries are technologically and economically developed and pay attention to permanent progress in these spheres. The construction sector is responsible for covering the demands for affordable social housing. There is a need for companies which would take up not very profitable but significant and socially important projects. The problem of their motivation could possibly be solved by means of governmental support of the companies which would agree to contribute to the social housing development. National Legislations in Social Housing The housing associations of the Netherlands are non-profit companies aimed at provision of affordable and decent housing for those with relatively low income rates. The legislation norms that regulate activity of such organizations are the Social Rented Sector Management Decree and the Housing Act. The legislation control seemed to weaken with the liberalization of the housing market, but any housing object must still satisfy the demands of the Dutch Building Decree. (Vijverberg, G., 2007, 4). “In England, local authorities and housing associations operate within different statutory, regulatory and funding frameworks.” (Vijverberg, G., 2007, 4). The normative regulatory acts in the UK’s housing sphere are the Landlord and Tenant Act, Housing Act, the Housing Association Act. (Vijverberg, G., 2007, 4). The role of the legislation in the sphere of social housing is the key one because they guarantee housing for anyone and regulate the activity of the participants of the social housing market determining their rights and duties and stipulating the basis for conflicts solution. Politics in the Sphere of Social Housing The UK has never applied the policy of neutrality in relation to tenure, the control of the rent and its regulation was more strict and protracted for a longer period of time than in any country of the EU, the sector of social rent has been influenced by the domination of the direct ownership of the local authority, and, finally, the governments have encouraged initiative of the occupation of the owners to a greater extent that it has been in other countries. (McCrone, G., Stephens, M., 1995, 139). Political influence was, primarily, support of provision of local authority (later on – “right to buy” policy), economic factors of influence included economic rises and falls, and social dealt with the change of people’s attitude to certain types of tenures. (BSHF, 2010, 4). It is necessary to mention the political influence on the urban areas redevelopment has an accent on the central locations in the UK, whereas the focus is on the social housing in the Netherlands. (Verhage, R., 2005, 216). The Netherlands’ housing market has also been more libertarian and has promoted mechanism of market regulation in the sphere, whereas the UK housing has experienced political and governmental influence. (Verhage, R., 2005, 221). The Netherlands housing also features a significant role of the housing associations. (Verhage, R., 2005, 223). These organizations are non-profit, that is, it might seem that there could be problems with legislation in this regard, but this is not the case as the Netherland is part of Western world where such organizations are equal to any others provided that the legislation is observed. (Verhage, R., 2005, 223). Professional Attitudes in Social Housing The professional attitudes in the sphere of social housing are the relations between the provider and the tenure of the housing. They are identical in both countries as they are regulated and driven by the market rules. The point of concern in this regard is that both parties of the process of the social housing provision should observe the laws and fulfill their duties. The provider shall be delicate and avoid any mentioning of low income of the customer, while the customer shall be responsible for keeping the housing clear and intact. It is important that the contract should be agreed upon and signed to avoid any misunderstandings. Conclusion Taking the above mentioned information into consideration, it is necessary to highlight that, though there are some differences between the housing in the UK and the Netherlands, such as the level of housing development which is higher in the UK and the level of liberty and regulations which is higher in the Netherlands, and the Netherlands’ focus on social housing provision instead of the stimulation of privately owned housing in the UK, both countries face the problem of current unsustainability and demand solutions for this problem. The UK and the Netherlands have adopted similar programmes in this regard which are aimed at reduction of harmful carbon dioxide emissions, decrease of household energy consumption, use of renewable energy and environmentally friendly behaviour, which is an evidence of consciousness of both the government and the population about the necessity of sustainable development of housing in both countries. References Barrow, M., 2013. 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