Apartments can be classified into several types.

In North America the typical terms are

a studio, efficiency or bachelor apartment (bedsit in the UK). These all tend to be the
smallest apartments with the cheapest rents in a given area. This kind of apartment usually
consists mainly of a large room which is the living, dining, and bedroom combined. There are
usually kitchen facilities as part of this central room, but the bathroom is a separate, smaller
room.
Moving up from the bachelors/efficiencies are one-bedroom apartments, in which
one bedroom is separate from the rest of the apartment. Then there are two-bedroom, threebedroom, etc. apartments (Apartments with more than three bedrooms are rare). Small
apartments often have only one entrance.
Large apartments often have two entrances, perhaps a door in the front and another in the
back. Depending on the building design, the entrance doors may be directly to the outside or to
a common area inside, such as a hallway. Depending on location, apartments may be available
for rent furnishedwith furniture or unfurnished into which a tenant moves in with their own
furniture.
A garden apartment complex consists of low-rise apartment buildings built with landscaped
grounds surrounding them.[1] The apartment buildings are often arranged around courtyards that
are open at one end. A garden apartment has some characteristics of a townhouse: each
apartment has its own building entrance, or just a few apartments share a small foyer or
stairwell at each building entrance. Unlike a townhouse, each apartment occupies only one
level. Modern garden apartment buildings are almost never more than three stories high, since
they typically don't have elevators/lifts. However, the first "garden apartment" buildings in the
United States, developed in the early 20th century, were five stories high.[2][3] Some garden
apartment buildings place a one-car garage under each apartment. The grounds are more
landscaped than for other modestly scaled apartments.
Another definition of "garden apartment" is a unit built half below grade or at ground level.[4] The
implication is that there is a view or direct access to a garden from the apartment, but this is not
necessarily the case.
Laundry facilities may be found in a common area accessible to all the tenants in the building, or
each apartment may have its own facilities. Depending on when the building was built and the
design of the building, utilities such as water, heating, and electricity may be common for all the
apartments in the building or separate for each apartment and billed separately to each tenant
(however, many areas in the US have ruled it illegal to split a water bill among all the tenants,
especially if a pool is on the premises). Outlets for connection to telephones are typically
included in apartments. Telephone service is optional and is practically always billed separately
from the rent payments. Cable television and similar amenities are extra
also. Parking space(s), air conditioner, and extra storage space may or may not be included
with an apartment. Rental leases often limit the maximum number of people who can reside in
each apartment. On or around the ground floor of the apartment building, a series
of mailboxes are typically kept in a location accessible to the public and, thus, to the mail
carrier too. Every unit typically gets its own mailbox with individual keys to it. Some very large
apartment buildings with a full-time staff may take mail from the mailman and provide mail-

sorting service. Near the mailboxes or some other location accessible by outsiders, there may
be a buzzer (equivalent to a doorbell) for each individual unit. In smaller apartment buildings
such as two- or three-flats, or even four-flats, rubbish is often disposed of in trash containers
similar to those used at houses. In larger buildings, rubbish is often collected in a common trash
bin or dumpster. For cleanliness or minimizing noise, many lessors will place restrictions on
tenants regarding keepingpets in an apartment.
In some parts of the world, the word apartment refers to a new purpose-built self-contained
residential unit in a building, whereas the word flat means a converted self-contained unit in an
older building. An industrial, warehouse, or commercial space converted to an apartment is
commonly called a loft, although some modern lofts are built by design. An apartment consisting
of the top floor of a high apartment building can be called a penthouse.
When part of a house is converted for the ostensible use of a landlord's family member, the unit
may be known as an in-law apartment or granny flat, though these (sometimes illegally) created
units are often occupied by ordinary renters rather than family members. In Canada these suites
are commonly located in the basements of houses and are therefore normally called basement
suites or "mother-in-law suites."
A maisonette is an apartment with more than one floor.
In Milwaukee vernacular architecture, a Polish flat is an existing small house or cottage that has
been lifted up to accommodate the creation of a new basement floor housing a separate
apartment, then set down again; thus becoming a modest two-story flat.[5]
In Russia, a communal apartment () is a room with a shared kitchen and bath. A
typical arrangement is a cluster of five or so room-apartments with a common kitchen and
bathroom and separate front doors, occupying a floor in a pre-Revolutionary mansion.
Traditionally a room is owned by the government and assigned to a family on a semi-permanent
basis.

