Neighbours
BE A GOOD NEIGHBOUR
- Avoid directly overlooking your neighbour's main living areas or garden space by careful location and design of windows and balconies.
- Offset windows to ensure maximum privacy
- Consider the use of landscape and other devices to selectively screen views.
- Protect acoustic privacy by careful siting and internal planning. Locate bedrooms and private open space away from noise sources such as service equipment, busy roads, driveways or active recreational areas.
- Avoid building in a way that significantly overshadows the main living areas or garden space of neighbours.
- Avoid locating noisy areas (such as pools, driveways, and service equipment) near the bedrooms or living areas of neighbours. Driveways and parking areas should be at least 3m from bedroom windows.
- Protect as much as possible any significant views enjoyed by neighbouring properties.
- Some of the most important decisions you can make regarding the energy consumed by your household relate to transport. Where will you live? Is there good public transport? Will you have to buy a second car? You may have an energy efficient home but still be a high energy household if you rely heavily on your car. Transport is a crucial ingredient in the good design of homes, neighbourhoods and cities.
- Smart cities throughout the world are designed to have low rates of motor car use and high quality of life. The same can apply to your household.