Homing in on health in the built environment

Homing in on health in the built environment

20 Feb 2019

In the UK, the cost burden of poor housing on the NHS is estimated at £2.5 billion per year. Studies show that healthy homes contribute to better educational results, higher workplace productivity, reduced emissions, lower energy bills, a reduced carbon footprint as well as improved health and wellbeing, greater life chances, independent living and care.

Increasingly concerning evidence of the detrimental effects poor indoor air quality, humidity and VOCs have on our health is beginning to change the mindset of those responsible for the design and specification of buildings in the UK. The development of NHS Healthy New Towns asks for solutions to deliver healthy and affordable homes at scale whilst creating a sustainable community. Placemaking is a key element to this and getting it right can be fundamental to human health – both physically and mentally.

To find out more about this topic, we invited Dr Oliver Jones, Ryder Architecture; David Birkbeck, Design for Homes CEO and Wood for Good ambassador; Alister Scott, Northumbria University ad NERC Science Knowledge Exchange Fellow and Neil Wilkinson, Gateshead City Council to answer the following questions...

See the video here Building Healthier Places

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