By Ted Eytan, MD on
09 Jan 2014 •
openbook 3 minute read
I’ve explored the social determinants of health in the places where we live/work, etc, (see: Photo and Map Friday: The Social Determinants of the NoMa Neighborhood, Washington, DC USA | Ted Eytan, MD) and recently I got to connect with the team at the US Green Build …
With grant funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the US Green Building Council and researchers from the University of Virginia School of Medicine (UVA) are conducting a systematic descriptive analysis of the representation of health and wellness wi …
For two decades, the green building movement has been propelled by a shared vision for market transformation. This vision was largely drawn from the energy efficiency community, and it has been rooted in two essential elements: (1) a shared definition of green buildin …
By Kelly Worden on
29 Oct 2013 •
openbook 2 minute read
In line with how most of us feel when confronted with scenes of nature or time spent outdoors, there is a large body of evidence that suggests access to nature within health care settings promotes healing and overall well-being for patients, staff, and visitors. Increas …
By Adele Houghton on
26 Sep 2013 •
openbook 4 minute read
Extreme weather events such as heat waves and floods do not affect everyone equally. Some populations are more at risk than others of disease, injury, and death because of the unique combination of social, economic, demographic, and environmental characteristics of the …
By Kelly Worden on
12 Aug 2013 •
openbook 2 minute read
LEED for Neighborhood Development (ND) is a relatively young LEED certification system that aims to build smarter, healthier and more connected neighborhoods that reduce negative environmental impacts and lead to fewer vehicle miles traveled (VMT). So, does it work? …
By Dan Kandy on
30 Jun 2013 •
openbook 1 minute read
We've talked about how poor indoor environmental conditions can lead to more sick days in office buildings, but what is the impact of poor indoor air quality in schools? Furthermore, how does the cost of improving those conditions compare to attendance-linked funding lo …
By Sean McMahon on
25 Jun 2013 •
openbook 2 minute read
Kids spend a huge amount of their time in school: five days a week for seven or more hours a day. They also travel to and from those schools every day, and most of the time they aren't walking. According to the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, less than 15% o …
By GBIG Staff on
18 Jun 2013 •
openbook 2 minute read
Human built environments aren’t always conducive to physical activity. We drive to work or school instead of cycling or walking, ride elevators and escalators, and engage in sedentary activities for most of the day. Active design looks to encourage physical activity t …
By GBIG Staff on
18 Jun 2013 •
openbook 1 minute read
First described by noted biologist E.O. Wilson, biophilia describes the hypothesis that human beings have an instinctive bond and affinity for other living systems. This topic has been popular within the world of green building, with some researchers hypothesizing that …
