Location, Location, Quality

The recently released Framework for Housing Quality from Stats NZ defines four elements of housing quality:

  • Habitability
  • Environmental sustainability
  • Functionality
  • Social and cultural sustainability

Interestingly, the location of a house affects all four of these elements and has a significant impact on overall housing quality.

Habitability

Habitable houses are physically safe, secure and healthy. 

Environmental sustainability

The design and construction of environmentally sustainable houses ensures that they are responsive to the climate and environment, facilitate sustainable living and are both durable and resilient.

Functionality

Functional houses enable cultural, spiritual, social and economic participation, improve connectivity and provide for physical, sensory, cognitive, emotional and mental health needs.

Social and cultural sustainability

Socially and culturally sustainable houses are adaptable and flexible to changing living needs and circumstances.

What this means for Developers

Aside from location, here are some resources your design team can use to improve the quality of housing:

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