Curriculum development in health and the built environment: creating a multidisciplinary platform to enhance knowledge and engagement

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 439-452
Author(s):  
Mohammad Gharipour ◽  
Amber L. Trout
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Peer Review Process ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
State University ◽  
Architecture Education ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Morgan State University ◽  
Health And Healing

PurposeOur lived experiences are complex, dynamic and increasingly connected locally and globally through virtual realities that call for an evolution and responsiveness from the field of architecture education. To ensure future built environments are designed to nurture healing and health, this paper aims to address a critical need in architecture education to integrate knowledge of health and social-behavioral disciplines in students' course work. The authors will outline the process of preparing a new multidisciplinary course on health and the built environment (HBE) at the School of Architecture and Planning at Morgan State University in Baltimore, USA, as an effort to challenge the barriers of discipline-specific pathways to learning in the field of architecture.Design/methodology/approachThe central question is how to develop an active learning pedagogy to foster a multidisciplinary learning environment focused on the “practice” (how to) of human-design-oriented approaches to improve the capability of built and natural environments to promote health and healing. The course intentionally centered on the real-life experiences of students to ground their new understanding of health and well-being fields. The course proposal went through an extensive peer-review process of reviewers from the National Institute of Health (NIH) and other departments at Morgan State University to ensure a balance between health- and architecture-specific curricula with a transdisciplinary approach to understanding complex health issues.FindingsThis paper shows the effectiveness of tools and techniques applied in the course to challenge architectural students to integrate various health and behavior perspectives in their designs and to apply health and healing principals to their current and future design projects.Originality/valueWhile there are courses in American universities that offer a traditional introduction to health concerns related to the built environment, there is limited focus on the perspective of the design field approach to improve health and healing outcomes.

Interactions between human behaviour and the built environment in terms of facility management

Facilities ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 2-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darja Kobal Grum
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Human Behaviour ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Solutions ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Purpose In comparison with the relations between the human and natural environments that have been the central focus of environmental psychology for many years, the interactions between the psychological processes underlying human behaviour and the built environment have only recently regained the interest of researchers. In this paper, the author first discusses the reasons for the slower development of human – built environment relations. Afterwards, the author systematically examines the impact that the research of environmental stress, namely, poor housing and poor neighbourhood quality, had on the contemporary understanding of human – built environment relations. Design/methodology/approach The author focuses on social, biophilic and evidence-based design. The author proposes deeper psychological engagement in correlation with human behaviour, psychological well-being and society. The author highlights the inclusion of psychologists in interdisciplinary research teams addressing the development of sustainable solutions to the issues of residential environments. Findings It has been shown that substandard house quality, high noise, lack of natural light in houses, poorer physical quality of urban neighbourhoods, living in a low-income neighbourhood, etc. are linked to elevated physiological and psychological stress. Despite this evidence, there is still a gap between building designers and building users in modern industrialised societies, which could deepen tenants’ dissatisfaction due to specific behavioural needs and consequently lower their psychological well-being and health risk behaviour. Research limitations/implications These are potential risks of error arising from the use of assumptions, limited samples size and data from the secondary resources. Originality/value The major contributions of this paper are as follows. If the environment is understood as a dynamic, constantly changing and complex system of a wide range of players, the author can discern in this environment a dynamic that is otherwise characteristic of emotional dynamics. Expressed participants’ high satisfaction with residential status does not necessarily generate high expectations regarding real estate factors.

