Health and well-being

Health and well-being refer to a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Understanding the role of the built environment and the way it affects both of these concepts can improve people’s quality of life and the design and management of healthier developments, ensuring compliance with relevant regulation.

The health and well-being of building occupants and residents have preoccupied built environment professionals for a long time. However, their attention has more recently focused on indoor air quality, the health benefits of climate action, active transportation and physical activity, green space and mental health, and much more. It is imperative to plan for, design, build and maintain healthier buildings and developments.

This section presents a brief overview of the topic, beginning by setting out why health and well-being are relevant to the built environment and its professions, defining key terms and outlining current debates. It then considers what a healthy development looks like at different scales and discusses regulatory frameworks and relevant certifications, before providing some practical advice.

This section is maintained by Catalina Turcu, Professor of Sustainable Built Environment at the Bartlett School of Planning, University College London

isurv section: Social value

RICS insight: Cities, health and well-being

RICS journal article: The value of health and wellbeing certification for property managers and occupiers

RICS journal article: Walking brings benefits to cities, businesses and people

RICS journal article: Why access to nature is a social justice issue

RICS journal article: Widening health and well-being

RICS practice information: The design, delivery and management of healthy buildings