ResearchNew RICS report on ‘Cities, Health and Wellbeing’ provides policy insights

Researchers from UCL IEDE and the Bartlett School of Planning have published a RICS Health and Wellbeing Report on ‘Cities, Health and Wellbeing’. 

The RICS Health and Wellbeing Report, authored by academics from UCL IEDE and the Bartlett School of Planning summarises the existing literature and practice on incorporating a concern with health and wellbeing into planning built environments at the building, street, neighbourhood and city scale.

The urban environment has long been recognised as crucial to human health, but the last few years have seen a marked growth in the health and well-being agenda. This insight paper recognises the major contribution property professionals can make in establishing healthy, liveable places for all. The paper reviews the health impact of urban environments in low, middle and high income countries and summarises built environment policy and design approaches to create healthy places.

It provides an overview of how sustainable and healthy building standards address health and wellbeing, including BREEAM, LEED, WELL and Fitwel.

Usefully, the report also includes international case studies of planning and property development projects and summarises recent studies on the commercial value of healthy development.

The full RICS Health and Wellbeing Report is available to read here:

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