Date Posted: 12.29.2015
Mithun Chairman Bert Gregory was recently tapped by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) to discuss the increasing focus on human health within design, land use and real estate fields.
Diverse research projects and organizations began to document the health impact of sprawl and unhealthy buildings in the 1990s. Today, the research continues and market demand is accelerating. Mithun is currently working with the University of Virginia and the USGBC on integrating health into the LEED® system, and Bert serves on the advisory group for the ULI Building Healthy Places Initiative.
Among Mithun’s influential urban design efforts is the mixed-use, mixed-income Mariposa-South Lincoln neighborhood redevelopment project for the Denver Housing Authority (DHA). Health was the driving and organizing force for the design of the project. Five years later, we joined again with DHA on the Mariposa Healthy Living Initiative, which includes campaigns and action plans to improve specific health goals; a reevaluation and update of health indicators; and the creation of the Mariposa Healthy Living Toolkit.
Where do we go from here? Land use policy needs to continue to advance compact, walkable, mixed-use, mixed-income, safe and transit-oriented development as fundamental to healthy living. Bert challenges us to ask “How can I help create the best possible healthy place for people?”
Read the full article here.