Investigating systematic review for multi-disciplinary research in the built environment

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-90
Author(s):  
Subhadarsini Parida ◽  
Kerry Brown
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Review Paper ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Powerful Means ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which a systematic review approach is transferable from medicine to multi-disciplinary studies in the built environment research. Design/methodology/approach Primarily a review paper, it focuses on specific steps in the systematic review to clarify and elaborate the elements for adapting an evidence base in the built environment studies particular to the impact of green building on employees’ health, well-being and productivity. Findings While research represents a potentially powerful means of reducing the gap between research and practice by applying tried and tested methods, the methodological rigour is debatable when a traditional systematic review approach is applied in the built environment studies involving multi-disciplinary research. Research limitations/implications The foundational contribution of this paper lies in providing methodological guidance and an alternative framework to advance the longstanding efforts in the built environment to bridge the practitioner and academic divide. Originality/value A systematic review approach in the built environment is rare. The method is unique in multi-disciplinary studies especially in green building studies. This paper adopts the systematic review protocols in this cross-disciplinary study involving health, management and built environment expertise.

The Free State University integrated reporting: a critical consideration

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 443-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefania Veltri ◽  
Antonella Silvestri
Keyword(s):  
Real Life ◽  
State University ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stakeholder Relationships ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Social Capitals ◽  
International Integrated Reporting Council

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the integrated report (IR) of a South African public university (UFS), by comparing it with the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) framework, to verify whether UFS IR matches the IIRC framework main aims, which is integrating IC and non-IC information into a single report for stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs the case study approach, which is appropriate when a researcher needs to conduct a holistic and in-depth analysis of a complex phenomenon in its real-life context. As such, this method is particularly suitable for exploring intellectual and social capitals, which is complex and context-dependent by nature. Findings – UFS IR includes the content elements of the IIRC framework as labels, but it does not deepen their meaning. As regards the IIRC guidelines principles, the analysis of the UFS IR shows that it does not seem to follow them. Briefly, the data do not have an outlook orientation, the information is not interconnected, the stakeholder relationships are not highlighted and the organisational ability to create value is not disclosed. Research limitations/implications – The implications based on the “bad” experience of UFS IR aims to extend the findings of the case study by shedding light on the levers and the barriers that managers have to face when implementing an IRing project in their organisations. Originality/value – To the best of the knowledge the research is the first investigating the IR theme in the public sector, specifically the higher education sector, dealing with disclosing IC (and non-IC) information within a new reporting mode: the IR.

scholarly journals Immigrant women, nature and mental health

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 359-372
Author(s):  
Catherine Anne Nicole Lorentzen ◽  
Berit Viken
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Immigrant Women ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Effective Strategies

Purpose There is a need for cost-effective strategies to counteract mental health challenges among immigrant women. This study aims to identify how nature might improve the mental health status of immigrant women residing in Norway. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative data were gathered through individual interviews with 14 immigrant women from Iran (2), Poland (2), Palestine, Afghanistan, Congo, Kenya, Thailand, Russia, Portugal, Latvia, Colombia and Bulgaria. Findings The qualitative content analysis revealed that interaction with nature positively influenced the immigrant women’s mental health. This occurred because of the following: exposure to nature itself, leading to mood enhancements; familiarization with the new country’s culture, nature, climate and language, facilitating feelings of mastery, attachment and belonging; social interactions, promoting immediate well-being and future social support; interacting with nature in familiar ways, reducing feelings of alienation/loss; and physical activity, improving mood and stress-related conditions. These mental health improvements were a result of interactions with various types of natural environments. Originality/value This study supports the promotion of interaction with nature among immigrant women as part of low-cost public health work. Practitioners should consider multiple arenas for potential nature-related mental health gains.

Practices, drivers and barriers of implementing green leases: lessons from South Australia

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raufdeen Rameezdeen ◽  
Jian Zuo ◽  
Jack Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Real Life ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Legal Aspects ◽  
The Body ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Staff Retention ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the practices, drivers and barriers which influence the implementation of green leases in South Australia. Despite some efforts on legal aspects of green leases, only a few studies have examined these aspects from an operational perspective. In addition, very little empirical evidence was presented in previous studies to show how green leases work in real-life settings. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with landlord and tenant representatives who have considerable experience in green leases. These interviewees were selected via a purposive sampling technique that identified buildings which use green leases in South Australia. The concept of interface management (IM) was used to operationalize this research. Findings The green leases were found to be mainly initiated by tenants while government involvement, economic and environmental benefits are the main drivers in South Australia. Drivers such as staff retention, well-being and corporate social responsibility are found to be more relevant to tenants. Lack of awareness and transaction costs are the main barriers to the implementation of green leases. Research limitations/implications This study focuses on the South Australian context and mainly covers dark green leases. There are implications for the government’s continued involvement and the promotion of lighter shades of green leases to overcome operational issues and barriers identified in this study. Originality/value This study contributes to the body of knowledge on the subject of green lease implementation from an operational perspective. In addition, the study introduces a conceptual framework via IM that could be used in future research endeavours.