An apartment (in American English) or flat (common in British English) is a selfcontained housing unit (a type of residential real estate) that occupies only part of a building.
Such a building may be called an apartment building, apartment house (in American
English), block of flats, tower block, high-rise or, occasionally mansion block (in British English),
especially if it consists of many apartments for rent. Apartments may be owned by
anowner/occupier by leasehold tenure or rented by tenants (two types of housing tenure).
The term apartment is favored in North America (although flat is used in the case of a unit which
is part of a house containing two or three units, typically one to a floor), whereas the term flat is
commonly, but not exclusively, used in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Singapore, Hong Kong and
mostCommonwealth nations.

In Malaysian English, flat often denotes a housing block of lesser quality meant for lowerincome groups, while apartment is more generic and may also include luxury condominiums.
In Australian English, the term flat was traditionally used, but the term apartment is also
frequently used, as is "unit", short for "home unit".
Tenement law refers to the feudal basis of permanent property such as land or rents. It may be
found combined as in "Messuage or Tenement" to encompass all the land, buildings and other
assets of a property.
In the US, some apartment-dwellers own their own apartments, either as co-ops, in which the
residents own shares of a corporation that owns the building or development; or
in condominiums, whose residents own their apartments and share ownership of the public
spaces. Most apartments are in buildings designed for the purpose, but large older houses are
sometimes divided into apartments. The word apartment connotes a residential unit or section in
a building. In some locations, particularly the United States, the word denotes a rental unit
owned by the building owner, and is not typically used for a condominium.
In the UK, some flat owners own shares in the company that owns the freehold of the building
as well as holding the flat under a lease. This is commonly known as a "share of freehold" flat.
The freehold company has the right to collect annual ground rents from each of the flat owners
in the building. The freeholder can also develop or sell the building, subject to the usual
planning and restrictions that might apply.
In some countries the word unit is a more general term referring to both apartments and rental
business suites. The word is generally used only in the context of a specific building; e.g., "This
building has three units" or "I'm going to rent a unit in this building", but not "I'm going to rent a
unit somewhere." In Australia, a unit refers to flats, apartments or even semi-detached houses.
Some buildings can be characterized as mixed use buildings, meaning part of the building is for
commercial, business, or office use, usually on the first floor or first couple of floors, and there
are one or more apartments in the rest of the building, usually on the upper floors.
ApartmentLayout
A p a r t m e n t l a y o u t d e s i g n a n d c o n f i g u r a t i o n i s a fundamental elementinmaking
residential apartments livable.The internal layout of an apartment determines:
Socialandspatialrelationships between rooms.
Socialandspatialrelationships between the apartments inhabitants.
Qualityof residential amenity,
Accessto natural light and ventilation,

Levelof acoustic and visual privacy

DesignGuidelines: Apartment Layout

Ability to accommodatealternative furniturelayouts.
Providing for arangeof activities andprivacy levelsbetween rooms.
Efficientcirculation planningto ensure room sizes are maximised.
Avoid locating the kitchen as part of the primary circulation space i.e. at thepoint of entry.
Ensureadequate storage spacewithin every apartment.
Orientingmain living spacest o t h e o u t l o o k a n d p r i m a r y a s p e c t a n d a w a y from
neighboring sources of noise or view.
Providingprivate open spacef o r e v e r y a p a r t m e n t i n t h e f o r m o f b a l c o n i e s , terraces,
courtyards or gardens

Locating allhabitable rooms, and where possible kitchens and bathrooms, on theoutside wallso f
t h e b u i l d i n g t o e n s u r e e a c h c a n b e s e r v i c e d b y a w i n d o w providing natural light and
ventilation.
DesignGuidelines: Services Design
Co-ordinate thelocation of piped servicess u c h a s w a t e r a n d g a s s u p p l y
a n d w a s t e w a t e r r e m o v a l : w i t h i n t h e a p a r t m e n t ; a c r o s s t h e b u i l d i n g f l o o r p l a n ; an
d vertically through the building.
Design services to minimise anyacoustic transmission.
D e s i g n s e r v i c e s t o e n s u r e t h e y d o n o t c o m p r o m i s e visual ame
n i t y orpresentation of the building.
P l a n a p a r t m e n t s w i t h i n t h e b u i l d i n g s o t h a t s e r v i c e a r e a s a r e a d j a c e n t t o one
another. This promotes aco-ordinated service designand limits the effectof noise from services
on adjacent apartments.
Insulate pipesfor acoustic privacy.
Locatewastewater stacks adjacent to non -habitable roomsto further reducethe impact of
any pipe noises.

