Community Design
The built environment is about the way places are designed for people to live, travel, work, learn, visit, and play. Being able to reach and the quality of services and things in a community can change both health outcomes and health behaviors.[] This is why the way a community is designed—including how money is spent, rules for using land, design standards, and local policies—is so important for health. There are many services and features of the built environment at the community level linked to health. Some of these include:
- Green and open space
- Food systems and security
- Tobacco and alcohol
- Health care facilities
- Amenities, institutions, and community connectedness
- Transportation services and infrastructure
[BE37] Intersections: Health and the Built Environment. (2013). Urban Land Institute. https://americas.uli.org/intersections-health-and-the-built-environment/