The idea of designing healthier cities has gained momentum as urban areas strive to create environments that promote wellbeing and sustainability. CIBSE President Fiona Cousins is leading the way with her focus on ‘Building Performance Reimagined’, exploring the intersections of engineering, sustainability and design.
Kathryn Woolley, air quality lead at Buro Happold, shares the approaches that are being employed to transform cities, such as biophilic design and projects that encourage more people to walk.
How does enhancing walkability contribute to a healthier urban environment?
A quarter of our everyday trips are less than one-mile long, and several studies have shown that walking can improve your physical and mental health; it is even being trialled as a social prescription in places such as Leeds and Bradford. Walking is one of the most accessible forms of transport and is an important part of making our environments happier, healthier, and more inclusive.
What is the Great British Engineering Adventure?
In collaboration with social enterprise Footways, Buro Happold has created a series of mapped walking routes that showcase cities’ incredible feats of engineering on foot. The first – the Rail and Heritage Loop – is a circular route that links 10 of London’s rail stations, all wonders of engineering. It follows quiet, feature-filled streets; seeks out the city’s engineering heritage; follows the Thames, Regent’s Canal and London’s hidden rivers, and crosses beautiful green spaces. The 18-mile loop is accessible by public transport, and can be walked in sections – or in one go if you’re feeling ambitious.
Transport is one of the largest sources of air pollution
How does the project align with Buro Happold’s vision?
We want to move away from ‘predict and provide’ planning, where decisions are based on past trends, and move towards ‘vision-based’ planning, which is grounded in creating spaces that align with local decarbonisation objectives. This means managing land use and creating opportunities for people to walk, wheel or cycle to multiple everyday amenities.
We’re excited that the proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework appear to embrace this approach, prioritising creating healthier, sustainable cities.
How do projects such as this minimise pollution and improve air quality?
Transport is one of the largest sources of air pollution in the UK. While the transition to electric vehicles reduces tailpipe emissions, it doesn’t fully address pollution caused by tyre wear and braking. Improving public transport and shifting to active travel are key ways to reduce air pollution.
How can we incorporate biophilic design principles into urban projects?
Biophilic design integrates environmental features within the overall design. This is important in an urban setting, where there can be limited access to green space. It can include tree planting, rain gardens and biodiverse roofs, providing habitat for wildlife and other benefits, such as improved air quality, a reduced heat island effect, and improved wellbeing.
How can we create urban projects that are resilient and adaptable?
Urban planning must go beyond physical mobility, to consider how people interact with their environment and the services available to them. We can test the resilience of different strategies to climate change and population growth to make informed decisions about the future.
Nature-based solutions are a key part of the long-term solution for climate resilience. There are multiple drivers for this approach: reduced grey infrastructure; less embodied carbon; sustainable solutions to engineering challenges; and the reduction of the urban heat island effect. Vegetation lowers surface and air temperatures by providing shade and cooling through evapotranspiration.
Our nature and biodiversity team works with clients and stakeholders to review opportunities for addressing the urban heat island effect at an early stage. Trees can significantly lower surrounding temperatures, which improves thermal comfort and can reduce the need for air conditioning . We recommend retaining existing trees and planting new ones, which improves the biodiversity net gain score.