Internal Circulation
Internal circulationin an apartment building refers to the spaces that
providea c c e s s t o a p a r t m e n t s . T h e s e i n c l u d e l o b b i e s , c o r r i d o r s , l i f t s a n d s t a i r s .
T h e location, proportion, extent and frequency of these elements will have a directimpact
on the form, layout and articulation of the building
DesignGuidelines: Internal Circulation
Promoteaccessibility, amenity and safetyfor all users of circulation spaces.
Providegenerous corridor widthsand ceiling heights, particularly in pausingplaces such as
lobbies outside lifts and apartment entry doors.
Avoidl o n g c o r r i d o r s a n d e n s u r e s h o r t c l e a r s i g h t l i n e s . Where
unavoidable,articulate longer corridors with regularly spaced foyers and the use of
naturalday lighting.
Avoidtight corners.
I n b u i l d i n g s w h e r e n o l i f t i s p r o v i d e d , use accessible stair design with lowerrise to
tread ratiosto facilitate access by the el derly or mobility impaired.
Ensurea p p r o p r i a t e l e v e l s o f l i g h t i n g , u s i n g n a t u r a l d a y l i g h t i n g w h e r
e possible.
Ensureadequate ventilation, using natural ventilation where possible
B
uildingAppearance
Thebuilding facadei s t h e e x t e r n a l f a c e o f t h e b u i l d i n g a n d h a s a n i m p o r t a n t role to
play as part of theinterfacebetween
private and public domains.T h e a r c h i t e c t u r a l d e s i g n o f t h e f a c a d e s h o u l d c o
n t r i b u t e t o t h e q u a l i t y o f public spacesw h i l s t r e f l e c t i n g t h e u s e , i n t e r n a l d e s i g n
a n d s t r u c t u r e o f t h e building.
E
xpression of the balcony as a separate element gives the facade of the building definition and
variation.
T
h e r e p e t i t i o n o f e l e m e n t s , i n t h i s c a s
e b a l c o n i e s a n d e x t e r n a l m e t a l
b l i n d s
, c a n b e d e s i g n e d t o c r e a t e r h y t h m s a nd p
a t t e r n s w h i c h e n h a n c e thebuildingfacade
Fenestrationdesignprovidesoverlookingtot h e s t r e e t a n d a l s o
c r e a t e s a n i n t e r e s t i n g facadecomposition.

V
ariation in how balconies are expressed through use of materials and balustrade types can add
visual depth to a facade.
DesignGuidelines:
B
uilding Appearance
Varyingfenestration sizea n d d e s i g n t o r e l a t e t o t h e f u n c t i o n a l u s e o f t h e room beyond
provides a more interesting and legible building e.g. differentsized windows for bathrooms
and living rooms.
Recessed elementss u c h a s b a l c o n i e s a n d d e e p s e t w i n d o w s c a n c r e a t e
shadow lines that afford visual depth to the facade.
T h e u s e o f environmental controlss u c h a s b r i s e s o l e i l , s c r e e n s a n d l i g h t shelves
which further articulate the facade.
T h e c o - o r d i n a t i o n a n d i n t e g r a t i o n o f b u i l d i n g s e r v i c e s , s u c h a s drainagepipes
and ventilation ducts, into the overall facade and balcony design.

Thec o o r d i n a t i o n a n d i n t e g r a t i o n o f s e c u r i t y g r i l l e s a n d s c r e e n s a n d garage
entry doors, into the overall facade and balcony design.
O r g a n i s e t h e overall proportionso f t h e b u i l d i n g i n t o a w e l l b a l a n c e d comp
osition before organising into smaller units
DesignGuidelines: Roof Design
Minimising the appearance of large buildings by breaking down the massing tominimise
apparent bulkor to relate to existing finer grained context.
C o n s i d e r t h e r o o f d e s i g n i n t e r m s o f t h e orientation and micro-climateo f t h e site.
For example, extended eaves may provide sun shading to north -facing wallswhile roof
design may provide additional weathering protection around openingsin exposed or coastal
locations.
Consider incorporatingservice elementsinto the roof design to minimise
theirv i s u a l i m p a c t . T h e s e m a y i n c l u d e : l i f t o v e r r u n s , s e r v i c e p l a n t s , c h i m n e y s , telecommunicationsaerials, vent stacks,
signage, downpipes and gutter
AcousticPrivacy
A c o u s t i c p r i v a c y i s t h e m i n i m i s a t i o n o f sound transmissionb o t h b e t w e e n a p a
rtments and between external and internal spaces. Designing for
a c o u s t i c p r i v a c y r e l i e s o n a combinationo f t h e l a y o u t o f r o o m s a n
d t h e l o c a t i o n , separation and configuration of buildings

