In economic sharing systems, the focus shifts to the collective use instead of private ownership of a product or service. Sharing systems are diverse and can operate through a product-as-service model offered by a company as well as through a (digital) platform that supports peer-to-peer relationships. Sharing goods or facilities can contribute to a more intensive use thereof which, if demand remains the same, will put less pressure on the available materials, energy resources and environment.
The Flemish Environmental Planning Agency is interested in the state-of-the-art of the sharing economy in Flanders and its specific spatial and environmental effects to reflect about how spatial policy may intervene to stimulate beneficial impact or limit disruptive impact.
Based on literature research and focus groups with local experts this project gives an overview of the Flemish sharing economy landscape and focuses in particular on the cases of car-sharing, sharing work space, and sharing residential space for tourism, to examine if and how these systems might grow and how this affects the environmental, spatial, economic and social aspects of our living environment.
Researcher(s): David Dooghe, Nina De Jonghe, Dirk Lauwers
Commissioned by: Flemish Environmental Planning Agency (Vlaams Planbureau voor Omgeving)
Period: 2019-2020
Partner(s): EY Assurance services & Commons Lab Antwerp (Koen Wynants)
