Vorarlberg parties review building rules to cut housing costs

Vorarlberg’s governing ÖVP and FPÖ parties want to review social housing standards they consider too strict, ORF reported. The state parliament is being asked to examine technical requirements and rules on parking spaces to reduce building and renovation costs.

State Councillor Marco Tittler of the ÖVP said it was important to distinguish between legal requirements, such as building and parking regulations, and additional standards sought in non-profit housing. These can include bicycle rooms, indoor waste rooms, underground parking and communal rooms, he said, adding that their necessity and cost could be debated.

A research project called Building Type V is also examining existing standards. It involves constructing a building outside the usual norms to assess whether housing can be built more cheaply without compromising safety, Tittler said.

The review will cover rules across different trades, including those for reinforced concrete, lightning protection and roofing. For renovations, requirements relating to impact sound and corridor widths could also be considered, Tittler said, to see whether older buildings can be refurbished at lower cost.