M
i n i m i s a t i o n o f s o u n d t r a n s m i s s i o n s h o u l d b e c o n s i d e r e d w h e n arranging layouts of
apartments. Ensure that power points are notback to back as they transmit sound between unit
DesignGuidelines: AcousticPrivacy
Groupnoisier roomsn e x t t o o n e a n o t h e r w h i l s t g r o u p i n g q u i e t e r r o o m s further away.
Utilisestorage and circulation spacesto createbuffersto noise from otherapartments, building
services or common areas.
Used e s i g n t e c h n o l o g i e s a n d t e c h n i q u e s t o r e c o n c i l e c o n f l i c t s b e t w e e n n o i s e ,
o u t l o o k a n d v i e w s s u c h a s Double Glazing,enclosed balconieswithoperable
screens etc.
Daylight Access
Natural daylightis an important aspect of apartment design because it reducesthe n eed for
artificial light, thereby increasing energy efficiency and
residentiala m e n i t y . D a y l i g h t c o m p r i s e s b o t h skylight( d i f f u s e l i g h t f r o m t h e s k y
) , a n d sunlight(direct beam radiation from the sun

T
he use of clerestory windows and appropriate internal shading mechanisms allows control of the
amount of daylight entering theapartment
DesignGuidelines: Daylight Access
Ensurec o m m u n a l o p e n s p a c e r e c e i v e s d i r e c t d a y l i g h t d u r i n g w i n t e r month
s and provides adequate shading during the summer season.
Promotedouble height spacesi n g r o u n d f l o o r a p a r t m e n t s o r a r e a s w h e r e daylight
access is limited, to assist daylight penetration into living areas andprivate open spaces.
Manageglareand provide shading during summer months through the use of:
Environmental controls such aseaves, canopies, balconies, louvred screens and planting.
T h e u s e o f light wellsas a primary source of daylight should be restricted to non-habitable
rooms only.
Natural Ventilation
Natural ventilation is an important aspect of apartment design because
i t e n s u r e s a regular exchangeo f f r e s h a i r w h i c h i s e s s e n t i a l f o r m a i n t a i n i n g
ac o m f o r t a b l e l i v i n g e n v i r o n m e n t . T h e o r i e n t a t i o n , c o n f i g u r a t
i o n a n d articulationo f t h e b u i l d i n g e n v e l o p e o f b o t h t h e b u i l d i n g a n d e a c h

apartmentm u s t b e c o n s i d e r e d i f a d e q u a t e n a t u r a l v e n t i l a t i o n i s t o b e a c
h i e v e d . G o o d design which achieves appropriate natural ventilation in apartment units
andb u i l d i n g s w i l l e l i m i n a t e t h e n e e d f o r m e c h a n i c a l v
e n t i l a t i o n a n d a i r conditioning.
U
se of louvers on balconies to giveoccupants control of air flow anddaylight.

DesignGuidelines: Natural Ventilation

Considers i t i n g a n d l a y o u t o f t h e b u i l d i n g t o d i r e c t a n d e x p l o i t n a t u r a l b r e e z
e s . S i t e a n a l y s i s s h o u l d h a v e e s t a b l i s h e d t h e d i r e c t i o n o f p r e v a i l i n g bre
ezes.
Building depths that can achieve effective natural ventilation are generallylimited to
between10 and 18 metres.
P o s i t i o n i n g s m a l l w i n d o w s o n w i n d w a r d w a l l s a n d l a r g e r w i n d o w s o n lee
ward walls, creates apressure differentialwhich will draw air through thebuilding.
Locate rooms with similar uses together so that an apartment c
a n b e compartmentalised for greater efficiency in winter heating or summer
coolinge.g.plan living rooms together and bedrooms together.

