All glass and no privacy makes Jack an uncomfortable apartment dweller

Brisbane’s newly built apartments are focusing more on good views than their occupants’ comfort, according to Associate Professor Rosemary Kennedy from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT).

Speaking last week at the International Conference on Energy and Environment of Residential Buildings, Professor Kennedy claimed Brisbane’s new apartments are not well suited to subtropical living and called for better design and a review of Brisbane’s Multiple Dwelling Code. In particular, she pointed out overglazing that will make the apartments costly to cool and uncomfortable to live in.

“We studied the plans of 15 contemporary 5- to 30-storey apartment buildings approved after 2011 and found few achieved the Brisbane City Council’s Multiple Dwelling Code’s acceptable outcomes associated with design for sustainable subtropical design,” Professor Kennedy said.

“We found four areas which most commonly didn’t meet the code’s goals: lack of design for cross ventilation; extensive use of glass on facades regardless of solar orientation; unsophisticated use of shading; and limited private outdoor living areas.”

Professor Kennedy cited previous research in which apartment occupants said they prefer natural cooling methods to air conditioning, such as opening windows and letting breezes in when conditions are conducive.

“But we see many apartment blocks laid out with a central corridor which does not allow for cross ventilation — a primary strategy for natural cooling of a home,” she said.

“Furthermore, large expanses of glass in balconies and floor-to-ceiling glass facades can produce unwanted heat gain and glare. These issues can be avoided if glass is shaded before the sun hits it or if there is less glass in the facade.”

Professor Kennedy said another issue was privacy, noting that fully glazed balustrades offer no privacy for everyday activities on apartment balconies.

“New apartments’ big selling point has been the view, but a view can still be appreciated without an entire wall or balustrade being glazed,” she said.

Professor Kennedy cautioned that many apartments under construction now will be less attractive to future occupants as energy costs rise. She thus recommends the use of fundamental architectural principles that are suitable for Brisbane’s subtropical climate and lifestyle, such as capitalising on orientation to the sun, capturing breezes and views, and dealing with urban noise.

Image credit: ©Oleksiy Mark/Dollar Photo Club