|
|
COUNTRY OF THE MONTH - August
Finland needs 30,000 new dwellings annually
VTT studied the housing production needs of Finland until 2025. The research method
is based on population projections (amount, sex and age distribution), number of people by
family status, number and size of households, existing housing stock (number and types of
dwellings) as well as stock loss.
The study indicates that Finland needs about 30,000 new dwellings annually, the same level as
at present, for the next 10 years. After 10 years, the need of housing will start to decline
gradually. At the end of the study period, in 2025, the need is calculated to be still over
25,000 dwellings per year.
A fifth of the need is due to population growth, a third due to a change in the population
structure, that is, ageing and change in family structure. Young people moving into their
own homes accounts for a fifth of the need.
Housing stock loss, i.e. dwellings no longer used for habitation, and the increase in the housing
reserve will initially cause a quarter of the need. Towards the end of the study period in 2025
an increasing number of dwellings will be needed to compensate for the loss and reserve.
Finland has just below 37 m2 of residential floor space per capita. Per capita living space
will increase, according to the study, to about 45 m2 in 2025. Finnish living space per capita
is small compared to other developed countries although we have a large number of dwellings per
capita (Finland 500, all Euroconstruct countries 460 dwellings per 1000 inhabitants). Yet,
the dwellings are small and largely in blocks of flats. The average size of a Finnish household
is about 2.1 persons but will dwindle to 1.9 by the end of the study period.
At the same time, the need to renovate residential buildings will increase sharply. The cost of
the renovations required over the next 10 years is around 1.8 billion EUR annually and involves
about 60,000 dwellings. The need is clearly increasing since the renovation need in the previous
10-year period was 1.3 billion EUR calculated on the same bases. The need of renovation will
continue to increase also in 2015-2025 but at a slower rate. The average annual need then will
be 1.9 billion EUR.
Housing needs in Finland to 2005
Source: VTT, 2005
|
|
|
|