The design of doors and windows can optimise opportunities for natur
a l ventilation
Materials
T h e c h o i c e o f m a t e r i a l s u s e d b o t h internally and externallyi n a n a p a r t m e n t project
will affect the appearance of the development and how well it performsand endures over
time.
T
h e j u n c t i o n s b e t w e e n m a t e r i a l s n e e d t o b
e c a r e f u l l y d e t a i l e d t o e n s u r e t h e i n t e g r i t
y a n d
durabilityofbothmaterials.
T
h e c h o i c e o f m a t e r i a l s w h e n d e s i g
n i n g i n f i l l b u i l d i n g s s h o u l d r e f l e c t t h e e x
i s t i n g c h a r a c t e r o f
a d j a c e n t b u i l d
i n g s . P r i m a r y
e l e m e n t s s u c h a s c o n c r e t e
c a n b e c o m b i n e d w i t h g l a s s a n d o t h e r
mat
erials.

DesignGuidelines : Materials
Chooseenduring materialst h a t a r e e a s y t o m a i n t a i n a n d r e t a i n t h e i r
appearance over time.

Choose materials that arefit for purposee.g. exterior tiles that are exposedto the elements
should be non-slip.
Consider the use
o f local materialst h a t r e f l e c t t h e l o c a l e n v i r o n m e n t a n d character.
C o n s i d e r t h e u s e o f different materialst o b r e a k d o w n t h e s c a l e o f l a r g e
buildings.
When using acombination of materials, consider how one will affect anotherand detail
appropriately to avoidunsightly reactions
DesignGuidelines:
B
alconies
Be of sufficient size and shape to accommodate outdoor furniture i.e.
tablea n d c h a i r s a n d t h e r e b y e n c o u r a g e i n d o o r / o u t d o o r l i v i n g . M i n i m u m 2 .
5 m depth.
Consider balcony design in terms of the local context and climate.
C h o o s e b a l c o n y t y p o l o g y cantilevered, recessed or semir e c e s s e d inresponse to daylight, wind acoustic and visual privacy.
Ensure balcony design prevents direct sightlinesi n t o t h e a p a r t m e n t f r o m the
street and neighboring residences.
Consider theproportions of the screening provided. It should be designed
toc o n c e a l a p e r s o n s e a t e d l o o k i n g a t t h e v i e w , c l o t h e s d r y i n g , o r s t o r a
g e o f materials etc.
ConnectingPathwaysandEntrances
Developments are encouraged to facilitate pedestrian and cyclistmovement across and through the site
for residents of all ages andabilities through provision of lit pathways with a minimum width of1200mm connecting
buildings, facilities and services at grade andminimum2.5mwidewhereadjacenttohigh-risebuildingentrancesor
at intersections.Entrances to buildings and ground level individual dwellingsshouldremainvisiblefromthepublicrealm,
closetocarparking, illuminated, with weather protection and allowing forpersonalisation of approaches by
landscaping, window boxes etcwhere they serve a separate dwelling at ground level.Vehicularandpedestrian
movementwherepracticableshouldbe separate at entries to the site and ground level entrances todwellingsand/or
apartmentbuildings.Pathwaysshouldbeintegratedwith landscaping and provide lighting to the appropriate
AustralianStandard for priority pedestrian routes.
CarParkingandTransport
Insuburbanareascarownershipishighandforhouserentersacarisoftentheresidentsmostvaluableasset,sobothshelterand
securityfor the cars is crucial. However the provision of secure parking onlarger residential sites has proved both
problematic and expensive toprovide.It is anticipated that in inner city areas and where public transportand
community facilities are readily available, car parkingrequirementscanbereduced.IntheState30YearPlanforGreater
AdelaideproposalsforTransitOrientatedDevelopments(TODS)reinforceastrongrelationshipbetween the availability of good
public transport and increaseddensity of residential development and reduce the need for
carparking requirements.
Active Frontages, high density housing,CanberraSource:WendyBellHighdensityhousingand pathwaysFreiburg
GermanySource:WendyBellCycleparkinginurbanrenewal,Tubingen,GermanySource:WendyBell
SafetyandSecurity

Theamountofsemi-publicareasshouldbeminimised,especialyinhigher-density development.Ensure security by

providing:well-de

nedentrancestoclearlydemarcatepublicandprivatespaceenablecasualsurveilanceofground-levelopenspacesandplayareas
fromgroundlevelresidential,commercialandretailusesandupperleveldwelling
provideresidentsonlysemi-privateopenspaces(includingplayareas)withsecureaccessfrompublicspace activate all building
frontages along adjoining streets and alonginternal roads whether publicly or privately owned by
locatingentrances to groups or units provide ground level access to lifts with visibility of the lift doorsfrom the
entrance ensure appropriate levels of lighting (including solar lighting)throughout the site.
16 Crown CopyrightGovernment of South AustraliaHousing Design GuidelinesValid until 1 May 2012
1
1.3APARTMENTDESIGN
Internal Circulation
Allow for generous, well designed staircases with views of (or opento) access corridors and the external
environment to encourageincreased activity as a desirable and pleasant alternative to usinglifts.Corridors, stairs
and lifts should be wide enough to move largefurniture items to apartments.Core circulation spaces to serve
groups of dwellings on each

oorwith a maximum of 8-12 units on each level.

