On behalf of the German Federal Environment Agency (UBA) the research project „Global nachhaltige materielle Wohlstandsniveaus“ analysed material needs for German households’ spending on durable consumer goods. Based on these findings, prototypical household endowments can be classified within the boundary conditions of global fairness and sustainable resource use. The applied classification scheme is based on the methodological concept of availability corridors which was developed and implemented over the project term by the Institute of Economic Structures Research (GWS) and the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy.

The methodological research activities have been accompanied by software development activities. A handy, easy understandable and instructive internet application has been developed which applies the concept of resource-specific availability corridors. The web tool documents main findings of the research project in an intuitive way and intends to increase public awareness. It provides opportunities to configure selected algorithm parameters in accordance with individual consumption patterns. Users can experience the research topic "raw material consumption and sustainability" in the context of own household endowments and identify the implied material needs of individual consumption patterns.