SkyWorld Healthy Home: Reimagining healthier high-rise living from the outside in

• High-rise residential developments are a staple of the Malaysian property market, and experts at SkyWorld Healthy Home weigh in on the ways in which we can make these homes healthier.

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 18): Creating healthier homes goes beyond taking care of the individual units. It involves creating healthier community spaces and designs for our residential developments, according to experts at the SkyWorld Healthy Home panel discussion.

Held at the SkyWorld Gallery @ Setapak here recently, the joint event between SkyWorld Development Bhd and EdgeProp Malaysia saw the experts sharing how this could be done through a rethink of the current practices.

Outdated design and planning impeding health of homes

Designs for non-landed homes in Malaysia are currently trying to model themselves after the classic layouts of terrace houses, which are just not feasible, opined Architect Centre Sdn Bhd accredited architect, independent building inspector and trainer, Ar. Anthony Lee Tee, one of the panellists for the second day of the event. 

“As high-rise living has become more of a necessity over the years, developers have tried to recreate the feeling of landed living in non-landed spaces, by miniaturising the features of a landed home to fit into non-landed units, like utility spaces, dedicated laundry areas and wet kitchens. The result is a very self-contained unit that functions like a house in a high-rise block, but may be quite cramped,” explained Lee.

“Instead of trying to follow this format, we could try incorporating more co-living concepts into our non-landed developments,” he said.

Planning regulations need to be updated to promote healthy building designs

Lee also noted Malaysian planning laws are currently outdated and restrictive, forcing developers to work within very tight constraints. An example of this includes the requirement that all buildings have a set back. 

“As a result, you are going to get a lot of congested design, as this forces developers to build taller. If you go to Europe, you will see that it is not required and they build all the way to the boundary. Our developers are still confined to those laws and requirements, and we are trying to change the mindset of local authorities,” said Lee. 

“Even in Singapore things have changed. They realised that these planning laws are catering for car parks. Now, Singapore says that if you take a piece of land, and that land is say, two acres, you must replace [it with] two acres of open area within the building. Sometimes they even have to replace double the amount of land taken. So in certain places, you will find that the gardens are within their buildings, not just on the external grounds of a development, to fill in the gaps,” added Lee.

Lee also pointed out that although the Malaysian Uniform Building By-laws (UBBL) do include specifications to try to mitigate the inherent unhealthiness of taller, higher density buildings, it is still not enough.

“Our by-laws say that if you are building up to a certain height with a certain number of units, air wells need to be of a certain size. But logically speaking, if you build up to 50 storeys, you will not be able to get a lot of natural light and ventilation into these inner spaces. Furthermore, air wells are often where all the air conditioning units go, and the wet kitchens are also facing that space. This traps a lot of heat and humidity. So, I think these corridors or inner spaces need to be redesigned,” said Lee.

Non-landed homes need healthy common spaces too

The common areas in a non-landed development are also a part of the residents’ homes, and the health of these spaces should also be taken into consideration, explained SkyWorld development planning unit manager Ar. Philip Gan. 

“Designing spaces that embody the concept of family living, and encouraging cross-generational interactions can help foster a sense of community amongst residents of a particular condominium or neighbourhood. This is a vital part of maintaining residential well-being,” said Gan.

“It comes down to intuitive master-planning and making these spaces comfortable in a way that suits a variety of residents. For example, providing indoor and outdoor exercise spaces, and having those spaces located next to playgrounds or childcare facilities, so that all generations of the family can enjoy some time outside the home together,” added Gan.

Monitor indoor carbon dioxide levels consistently

“Essentially, good indoor air quality is achieved when you step into any indoor space, and you feel more comfortable and refreshed than you do outside. We do not often consider this, but lowering carbon dioxide levels in our indoor spaces is a huge step towards creating a healthier space,” said Airscan Malaysia Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) assessor, Syida Nazri. 

This can be achieved with simple technological solutions and lifestyle practices. Syida recommended the use of carbon dioxide sensors, with non-dispersive infrared specs (NDIR), to monitor indoor carbon dioxide levels and to regularly cross-ventilate our homes to maintain good indoor air quality. 

Although costing more than their recycled-air counterparts, air conditioning units with fresh air intakes are another good investment to ensure that carbon dioxide levels are at a minimum. 

Consider impact of lighting on wellbeing

The impact of lighting on our wellbeing is often overlooked, but should be a serious consideration for homeowners, to create the mood-lifting and ambient spaces we desire, said Hoe & Yin Design Studio principal and founder, Katrine Cheong. 

“Colour and brightness (of lighting) are often subject to individual tastes, but focusing too much on overhead lighting is not productive. Instead, strategically-placed lamps can transform our spaces into more cosy, calming and ambient settings, which in turn, can help improve our moods at home,” said Cheong. 

“Natural lighting still remains the best source of light, of course, but to mimic its effects throughout all hours spent at home, fabric lights are a good solution,” added Cheong. 

SkyWorld Development is one of EdgeProp START’s strategic partners. Curvo Residences at Setapak is a development highlighted in this partnership. All SkyWorld Development homebuyers also get to enjoy rewards worth up to RM18,888. 

Looking to buy a home? Sign up for EdgeProp START and get exclusive rewards and vouchers for ANY home purchase in Malaysia (primary or subsale)!