What do we see?
The graph below shows the evolution of the occupancy rate of housing units between 2015 and 2020. The smaller the difference between the existing housing units and the number of households, the more efficiently the existing housing units are being used. However, we see that the difference is increasing. It is certainly not the only reason for this growing discrepancy, but we do need to take into account units that serve as second homes as these are also included in the figures. In 2020, an estimated 6.3% of housing units in Flanders were uninhabited. That figure is not the same as the data in the graph below due to a difference in the calculation method used.
What’s the aim?
In order to limit the need for new materials, in a circular economy we look for ways to use what is already available as efficiently as possible. This also applies to housing units. For example, we can look at applying the sharing economy to buildings. This is already being done for offices in the form of coworking spaces.
What does this indicator measure?
This indicator shows the use efficiency of existing housing units in Flanders. The data comes from Statbel.
