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Browse Fact Sheets by housing density: Medium

Density

  • Estate Design
    • Content rating:
    • 4 stars

Density is a key variable in urban design and planning. Different residential densities generate different urban forms, characteristics, housing types and ecological footprints. There are a number of ways to measure density – although, not all are useful for making meaningful comparisons between different developments. This factsheet highlights the density measures that are most useful to policy makers, planners, designers and others involved in the development process.

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Design for a mix of uses

  • Place Making and Social Sustainability
  • Estate Design
    • Content rating:
    • 3 stars
    • Commissioned Content: Commissioned Content

Shops and apartmentsA mix of uses within a neighbourhood enhances the livability and sustainability of a new development.  The incorporation of various non-residential uses, such as retail, business and community facilities, within the residential development, can reduce reliance on private vehicles, provide for local working opportunities and enhance the interaction between residents. 

A variety of housing types associated with mixed use developments (eg. Shop top housing) can also encourage affordability and allow residents the opportunity of progressing through different cycles of life within a single neighborhood, avoiding situations of isolation and gentrification.

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Water Recycling

  • Water Management
    • Content rating:
    • 2 stars
    • Commissioned Content: Commissioned Content

Recycled water is an important resource for Australian residential developments. There is the need to identify alternative water sources to adapt to rising population driven demand and increasing unreliability of rainfall dependent freshwater supplies. Recycled water can form an important part of an Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM) approach for greenfield developments, reducing demand on freshwater resources and also reducing discharge of wastewater to receiving environments. 

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Housing Mix

  • Place Making and Social Sustainability
  • Estate Design
    • Content rating:
    • 3 stars
    • Commissioned Content: Commissioned Content

A sustainable community is a diverse one, accommodating people of different life stages, incomes, and household composition.  For instance, a nuclear family is likely to prefer a larger dwelling with several bedrooms and access to private open space; a university student may seek shared accommodation; a young single professional may require a small apartment, while an elderly couple may seek an easy care unit within a retirement village.  All of these groups will have very strong preferences for the location their homes – some will prefer the inner city while others may more space in an outer suburban area.

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Transit Oriented Development

  • Estate Design
  • Access and Transport
    • Content rating:
    • 3 stars
    • Commissioned Content: Commissioned Content

Transit Oriented Developments, or TODs, are generally higher density, mixed use developments, located along major public transport (PT) corridors and generally centred on major transport nodes (bus and train stations, interchanges, etc). TODs are designed to encourage more sustainable transport behaviour through encouraging reduced reliance on motorised private motorised transport, encouraging pedestrian mobility and synergies between complementary mixed land uses.

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Solar Access and Lot Orientation

  • Estate Design
  • Energy Management
  • Climate Change Adaption
    • Content rating:
    • 4 stars
    • Commissioned Content: Commissioned Content

Solar access in subdivision design is about manipulating the key variables of aspect, shape and density in combination with site characteristics such as topography and slope to achieve an optimum mix of lot sizes that are appropriately oriented to allow for energy efficient house design. When lots are correctly aligned and proportioned, individual energy efficient housing can be built with comparatively less effort because lots are suitable to site a dwelling with good solar access.

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Siting

  • Site Ecology
  • Estate Design
  • Access and Transport
  • Water Management
  • Energy Management
    • Content rating:
    • 3 stars
    • Commissioned Content: Commissioned Content

The decisions that are made during the initial site selection and the subsequent site design will have a significant impact on the development's overall sustainability. A range of issues need to be considered, including where to actually site the community, how to incorporate the existing natural features into the design, where to place roads, dwellings, parks and community facilities and how this will all fit within the context of the existing community and the overall objectives of the development.

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