Increasing the population density of urban areas is a key policy strategy to sustainably manage growth, but many residents often view higher-density living as an undesirable long-term housing option. Thus, this research explores the predictors of residential satisfaction in inner urban higher-density (IUHD) environments, surveying 636 IUHD residents in Brisbane, Australia about the importance of dwelling design (34 specific attributes, assessing satisfaction with facilities, upkeep, size, cost, design, surroundings, location, climate and environmental management) and neighbourhood (73 specific attributes, assessing satisfaction with noise, odours, pollution, safety, growth, neighbourhood characteristics, facilities). Ordinal regression modelling identified the specific features of the neighbourhood and dwelling that were critical in predicting residential satisfaction: satisfaction with dwelling position, design and facilities, noise, walkability, safety and condition of local area and social contacts (family, friends, familiar faces) in the neighbourhood. Identifying the factors that influence residential satisfaction in IUHD will assist with both planning and design of such developments, enhancing quality and appeal to help ensure a lower resident turnover rate and facilitate acceptance and uptake of high-density living.

Purpose: Buildings, which account for approximately half of all annual energy and greenhouse gas emissions, are an important target area for any strategy addressing climate change. Whilst new commercial buildings increasingly address sustainability considerations, incorporating green technology in the refurbishment process of older buildings presents many technical, financial and social challenges. This paper aims to explore the social dimension, focusing on the perspectives of commercial office building tenants.Design/methodology/approach: Semi‐structured in‐depth interviews were conducted with seven residents and neighbours of the case‐study building undergoing green refurbishment in Melbourne, Australia. Responses were analysed using a thematic approach, identifying categories, themes and patterns.Findings: Commercial property tenants are on a journey to sustainability. Tenants are interested and willing to engage in discussions about sustainability initiatives, but the process, costs and benefits need to be clear.Research limitations/implications: The findings, while limited by non‐random sampling and small sample size, highlight that the commercial property market is interested in learning about sustainability in the built environment.Practical implications: The findings highlight the importance of developing a strong business case and transition plan for sustainability in commercial buildings. As sustainable buildings become mainstream, tenants predicted the emergence of a “non‐sustainability discount” for residing in buildings without sustainable features.Originality/value: This research offers a beginning point for understanding the difficulty of integrating green technology in older commercial buildings. Tenants currently have limited understandings of technology and potential building performance outcomes, which ultimately could impede the implementation of sustainable initiatives in older buildings.

Australians report the second highest rate of water consumption in the industrialized world, despite the continent's generally dry conditions. With researchers suggesting that fostering social capital may encourage people to work together on environmental and sustainable initiatives, this article explores whether social capital, environmental responsibility, and socio-demographic lifestyle factors might predict environmentally friendly or unfriendly home water use behaviors, specifically gardening and car washing, in a drought-prone Australian community. Residents who scored higher on the Neighborhood Connections element of social capital were more likely to wash their car in an environmentally friendly manner. Conversely, residents who scored higher on the Proactivity element of social capital were more likely to engage in the potentially harmful gardening practice of using weedkillers, pesticides and herbicides. The role social capital might play in fostering—or restricting—water sustainability, as well as the implications for policy, community engagement, and environmental education programs, is discussed.

Dwellings in multi-storey apartment buildings (MSAB) are predicted to increase dramatically as a proportion of housing stock in subtropical cities over coming decades. The problem of designing comfortable and healthy high-density residential environments and minimising energy consumption must be addressed urgently in subtropical cities globally. This paper explores private residents’ experiences of privacy and comfort and their perceptions of how well their apartment dwelling modulated the external environment in subtropical conditions through analysis of 636 survey responses and 24 interviews with residents of MSAB in inner urban neighbourhoods of Brisbane, Australia. The findings show that the availability of natural ventilation and outdoor private living spaces play important roles in resident perceptions of liveability in the subtropics where the climate is conducive to year round “outdoor living”. Residents valued choice with regard to climate control methods in their apartments. They overwhelmingly preferred natural ventilation to manage thermal comfort, and turned to the air-conditioner for limited periods, particularly when external conditions were too noisy. These findings provide a unique evidence base for reducing the environmental impact of MSAB and increasing the acceptability of apartment living, through incorporating residential attributes positioned around climate-responsive architecture.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore how social capital or the impact of life and previous disaster experience facilitated resilience in older adults who experienced the 2011 and 2013 floods in Brisbane, Australia.Methods: Data were drawn from in-depth interviews of 10 older adults from Brisbane who were evacuated in both the 2011 and 2013 floods. A combined qualitative approach drawing from the methods of constructivist grounded theory and narrative inquiry was applied and the data were analyzed by using (inductive) line-by-line and axial coding.Results: The narratives of the older adults revealed a strong theme of resilience linked to social capital (bonding, bridging, and linking) and previous disaster experience. The results reflected the changing face of disaster management strategies and sources of social capital.Conclusions: Changes in disaster management polices (toward self-reliance) and more formalized sources of social capital highlight the need to build strong and healthy resilient communities that are capable of positively recovering from natural disasters. The results from this research emphasize the importance of initiatives that enhance social cohesion, trust, and social capital within local communities. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:72–79)