Germany lacks 1.6m 'barrier-free' apartments

Germany is lacking 1.6m ‘barrier-free’ apartments for the aged or infirm, according to the latest study by German developer Terragon and the DStGB, which was published on 6 April.

The barrier to building is not cost but, rather, good conception and planning, the study shows. The study analyzed additional expenditure related to barrier-free construction vs. conventional construction. The verdict? Barrier-free development costs just 1% more than its conventional counterpart.

‘In Germany, we’re lacking at least 1.6m barrier-free apartments and that trend is on the up,’ said Dr. Gerd Landsberg, head of the German Association of Towns and Municipalities, or the DStGB. ‘At the same time, barrier-free apartments are a prerequisite for strong outpatient care because they reduce the financial strain on the community. For this reason, barrier-free development has a big impact on the development of society.’

Around 140 criteria for barrier-free development were analyzed. Of these, 130 showed that barrier-free doesn’t mean increased costs but, rather, enables intelligent planning.

One development studied was a test scheme in Berlin spread over five floors and comprising 20 apartments offering a combined 1,500 sqm. A completely barrier-free approach was shown to generate additional costs of €21.50 per sqm, or 1.26% of the total build cost. Subsequently, a 75 sqm barrier-free apartment would generate additional costs of around  €1,600.

Another cheaper but still barrier-free variation costs just €9.20 extra per sqm, according to the report, thereby representing 0.83% of the build cost, or just 0.35% for an even cheaper variation.

Interestingly, barrier-free projects are even cheaper in new-builds, according to the study: ‘In Germany, the time for a rethink has come,’ said Professor Marx, honorary professor at the TU University in Munich of ‘Building for senior citizens and handicapped people’ and member of the Standards Committee for senior living and barrier-free solutions.

The study recommends developers whose emphasis is on measurements as they have been shown to make the biggest contribution to barrier-free development, including barrier-free entrances to homes and lifts, as well as appropriate doors and enough room for movement.

Going forward, the study recommends rolling out more age-appropriate barrier-free schemes in new-build properties, with the possibility of introducing a subsidy per apartment of between €2,500 and €5,000.