Review of Related Literature

High-rise buildings have a huge impact on their surroundings, consume a lot of energy

and are decisive for the community development and the quality of life of many people.

Their sustainability, energy consumption patterns and design and technology are a

subject of numerous studies. Residents’ opinions are crucial for questions such as

accessibility, landscaping, security issues and indoor environmental quality.

It is found a positive correlation between residents’ participation and residents’

satisfaction. High-rise buildings can provide a decent quality of life for a social

sustainability of the community, and sustainable housing is a key to it. In the cases when

it is integrated with a variety of amenities, the community is thriving. The so-called

densification: mixed-use and higher density sure have its advocates, though higher

density can lead to isolation and as a result: social withdrawal. There are other negative

sides of the high-rise living presenting challenges for designers and planners, namely the

comfort of families with children, missing social interaction and sense of community.

There is also a correlation between fear of crime, mental health issues and high-rise

living.

Some authors turn to vernacular architecture to solve these problems, other approach

the high-rises potential for producing energy on site. Energy efficiency and sustainability

are closely related. Many factors influence the energy performance of the building and

windows are definitely one of them that is why the choice of glazing system is very

important for the designers. Along with the windows, it is crucial to consider and the

construction of the partitions and the external walls. Embodied energy should be reduced

in the design process. Research on the design and technology shows that thermal
insulation in the building envelope significantly reduces the costs for heating and

cooling. Enhancing the natural ventilation is another approach to environmental

sustainability. All these issues should be taken into consideration when designing a

sustainable high-rise building that enhances the quality of life for the residents.

In the literature, social sustainability and urban development are often in close

relationship consequently representing the development of physical spaces that enhance

the quality of life of the users. According to Woodcraft (2015), as cited by Munzel,

Waarden and Galan (2017), p.1, social sustainability is “a process for creating

sustainable, successful places that promote wellbeing by understanding what people need

from the places in which they live and work.” sConsidering urban life, it “combines

design of the physical realm with design of the social world” (Woodcraft, 2015) as cited

by Munzel, Waarden and Galan, (2017, p.1).