Livability is an important theme for housing associations. But where do you start if you want to improve the livability of your real estate portfolio? After all, many parameters influence livability. Which estates or areas require urgent attention the most. And which measures will have the most effect?

When combining many different data sources, it’s easy to quickly analyze the livability of your entire portfolio in Spotr. This will help your organization with setting the right priorities. Moreover, by applying the right filters, it is possible to tackle several objectives at once. For example: improving livability ánd sustainability. In this blog we’ll explain how you can apply this in your real estate portfolio.‍

Quality of life is a broad concept

There are many factors that can influence the livability of a neighborhood.

Livability is partly about how safe residents feel; is there a lot or almost no (noise) nuisance, pollution or crime?

Livability is also about the physical environment. Is the neighborhood spacious with lots of green or is it a densely populated area with lots of high-rise buildings? Are facilities such as shops, playgrounds, schools, and public transport available? Does the neighborhood have a mixed-use design?

Next to that, both population composition and social interaction influence the livability of a neighborhood.

Measuring livability: what sources do you use?

Because livability is such a broad concept, it’s difficult to determine where to start. The goal is to eventually gain insight into the livability of the areas and neighborhoods in your real estate portfolio through available data. But what data sources do you use?

Spotr puts all the available data in one place using map layers. By overlaying the locations of your properties with a combination of different map layers, it’s possible to quickly gain insight into the livability of your estates based on the specifics of the map layers used.

Insight into livability: all data in one place

For example, in Spotr you can already unlock more than 250 GIS maps that provide insight into topics like the amount of greenery or demographic data about the population composition in a neighborhood. It’s also possible to add locally relevant maps like the “leefbarometer”. The Leefbarometer is a Dutch model that shows the livability of an area and how it has developed in recent years.

We are also working on the Resilience Maps. Resilience says something about the extent to which a neighborhood can cope with an increasing concentration of vulnerable residents. In a resilient neighborhood, residents have a high ability of self-reliance. They can adapt easily to changes and are able to deal with disruptions like insecurity and noise pollution.

Livability and sustainability: an integrated approach

When all necessary data is in one place, it’s also easier to apply a holistic approach to maintaining your real estate portfolio.  

For example, a few years ago the UK government provided subsidies for insulation. Spotr mapped out where residents living along highways were most effected by noise pollution, which properties had the most heat loss and which ones could be insulated easily.
With this data an insulation project was started in order to achieve quick results: less noise pollution, more comfort for residents, and a more sustainable approach.

Measures for improving greenery, by for example planting trees, will simultaneously contribute to better biodiversity in the area, less flooding, and less heat stress. This shows how livability measures can have a multiply effect

Making a first selection within your real estate portfolio

Thorough research is always necessary to determine exactly which new construction or renovation plans are best suited to appeal to certain target groups. Spotr can help with setting priorities by providing insight into where measures are needed the most. This way you can focus on what really matters.

In Spotr you can easily make a first selection based on specific characteristics. Here are a few examples:

The “Greenery per area” filter in combination with “Perceived temperature” filter shows where it is possible to lower high temperatures by adding more green areas and trees.

The “Vulnerable elderly” filter shows areas where the majority of the residents are of old age. In combination with “Heat stress” filter, the map shows which areas should be prioritised as they have lots of elderly people and a high risk of heat stress at the same time.

Get started with Spotr!

Curious to learn more about how Spotr can help you gain insight into the livability within your real estate portfolio?  
Feel free to request a demo, we’re happy to tell you more:

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