The platform for temporary furnished homes, Wunderflats, has investigated how environmentally friendly properties are in different countries around Europe.
The study, called the Green Living Index, looked at energy consumption, recycling and different aspects of sustainability in the 27 EU member states and the United Kingdom.
The data analysed included the spread of so-called Nearly Zero-Emission Buildings or passive houses, the use of renewable energy for heating and cooling, recycling rates, housing types and household sizes, and interest in second-hand furniture.
As part of the Green Living Index people were also asked in a survey whether they were actively engaged in combating climate change. The results reveal which European countries are leading the way in sustainable living.
The United Kingdom placed a lowly 23rd out of 28th in the rankings, scoring poorly in most aspects of the study.
The study found that just 12 percent of the UK’s household energy consumption is powered by renewable sources and only 8% of the energy used for heating and cooling was from renewable energy.
However, the UK scored relatively well for recycling, with 44% of its waste being reused. What’s more, people in the United Kingdom were among the most proactive in terms of sustainability, with just under 60% of survey respondents saying they were actively engaged in combating climate change.
| Rank | Country | Renewable Energy | Sustainable Heating/Cooling | Recycling | Total Score |
| 1 | Portugal | 31 % | 42 % | 29 % | 100.0 |
| 2 | Sweden | 56 % | 66 % | 47 % | 93.2 |
| 3 | Germany | 17 % | 15 % | 67 % | 92.8 |
| 4 | Austria | 34 % | 34 % | 58 % | 83.0 |
| 5 | Denmark | 37 % | 48 % | 52 % | 82.1 |
| 6 | Spain | 18 % | 19 % | 35 % | 77.6 |
| 7 | Latvia | 41 % | 58 % | 41 % | 75.2 |
| 8 | Greece | 20 % | 30 % | 21 % | 68.7 |
| 9 | Slovakia | 17 % | 20 % | 39 % | 64.2 |
| 10 | Finland | 43 % | 57 % | 44 % | 62.5 |
| 11 | Malta | 8 % | 26 % | 9 % | 57.8 |
| 12 | Slovenia | 22 % | 32 % | 59 % | 56.7 |
| 13 | Luxembourg | 7 % | 9 % | 49 % | 56.1 |
| 14 | Italy | 18 % | 20 % | 51 % | 54.7 |
| 15 | Netherlands | 9 % | 7 % | 57 % | 49.5 |
| 16 | Lithuania | 25 % | 47 % | 50 % | 49.2 |
| 17 | France | 17 % | 22 % | 46 % | 49.0 |
| 18 | Cyprus | 14 % | 35 % | 15 % | 47.3 |
| 19 | Hungary | 13 % | 18 % | 36 % | 46.5 |
| 20 | Ireland | 12 % | 6 % | 38 % | 44.5 |
| 21 | Belgium | 10 % | 8 % | 55 % | 39.2 |
| 22 | Estonia | 32 % | 52 % | 31 % | 39.0 |
| 23 | United Kingdom | 12 % | 8 % | 44 % | 36.3 |
| 24 | Bulgaria | 22 % | 36 % | 32 % | 32.3 |
| 25 | Czech Republic | 16 % | 23 % | 33 % | 31.9 |
| 26 | Croatia | 28 % | 37 % | 30 % | 31.6 |
| 27 | Poland | 12 % | 16 % | 34 % | 28.2 |
| 28 | Romania | 24 % | 26 % | 12 % | 0.0 |
Portugal comes top
Elsewhere, Portugal topped the Green Living Index. It ranked first for sustainable living, with an average energy consumption of only 70 kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m²) for residential buildings.
European households consume an average of 188 kWh/m², more than double Portugal’s consumption. In the survey, 83% of respondents from Portugal said they were actively engaged in combating climate change.
Sweden is a leader in renewable energy
Sweden came second in the rankings, mostly due to its use of renewable energy sources. The study found 66% of energy consumption for heating, and 56% of total energy consumption comes from sustainable sources in Sweden.
Germany is the European capital of solar energy
In third spot is Germany, who according to the Green Living Index, produces more solar energy than anyone else in the study. A total of 590 watts per capita are fed into the energy grid by German photovoltaic systems. The European average is 168 watts.
Jan Hase, CEO of Wunderflats, said: “Our results show that even the greenest countries still have some catching up to do to reach the big EU target of climate neutrality by 2050.
“This is an ambitious goal that will only be achieved through collaboration. With the Green Living Index, we want to identify the different stages on the way, and hope the housing sector can learn from those countries that have already met the challenge more successfully in some areas.”
About Wunderflats: Wunderflats is the market leader for temporary furnished housing in Germany. The Berlin-based company was founded in 2015 by Jan Hase and Arkadi Jampolski and has over 100 employees. Wunderflats connects tenants, property owners and companies with the mission to enable everyone to live and work anywhere. For more information, visit wunderflats.com.
