Astana plans to revise regulations on the placement of air conditioners on residential building facades. The new requirements will be incorporated into the city’s updated design code, reports infohub.kz.
The Astana Department of Architecture and Urban Planning said the rules will depend on the housing class and architectural features of buildings. Different categories of homes will have specific requirements. Department head Altynbek Akhmetov noted: “The document specifically describes how and in what manner air conditioners should be installed.”
According to Daniyar Chindaliyev, a representative of the Center for Urban Studies, for first- and second-class residential buildings, outdoor units are planned to be placed in decorative baskets that match the facade architecture. “These structures must be adapted in color and design to the overall appearance of the building,” Chindaliyev explained.
For other categories of homes, a different approach is proposed: air conditioners must be integrated into the building’s architectural design from the outset and not be visible from the street. Chindaliyev clarified: “Integration of air conditioners directly into the building’s architecture is envisaged. They must be hidden. The air conditioner should be attached not to the facade finish but directly to the load-bearing structure of the building.”
For existing buildings, the installation procedure will remain unchanged for now. The decision on placing outdoor units is made at a general meeting of property owners. However, as Akhmetov noted, even with residents’ consent, the equipment must be covered with special elements to preserve the facade’s appearance.
The mechanism for enforcing the new requirements and liability measures have yet to be determined. The city administration said these issues will be addressed in a separate document after the design code is approved.