Physical Environment of Tall Residential Buildings: The Case of Hong Kong

Increasing urban populations, scarcity of urban land, depletion in resources and severe impact of urban development on sustainability are critical contemporary issues. Such issues have vast implications on the desirability of compact, high-rise high-dense built forms. Yet, the environmental quality and social acceptance of these forms remain barely studied. This chapter reviews some of the critical environmental implications posed by the closely packed high-rise building and high urban densities.