Reducing heart disease, heat impacts, diabetes and mental illness through implementing planning measures for those living in urbanised environments is the focus of a new landmark study, conducted by Landcom in partnership with the Institute for Sustainable Futures, the University of Sydney and the University of NSW.
The study, currently titled Translating Evidence to Support Planning Strategies for Healthier Higher Density Living, aims to provide new knowledge and tools for addressing significant gaps in the planning of healthy higher density precincts.
The project is being led by ISF Associate Professor Jason Prior, UNSW's Professor Susan Thompson, and the University of Sydney's Dr Jennifer Kent, with funding from Landcom NSW.
The project investigates a number of issues:
- Understanding how health evidence can be better applied to plan for healthier, sustainable higher density living that supports the health and wellbeing of present and future generations.
- Drawing together public and planetary health, translational research and health planning to create collaborative learning partnerships between Landcom NSW, the universities of NSW, government organisations, TAFEs and schools to support innovation in planning for sustainable urban development.
- Advancing knowledge of ways to plan higher density developments to increase positive health outcomes for future populations.
- Exploring how to improve opportunities for the health and wellbeing of growing urban populations in the future.
- Addressing the challenges to population health that are increasingly common within urbanised society, from the lesser-seen effects of growing heat, to the impact of urbanisation on obesity rates.
- Understanding the relationships and interconnections between environmental health, place and human wellbeing within the Australian urban context, and supporting the development of policies that are appropriate for this context.
- Developing knowledge for the benefit of planners and policy-makers, to assist with the creation of healthy and sustainable urban futures.
This project is being conducted by the University of Technology Sydney, the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales, in partnership with Landcom.
Project team
Chief investigators:
- Jason Prior (ISF)
- Jon Adams (Faculty of Health)
- Jennifer Kent (University of Sydney)
- Susan Thompson (University of New South Wales)
- Leena Thomas (Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building)
- Tony Capon (University of Sydney)
- Chris Rissel (University of Sydney)
Research fellow:
- Irena Connon (ISF)
Research officer:
- Laura Goh (University of Sydney)
Research assistant:
- Greg Paine (UNSW)
Collaborating researcher:
- Erica McIntyre (FoH, UTS)
RESEARCH OUTPUTS
Built environment interventions for human and planetary health: Integrating health in climate change adaptation and mitigation (2018) (Report)
Public Health Research and Practice, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. e2841831-e2841831
Healthy Higher Density Living: A Review of the Literature (2018) (Literature review)
Landcom, Sydney, Australia
What Evidence is Available to Translate into Planning Strategies for Healthy Higher Density Living? (2019) (Report)
Landcom: Sydney, Australia. ISBN: 978-0-6483595-9-3
MEDIA
Integrating health into our response to climate change - FoH, UTS, February 2019
Healthy Planning for Higher Density - The Urban Design Daily, December 2019
Local Climate Health Research Inadequate - Climate Control News, December 2018
On the Radar - The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, December 2018
Universities and Landcom embark on high density living and health study - Architecture and Design, May 2018
How can we ensure healthy high-rise communities? - The Fifth Estate, May 2018
Urban planning being investigated in preventing type 2 diabetes in Australia - diabetes.co.uk, April 2018
New study tackles high density health issues - University of Sydney Newsroom, April 2018
UNSW joins study of healthy living and high-density housing - University of New South Wales Newsroom, April 2018
Universities partner with Landcom on healthy living study - Institute for Sustainable Futures Newsroom, April 2018
Researchers
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Professor and Research Director
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Adjunct Fellow
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Research Consultant
Years
- 2017-2021
Location
- Sydney
Client
- Landcom
Partners
- The University of Sydney
- University of NSW