Consumer Demand for Circular Urban Living: Insights from Sweden, Slovenia, and The Netherlands

This project examines whether, and the extent to which, individuals in different European contexts are willing to pay for urban housing with design features that encourage sharing. Shared use of residential spaces and facilities that are conventionally accessed by isolated households is one pathway toward achieving the goals of the Circular Economy. The study will use choice modelling methods plus in-depth qualitative methods to examine how the presence of circular features influences individuals’ willingness to pay for urban housing. We will draw from large, randomized samples of adults in Sweden, The Netherlands, and Slovenia to determine how willingness to pay for residential sharing varies across international contexts. Sampling will also control for variables like respondent age, gender, income, household structure, and urban/suburban/rural location to identify potential customer segments for circular housing. Researchers from all three countries will collaborate with housing developers, architects, urban public authorities, and special interest groups to co-design survey items and sampling frameworks so that results offer insights into existing and upcoming residential development projects. Understanding whether, where, and among what types of customers the demand for circular housing solutions already exists could help encourage the production of circular housing options and speed up transitions for sustainability.