A systems perspective on sufficiency, wellbeing, and transition in the Swiss habitat

The Swiss habitat – buildings and related mobility – is facing multiple wicked problems that can only be solved together, such as excessive energy and climate impact, high material use with low circularity, accelerating urban sprawl and ecosystem destruction, high mobility costs, low inclusion, and mixed wellbeing outcomes. Action levers, a coordinated effort on multiple system leverage points, are combined with rethinking needs satisfiers and provisioning. We model the effect of a new building moratorium until 2100; universal neighborhood-scale renovation to energy class A, shared living spaces, and daily services in each neighborhood; deconstructing unneeded settlements; and renovation labor availability and productivity. Results are highly promising, suggesting the full renovation is feasible in 15 years while reducing labor, energy, and material use during and after the transition, and driving urban sprawl to its level in 1935 or even 1885, depending on deconstruction choices.