The results are presented in a new report from Akademiska Hus and the Student Housing Companies. The case studies have been carried out by Akademiska Hus on their own student housing projects and include both new construction and conversions. The conclusions show that the key to more and better designed student housing with the new regulations lies in the possibility of building smaller bathrooms and hallways – a small change that has major effects.
With smaller bathrooms, both small, large and shared student housing can be designed more pleasant with increased space for socializing, cooking, resting and studying. Smaller bathrooms also mean narrower homes and thus enable more homes within the same building volume, which provides both lower climateimpact and better project economy.
"This gives us the conditions to build student housing smarter and with better design. The small bathroom has turned out to be controversial, but we will put the square meters on the right things. Thisis not about shutting anyone out, but about giving more students opportunities for better housing," says Stina Olén, CEO of the Student Housing Companies.
The case studies in the report are based on existing projects that were initially designed according to current building regulations. They have then been redesigned according to the new regulations with a focus on maintaining both housing functions and quality as well as the building's external dimensions. The report also shows how the new type of visitor-accessible student housing may be designed. In all case studies, more housing opportunities are created within the same building volume, which improves both project economics and climate footprint.
" The goal of the study has been to see the big picture. Can we increase the efficiency of construction, reduce climate impact and at the same time maintain good housing quality with the new regulations? The results we have obtained show that it is possible, both in the small own home and the larger shared one," says Linda Teng, concept manager for student and researcher housing at Akademiska Hus.
In the case studies, Akademiska Hus has also investigated how new building regulations can affect the rent for the student. As the homes become smaller and there is room for more homes in the same area, lower rent levels are possible, up to 11 percent lower than the original projects. The calculations are based partly on normhya and presumptive rent.
"Today, it is difficult to get the calculation for new student housing together, which means that some projects do not happen. We see that eased building requirements can both strengthen the project economy and lead to more affordable housing, with rent levels and housing qualities that students demand. These are crucial factors in increasing the willingness to invest in student housing," concludes Stina Olén.
The case studies show, among other things:
- The number of residents per project can increase by up to 18 percent.
- Rent levels can be reduced by 3–11 percent.
- The construction cost per resident can be reduced by 6–8 percent.
- The climate footprint per resident can be reduced by up to 20 percent.