Smart public housing units - inner-city Brisbane
Overview
One of the Department of Housing’s examples of Smart Housing is a new public housing development in inner-city Brisbane.
The design of this two-storey development of 20 units for seniors includes water management and water efficiency features.
The units are an example of environmental sustainability through smart design - roofwater is collected and re-used for flushing toilets and watering the lawn. Some roofwater is held on-site to benefit the gardens and control the flow of water into creeks and streams, lessening effects on the ecosystem.
They are not only water-efficient in their design, but also incorporate the other principles of Smart Housing - energy- waste- and cost-efficiency as well as safety, security and universal design.
The units were designed in collaboration with the Brisbane City Council.
This development demonstrates how the principles of Smart Housing can be applied to medium density housing units as well as to detached houses.
Some of the features that make these units more livable, safe, secure and environmentally friendly are:
- Simple, logical layout including wide doorways and hallways for easy access to ground floor units.
- Bathrooms in the ground floor units have hobless showers and are accessible for people of all abilities.
- Good ventilation and insulation.
- Low water-use shower heads.
- An underground water tank to store roofwater for re-use.
- Reduced-slip floor surfaces.
- Security doors and locks.
Last updated March 2007
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