8 SOLAR ACCESS The NSW standard is for 70% of apartments in a building to receive 2 hours of direct sunlight to living areas and private open spaces (balconies) during mid-winter between 9am and 3pm. The consequence of this standard is that the smaller apartments are located on the sunny side to get the 70% and the larger units that would suite families go on the south. Another consequence is that in some orientations the balcony must be located off the bedroom to ensure that sun gets to the living room. As an example of the micro detail in the ADG the following design guidance is given. “To maximise the benefit to residents of direct sunlight within living rooms and private open spaces, a minimum of 1 square metre of direct sunlight, measured at 1 metre above floor level is achieved for at least 15 minutes.” The Victorian Better Apartment Design Standards only has a general statement on solar access. “Solar access to north facing windows is to be maximised”. NATURAL VENTILATION The NSW standards require 60% of apartments must get cross ventilation while the Victorian standards only require 40%. 1B 1B 1B 2B 2B 2B 2B 3B 2B 1B 2B 3B 1B 2B 2B 1B X X X 3B 2B 2B 1B 1B 2B 1B 22m max 18m max 18m Solar access + natural ventilation 2B 2B 1B 1B 2B 1B 2B 3B 2B 2B 3B 2B 1B 1B 22m 16m Melbourne / Victoria compliant plan has only 1 core with lower cross ventilation requirements 1B 1B 1B 2B 2B 2B 2B 3B 2B 1B 2B 3B 1B 2B 2B 1B X X X 3B 2B 2B 1B 1B 2B 1B 22m max 18m max 18m 1B 1B 1B 2B 2B 2B 2B 3B 2B 1B 2B 3B 1B 2B 2B 1B X X X 3B 2B 2B 1B 1B 2B 1B 22m max 18m max 18m Victorian standards achieve better layouts through lower solar access requirement NSW ADG compliant solar access plan has smaller units facing north (up) Sydney / NSW compliant plan for cross ventilation requires 2 cores