March 13th - Reference Materials on the Built Environment

The theme for March 13th is Understanding the Built Environment -- the following documents provide an introduction to this topic from a community health and well-being point-of-view.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation defines the built environment as "the arrangement of activities or land uses within community settings, and the nature of the physical connections between the places where we live, work and play."

Healthy Housing, Healthy Community Project (June 2007): a collection of recent commentary, books, advocacy information and research articles on the relationship between the built environment and community health.

Indicators for Community Action: Built Environment and Public Health (2006) - a community development perspective on measuring the impact of the built environment on well-being

Creating A Healthy Environment: The Impact of the Built Environment on Public Health (2001). A monograph that links urban sprawl and health outcomes

Built Environment and Health (BEH) project Columbia University, various studies link the BE and health. e.g. this study showing a relationship between asthma prevalence and tree density in New York City.

Creating a Healthier Built Environment in BC (2007).

Health and the Built Environment (2008). A Waterloo region website documenting wide ranging regional projects that link the BE and community health.