High-rise residential buildings in Dhaka, Bangladesh: strategies for socially and environmentally sustainable practice

Abstract

This research aims to develop strategies for socially and environmentally sustainable practice in high-rise residential buildings in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The ever-increasing demand for housing units in Dhaka is currently addressed by constructing high-rise residential buildings. More high-rise residential buildings can be expected to add to the plethora of the prevailing social and environmental problems, including pressure on utility services such as electricity, gas and water supply, lack of fire-fighting facilities, problems with solid waste disposal and non-conformance to building regulations. The usefulness of the strategies for socially and environmentally sustainable practices for high-rise residential buildings in this research lies in a methodology that responds to the criteria set by building stakeholders and to the needs and perspectives of the specific users together with evidence on different aspects of living in high-rise residential buildings. Hence, this research has used an evidence-based research paradigm. In this research, evidence was gathered through the application of quantitative and qualitative research methodology. The collection of data was conducted in four stages. In the first stage, socially and environmentally sustainable parameters for high-rise residential buildings that exist globally were identified through a literature survey. In the second stage, the criteria for achieving socially and environmentally sustainable practices for high-rise residential buildings were investigated through questionnaire surveys of more than 100 stakeholders, comprising of architects, planners, real estate developers, engineers and policy makers. In the third stage, the current social and environmental conditions, problems, constraints and achievements of the high-rise residential buildings in Dhaka were explored through questionnaire surveys of 117 residents in 30 high-rise residential buildings. In addition, data on the building design and construction as well as energy use records of more than 300 apartments were collected. In the last stage, factors affecting electricity use in these residential buildings were investigated. This research has formulated strategies for socially and environmentally sustainable practices for high-rise residential buildings for the following four stages: planning, design, construction and building operation. The strategies for socially sustainable practices developed in this research emphasise on adding value to the quality of life by focusing on maintaining culture and heritage, local employment, spatial design, maintenance and awareness and education; whereas, the strategies for environmental practices focus on proper site selection, reducing impact on ecology, adjacent properties and nearby water bodies together with improving the built environment, construction methods, building materials, waste management system and resource efficiency (with emphasis on occupant behaviour and household practices). It should be noted that even though the strategies developed in this research are dispersed widely among a broad category of issues, the main emphasis has been on issues regarding spatial design, construction practice, resource management, maintenance and awareness and education. It is anticipated that the strategies developed in this research could be used as a guide to design, or policy to promote, sustainable high-rise residential buildings not only in Dhaka, but also in other cities worldwide, which face similar problems in terms of their demography and socio-cultural background as well as environmental problems and constraints.