CharacterandSenseofPlace
Provideforfrequentencountersamongstresidentsbywideningofpathways, corridors and lobbies at entrances to units and
wherepaths intersect or approach units at ground level.All buildings to maximise active frontages at ground level,
withregularly spaced entrances to groups of units in high-rise buildingsand for all dwellings at ground level facing
pedestrian routes andinternal roads and external streets.
Features
Provideattractivecommunityfocalpointssuchassemi-privatecentral open space focusing on existing character trees or
newtree(s) on the site.Facilitate arts, cultural and education projects that bring residentstogether and provide
opportunities for artistic and culturalexpression
OpenSpacesandMeetingPlaces
Provideavarietyofon-siteinternalandexternalcommunitymeetingspaces (including storage spaces) that are accessible to
all residentsregardless of age and ability: in large mixed tenure developments provide community liaisonstaff onsite or serving a number of sites to support residents anddevelop activity programs to facilitate resident interaction
andinclude a multi-purpose room with toilet and kitchenette to allowat any one time for 40% of the estimated adult
population provide communal gathering spaces on every other

oor in high-rise buildings near lifts and stairs with seating and storagelocateplacesforchildrensplayawayfromcarparking
areasandmainstreetsandwithvisibilityfromwindowsofdwellings,butavoid designated playgrounds but provide facilities
and equipmentorspaceswhichchildrencanusebetweenbuildings provide areas for play for children of all ages
focussing onexperiential elements rather than play equipment, located closeto larger dwellings at ground
level provide meaningful, age appropriate play and recreational openspacebythelocationofpublic/communalandsemipublicspacesclosetoentrancesatgroundlevel,childrensplayareasandgeneralopenspaceforsemi-privateusemeaningful
communal/publicopenspacemaybeatgroundlevel, roof top or on terraces for the use of residents and guestsand
include playgrounds, shaded seating adjacent to widenedwalkways, and central courtyards and small parks, but
excludeshard landscaping at entrances, and should be in addition to the12.5% public open space provision or
levy payment
NoiseAttenuation
Incorporate noise attenuation measures such as:double-glazedwindows sealed doorways under-balcony soundabsorbing materials, andwallandceilinginsulationwhichexceedsBCArequirementswherethere is a risk of nuisance from
noise.

23 Crown CopyrightGovernment of South AustraliaHousing Design GuidelinesValid until 1 May 2012

1
1.3APARTMENTDESIGN
WaterEf

ciency
DesignsshouldcomplywiththeDepartmentofPlanningandLocalGovernmentsPolicyLibraryrelatingtowatersensitiveurban
designas follows:usewater-ef

cient

xturesandappliances provide green spaces to receive and utilise stormwater run-offusepermeablepaving

(incorporatingwaterstoragewherepossible) rain water storage and reuse water features utilising stormwater recovery and recycling of stormwater on site for irrigation oflandscapingand
usewithinunitswhereappropriate.
Energy Ef

ciency
Apartments must be designed and set out with dual aspect withopenable external windows, and doors
to balconies to facilitatecross-ventilation of indoor environments. provide standard sizes, materials
and components and avoidimported

ttings such as lights for which globes are dif

culttosource or have high energy use passive design of dwellings by orientation of living areas to thenorthforwinter
sunandshadingofnorthernandwesternwindowsinsummer;andsuf

cient thermal mass in external walls to limituseofair-conditionersandmechanicalheating

BalconiesandPrivateOpenSpace
For apartments and walk up

ats, balconies may enhance amenityor comprise the only available private open space. The balconyrepresents
the only external usable space for upper level units.Balconies are not normally provided off sleeping
accommodation.Exceptions may be required to include particular outlooks, cross

owbreezes and other environmental or locality circumstances and inbedsit accommodation.Balconyareascanbe

includedinprivateopenspaceinaccordancewith planning locality guidelinesMinimumbalconyspaceforapartmentprojects.