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Brick by Brick (Volume 2)

Better Housing Policies in the Post-COVID-19 Era

image of Brick by Brick (Volume 2)

Expanding on the findings of Brick by Brick: Better Housing Policies, this second volume delves into key trends shaping housing policies in the post-COVID-19 era. The first chapter provides an overview and discusses the need to monitor the pandemic's impacts on housing affordability, address the energy crisis through low-carbon housing initiatives, maintain financial resilience amid fluctuating housing cycles, and facilitate the reshaping of housing markets in response to remote work and environmental concerns. The second chapter focuses on the decarbonisation of the housing sector. It recommends a mix of carbon pricing, energy-efficiency certification and regulation, and subsidies to meet net-zero targets while accounting for housing market specificities. The chapter also calls for deploying complementary policies to limit adverse impacts on low-income households. The third chapter examines housing finance, focusing on the tension between supporting mortgage borrowing and promoting financial resilience. It also discusses the rise of non-bank real estate finance and the potential for mortgage finance to support housing decarbonisation. The fourth chapter explores how the new work-life balance, enabled by the rise of remote work, is reshaping housing demand and proposes a set of tailored urban policies to address this shift. Overall, the report provides a comprehensive blueprint for housing policies in the post-pandemic world.

English Also available in: French

Decarbonising Housing

Housing accounts for more than a quarter of CO2 emissions in OECD countries. Even if housing-related emissions have been trending downward, a step change is required to meet agreed net-zero emission targets by 2050. The burning of fossil fuels in homes will have to make way for carbon-free energy sources. This transformation will need to be accompanied by the decarbonisation of electricity generation. The energy efficiency of new as well as existing buildings will also need to improve through a mix of regulation, incentives and financial support. This chapter discusses the decarbonisation of the housing sector and reviews policy options to accelerate the transition to net-zero emissions.

English Also available in: French

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