Built Environment and Walking – Encouraging Physical Activity in and Around Buildings

There are clear links between the built environment and physical activity (PA) levels. To date, most of this work has focused on how city planning can encourage or discourage walking and cycling between destinations. For a summary of this see http://www.sparc.org.nz/partners-and-programmes/active-communities/active-friendly-environments/overview.

While the design of urban connections between buildings and across our cities is an important consideration in any approach to sustained PA, the role that building designs has to play is under appreciated. We spend a large proportion of our week inside or around buildings (home, work, public/commercial buildings).

Which features of, or designs of, buildings best support walk friendly environments?
How can we encourage developers to build walk friendly buildings?
How could workplace HR or company policy/programmes support a built environment approach?

Comments or suggestion to Jason.Morgan@sparc.org.nz