Environments, human health and wellbeing

The environments we inhabit have both direct and indirect impacts on our health and wellbeing with damaging environmental conditions disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable.

Environments, human health and wellbeing explores the role of human-made or managed environments in influencing the physical and mental health of residents. This connects with multiple Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including good health and wellbeing (SDG3), sustainable cities and communities (SDG11) and reducing inequalities (SDG10).

The work focuses upon better understanding the impacts of blue (water), green (semi-natural) and grey (built) infrastructure qualities upon health and wellbeing. The team have a particular interest in urban environments including revealing inequalities and the effects of demographic transitions (ageing societies and rural-urban migration).

It investigates the use of novel monitoring technologies (big data, personal environmental sensors and physiological measurements) to better understand the impacts of environmental conditions.

The team develop and evaluate participatory (participatory mapping, citizen science) and creative (art and design) engagement approaches to understand lived experiences and aim to include typically marginalised groups in decision making discussions.