The built environment has a huge role to play in improving health and wellbeing

The author advocates for a 'second wave of sustainability' that shifts focus from building performance to human performance. By integrating health and wellbeing into the design and operation of buildings and cities, the built environment can act as an agent of public health. The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) promotes the WELL Building Standard as a holistic rating system to be used alongside existing green certifications like LEED and BREEAM to improve air quality, cognitive function, and overall productivity.

• The built environment has a significant impact on health because people spend over 90% of their time indoors, and physical and social environments influence health more than genetics, healthcare access, or lifestyle behaviors.
• Climate change is framed as a human health issue, manifesting through severe natural disasters, water crises, changes in agricultural output, and the emergence of diseases.
• The WELL Building Standard provides a holistic rating system for buildings and communities that integrates design features with operational and policy protocols across ten concepts, including air and water quality, lighting, thermal comfort, and cognitive health.
• Evidence suggests that improving air quality can increase the cognitive performance of workers, while poor air quality and high levels of PM 2.5 pollutants are linked to increased COVID-19 mortality rates, particularly in poor neighborhoods and communities of color.
• Several organizations have implemented integrated health and sustainability strategies: Prologis used WELL and LEED in Washington DC and Tilburg; EDGE Technologies focused on net zero, health, and circularity in Amsterdam; and Enel committed offices to the WELL Portfolio.

APA

Gutter, R. (2020). The built environment has a huge role to play in improving health and wellbeing. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/buildings-health-wellbeing/

Chicago

Gutter, Rachel. The built environment has a huge role to play in improving health and wellbeing. World Economic Forum, 2020. https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/buildings-health-wellbeing/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Gutter |first1=Rachel |title=The built environment has a huge role to play in improving health and wellbeing |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=15 June 2020 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/buildings-health-wellbeing/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{gutter2020built, author = {Gutter, Rachel}, title = {{The built environment has a huge role to play in improving health and wellbeing}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2020}, month = jun, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/buildings-health-wellbeing/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }