Implementing Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design in Multi-Family Dwelling
With the City of Calgary approving the blanket zoning in several established neighbourhoods, there has been lively discussions at the City engagement session, community association meeting, and neighbours having the “over the fence” conversations regarding how this blanket rezoning will impact various factors such as parking, privacy, and waste management. However, as the HH/BH Safety Director, I’ve participated in several of these conversations looking at the potential densification issues through what I would describe as the “safety lens”
It is well researched and documented the application of the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) plays an important part in keeping communities and their residents safe. Security design and access control is more than bars on windows, security cameras and a fence.
Crime prevention involves the systematic integration of design, technology, and operation for the protection of three critical assets – people, information, and property. Protection of these assets is a concern and should be considered throughout the design and construction process.
It’s been my experience in participating in the City engagement sessions, that safety and crime prevention hasn’t even been considered in the rezoning decision. To clarify, safety includes more than theft. Safety includes access for those with limited mobility and proper lightening to reduce shadows and areas of concealment. It’s estimated by government agencies, by 2030, there will be 24% of Canadians over the age of 65 years old. This prompts the question “How are the different levels of government, including the municipal, preparing to support and manage the senior population in terms of safety?” Even after I have repeatedly asked at the City engagement sessions “What is affordable housing and has the needs of seniors been included in affordable housing?” Unfortunately, neither of these questions have yet been clearly answered.
The most efficient, least expensive way to provide security is during the design process. Designers who are called on to address security and crime concerns must be able to determine security requirement, must know security technology, and must understand the architectural implications of security needs. As mentioned previously, this is called Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) and it involves designing the built environment to reduce the opportunity for, and fear of stranger-to-stranger predatory crime. This approach is different from traditional crime prevention practice, which focuses on denying access to a crime target with barrier techniques such as locks, alarms, fences, and gates. CPTED takes advantage of opportunities for natural access control, surveillance, and territorial reinforcement. It is possible for natural and normal uses of the environment to meet the same security goals as physical and technical protection methods.
Increasing Safety in Multi-Family Dwelling Housing
Natural Access Control:
• Balcony railing should never be made of a solid, opaque material or be more than 42 inches high.
• Define parking lot entrances with curbs, landscaping, and/or architectural design, block dead-end areas with a fence or gate.
• Common building entrances should have locks that automatically lock when the door closes.
• Limit access to the building to no more than two points.
Natural Surveillance:
• Make exterior doors visible to the street or neighbours, and ensure they are well lit.
• All four building facades should have windows. Site buildings so that the windows and doors of one unit are visible from those of other units.
• Assign parking spaces to each unit and locate them next to the unit. Designate special parking spaces for visitors.
• Parking areas and walkways should be well lit.
• Recreation areas should be visible from a multitude of windows and doors.
• Dumpsters should not create blind spots or hiding places.
• Shrubbery should be no more than three feet high for clear visibility and tree canopies should not be lower than eight feet.
Territorial Reinforcement:
• Define property lines with landscaping or post-and-pillar fencing but keep shrubbery and fences low to allow visibility from the street.
• Accent building entrances with architectural elements and lighting and/or landscape features
• Doorknobs should be 40 inches from windowpanes.
• Clearly identify all building and residential units with wee-lit address numbers a minimum of five inches high.
• Common doorways should have windows and be key controlled by residents.
• Locate mailboxes next to the appropriate residences.
Designing CPTED and security features into building and neighbourhoods can reduce opportunities for, and vulnerability to, criminal behaviour and help create a sense of community. The goal is to create safe places through limited access to properties, good surveillance, and a sense of ownership and responsibility.
Reference
Building Resilience: Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. By the National Institute of Building Sciences. Excerpted from the 12th Edition of Architectural Graphic Standards Randall I. Atlas, PhD, AIA, CPP, Atlas Safety & Security Design, Inc. Miami, Florida.
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