Children, Young People, and Architecture

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosie Parnell ◽  
Maria Patsarika
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Childhood Studies ◽  
Design Work ◽  
Architecture Education ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City

Defining the scope of children, young people, and architecture as a field is an interesting challenge, since architecture draws on the theories and knowledge of a wide range of disciplines to inform its own understandings. Scale also comes into question: architecture can be understood to be strategic as well as haptic; sociocultural and political as well as experiential and material. This article focuses primarily on architecture as design and social process, with a spatial product. Work in this field, as delimited, can be grouped into five areas: children’s spaces as product, the impact of built environment on children, design participation process, appropriation of space, and children’s architectural education. However, architecture as a discipline has not yet created a substantial scholarly body of work on any topic within this field, except perhaps for school design. Work related to children, young people, and architecture exists within Oxford Bibliographies at the scale of the city, neighborhood, and landscape—including school grounds (see the separate Oxford Bibliographies articles in Childhood Studies “Children and the Environment”; “Children’s Geographies”; “Geographies of Children and Childhood”; and “The Spaces of Childhood”. A selection of work addressing the city scale is included here as a context essential to the critical development and understanding of the spatial designer and architectural researcher. The work of historians—primarily centering on schools—is followed by sources that provide An Overview of Children’s Spaces, before moving on to specific Typologies of Space (see also the separate Oxford Bibliographies article in Childhood Studies “Children’s Museums”. The Participation in the Design Process section broadly considers spatial design process with children, where researcher-practitioners from a range of disciplines have made significant contributions. The Impact of the Built Environment on children as occupiers, or “users,” is considered in two separate realms: Health and Well-Being and Academic Performance and Student Behavior. Since the process of creating architecture is here understood to continue beyond design, into inhabitation, children’s creation of space through Appropriation of Space is given separate attention. Finally, the growing subfield of Children’s Architecture Education—or, more broadly, built environment education—is scoped through the few scholarly articles and book chapters that have emerged in recent years. In summary, this is a young field, as reflected in the lack of textbooks, anthologies, and journals dedicated specifically to children, young people, and architecture. There is great potential for architecture, including its design- and practice-based research methods, to make further contributions to understandings of childhood and its relationship to space.

Internship as a criterion for South African educators’ registration

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 1333-1347
Author(s):  
Gideon Petrus van Tonder ◽  
Elsa Fourie
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Learner Performance ◽  
Stress Levels ◽  
Method Approach

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the possible use of internships to support educators with the increase in their administrative, professional workload. Design/methodology/approach This research utilised a mixed method approach. Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered. Pragmatism was the research paradigm. Two structured Likert scale questionnaires were used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with purposefully selected in-service educators from schools. Findings The participants in this study indicated that the increase in their administrative workload impacted negatively on their well-being, they were overwhelmed by the amount of documentation they had to compile, they indicated that assessment was difficult, that they did not have time to constantly adapt to changes, that they had limited opportunities for professional development. Educators said they suffered from anxiety, had high stress levels, were moody, physically and emotionally exhausted and considered to leave the profession. Practical implications The implementation of an internship model could impact positively on educators’ administrative workload. It could lead to a decrease in educators’ administrative workload; lower stress levels and increased learner performance. Student educators will have opportunities to experience how a school operates, get feedback on their teaching skills, learn to discipline learners, attend meetings and serve as part of an educational team. Originality/value In the light of the findings of this research it seems that the implementation of an internship model would provide opportunities to expose student educators to a real-life work experience and opportunities to work together with experienced educators acting as mentors.

