Present and future trends of sustainable cities and collaborative housing through digital platforms

Abstract

 The sustainable development of the real estate sector seeks the welfare of its inhabitants. The objectives of the United Nations pursue an awareness of habitability, social justice and the environment. From the point of view of sustainability, sustainable building must comply with the required objectives of improving material conditions, collaborate with social inclusion and justice, comply with a safe construction that allows for survival and respects the physical environment. Sustainability also requires a rehabilitation that seeks energy efficiency, to achieve the energy efficiency objectives for 2020 and 2030 in the EU. In development of the European Directives on energy efficiency, the latest rule in accompanying us on the matter is the new Land Law 7/2015, which welcomes the criteria for its development. The collaborative economy through online platforms has emerged in recent years in response to new needs not covered by the economic and social system. In origin, it is born within the framework of social, economic and environmental sustainability. There is a wide variety of collaborative economy assumptions in the real estate sector. The assumptions of collaborative housing offer unquestionable advantages: the number of users increases, preference is given to use over the property, there are environmental, economic and social benefits. However, they also have drawbacks due to the great impact of collaborative housing on the right to housing, the difficulties of naming and regulation, as well as the problems related to the urban and social structure of cities, in particular regarding the subjects individuals who coexist with the new situation. The real estate activity through digital platforms is a new social reality and requires legal answers. The elaboration of a legal statute would suppose the protection of its use. Such a statute could clarify more stable structures: subjects involved and capacity, object, content —rights and obligations—, and responsibilities; avoiding uncertainty and fragmentation. It is important to reflect on this, especially because of its great repercussion in one of the sectors with greater weight in Spain, in terms of Gross Domestic Product and employment, such as tourism.