Designing haze-ready homes

Property design shows have long pushed for the open concept, incorporating large windows that allow plenty of natural sunlight and pleasant breezes to flow in.

The concept has stayed true and strong even decades later as homes with these open designs are highly sought after. Natural light brightens the rooms and open windows offer a scenic connection to the outside.

Unfortunately, another longstanding occurrence that has stood the test of time is haze. Malaysia grapples with haze annually, thick blankets of it that reduces visibility and puts people’s lungs in danger.

So when haze settles over the neighbourhood, the same open windows become a race for residents to close before they choke.

This triggers a domino effect. As toxic haze forces people indoors, the home must evolve from a basic shelter into a modern protective shield.

When windows stay shut, indoor comfort relies heavily on air purifiers and air conditioning, which rapidly drive up energy costs. This raises an important question: Can homes be designed to naturally act as a built-in air filtration system?

Haze recurs every year

Hazardous Air Pollutant Index (API) reading was recorded in Kuching recently, reaching 298 on the morning of Sept 4, 2026, placing the city at the high end of the very unhealthy range.

Nearby districts like Serian were hit even worse, with extremely hazardous levels above 500. Unhealthy readings have also been recorded across the country.

The risk had been flagged earlier in a May 11, 2026, statement on the southwest monsoon, released by the Malaysian Meteorological Department.

It sounded the alarm over the risk of local and transboundary haze during the July–September peak season if open burning runs rampant.

For the property industry, this raises a long-term concern. If homes are expected to serve their occupants through changing environmental conditions, maybe it is time to make greater control over indoor air part of their design.

Improving general functions

A useful starting point would be to consider how a home really operates under different conditions. Residents may want natural ventilation when outdoor air quality and weather are clear and breezy.

But during a haze period, limiting outdoor air entry becomes a must while keeping occupied rooms comfortable.

Designing for both situations would require attention to detail. Windows and doors should be assessed for how they function when closed, as well as the light, views and access they provide when opened.

For existing homes, this could begin with something simple like checking damaged fittings and openings that no longer close properly. In new developments, stakeholders could consider how residents would operate the home during poor outdoor air conditions and explain this at handover.

A coordinated approach to ventilation, filtration and cooling is needed. Simply making a home more enclosed would leave other questions unanswered, including how indoor pollutants, moisture and ventilation needs would be managed during the prolonged stay-home period.

Any substantial changes would therefore require an assessment of the home and its systems.

A terrace house, an apartment with an open corridor and a residence served by central building systems may require different solutions. A single instruction to shut everything would be too simplistic.

Another feature that deserves consideration is room layouts. Could a bedroom or family room be closed off when necessary and accommodate suitable filtration equipment?

Planning a manageable space for frequently occupied activities could be one option to assess where upgrading an entire home is impractical.

Air filters not just for one room

Air quality in a home is difficult to manage. Instead of relying on windows to let good air in and stale air out, air deserves greater attention earlier in the development process.

This comes alongside decisions on where to place lighting points and air-conditioning provisions. Adequate filtration equipment should have an allocated space of its own, designed into the property.

This would require a more detailed approach rather than a general promise of wellness living. Buyers would need to understand what equipment is included, which spaces it is intended to serve and what its limitations are.

Cooling provision alone should not be treated as evidence that haze protection has been addressed.

There is also the question of how easily the equipment can be used. A proposed system should be assessed for noise, space requirements and access to replacement parts.

Equipment that is awkward to service could become a burden after the initial appeal has faded.

Handover information could help residents understand these practical matters.

Developers could provide clear instructions on operating the home during poor outdoor air conditions, identifying the relevant controls and explaining maintenance responsibilities.

For developments with shared systems, building managers would need their own operating arrangements.

Who monitors conditions, checks equipment and communicates with residents? How would a fault be identified and addressed?

These are proposals for the industry to examine. The value of a haze-ready feature would depend on its demonstrated performance and continued upkeep, rather than the presence of equipment alone.

Affordability limitations

Affordability would determine how widely such improvements could be adopted. A household considering filtration or cooling upgrades would need to account for the purchase price, electricity, replacement filters and servicing.

Energy performance would be another consideration when selecting cooling equipment.

The Energy Commission has announced a revised air-conditioner star-rating schedule for 2026 to 2029. However, an energy-efficiency rating should not be mistaken for a measure of haze filtration performance.

Buyers would need information about both functions.

The discussion must also include existing homes.

Residents of older flats and rented properties may have limited budgets or authority to undertake alterations.

Haze preparedness would have limited reach if it depended entirely on extensive renovations or premium developments.

A more accessible approach could begin with assessing existing fittings and equipment, followed by targeted improvements to frequently used rooms.

Only then could more substantial work be considered where the building, budget and ownership arrangements allow it.

In the case of strata developments, facilities with higher footfall like common rooms or playgrounds would benefit from filtration during haze episodes.

Yet, the bigger shift would be to make indoor air performance a part of how homes get evaluated. At open houses or property galleries, buyers could request information on how the property fares during the haze seasons, whether any filtration comes with the unit and the damage it would cause to their wallets.

Because as global climate issues surge and outdoor conditions deteriorate, homes reclaim their title as shelters and need to account for every nook and cranny.