Concepts of social sustainability based on social infrastructure and quality of life

Facilities ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (11/12) ◽  
pp. 783-800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bojan Grum ◽  
Darja Kobal Grum
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Social Sustainability ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Infrastructure ◽  
Public Infrastructure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainability Model

Purpose There is a lack of theoretical and empirical studies regarding concepts of social sustainability based on social infrastructure. The idea of understanding this paper is that quality social infrastructure leads to the general quality of people’s life in the built environment and that is rounded up to social sustainability. This paper aims to integrate these concepts into the network, hereinafter referred to as a social sustainability model. Design/methodology/approach The methodology used in this paper is desk research. The authors follow methodological steps in the building of conceptual network: setting up a research problem; choice of databases; reviewing the literature and categorizing the selected data; identifying and default conceptual definition; integrating the concepts; synthesis and making it all make sense; and assembly and validating the concept. Through that, a large volume of bibliographic materials was scanned, and a limited number of documents have been reviewed and critiqued. The documents have been selected from varied disciplines, including social infrastructure, quality of life, social sustainability, urban sociology, housing policy as among the articles. Findings The result is the model which represents the links between social infrastructure (utility equipment, public infrastructure, vital objects and fundamentals) and further between factors inside quality of life structure (users, quality of life, reflections). The result is the model which representing the links between social infrastructure (utility equipment, public infrastructure, vital objects and fundamentals) and further between factors inside well-being structure (users, quality of life, reflections). Research limitations/implications There is a potential risk of errors arising from the use of assumptions, limited desk reviews and data from secondary resources. Originality/value The authors portray the development of social sustainability model. Within this model, the authors can critically observe all levels within the existing built environment: user responses to the built environment, their satisfaction, social inclusion, health, etc. Within this model, they can observe the links between existing research, their frequency, capture, direction and not least to determine which areas have not been explored and where the lacks of research are. The conclusion outlines the framework and its main concepts of social sustainability based on social infrastructure and well-being, including their theoretical premises and components.

scholarly journals Professionalism in built environment research: beyond integrity and good practice

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
George Ofori
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
National Development ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Environment Research ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Improvement Effort

PurposeProfessionalism indicates a devotion to and demonstration of exceptional performance and achievement in any activity. The built environment comprises the physical items required for economic activity, long-term national development and social well-being. Studies show a need to improve many aspects of the built environment and the sector which creates it. Researchers should contribute to this improvement effort. It is suggested that researchers should demonstrate professionalism, but there is no agreement on how professionalism in research is determined. It is necessary to consider what constitutes professionalism in built environment research and how it can be developed.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory study is presented. It considers major works on the nature of the built environment and its sector, and factors influencing research on them; and draws on works on research ethics, integrity and good practice to propose a framework for professionalism in built environment research.FindingsMore work is needed to improve the built environment and its sector. Professionalism in built environment research will make the contribution of such research to this effort effective. This professionalism should be conceptualised, developed and continuously enhanced.Research limitations/implicationsThis first attempt to formulate a framework for professionalism in built environment research is based on a review of the major relevant literature. Subsequent works can test this framework empirically.Social implicationsThe professional built environment researcher will be committed to contributing to society.Originality/valueThis is the first work on professionalism in research on the built environment. The framework provides the basis for further studies on the subject.

Evaluation of a participatory approach to improve healthy eating and physical activity in a secure mental health setting

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 301-309
Author(s):  
Alberto Mateo-Urdiales ◽  
Margaret Michael ◽  
Charlotte Simpson ◽  
Jane Beenstock
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Prevalence Of Obesity

Purpose The prevalence of obesity in secure mental health units is higher than in the general population, having a negative impact on the physical health and mental well-being of people with severe mental health illness (SMI). The purpose of this study was to describe the feasibility of a programme aimed to help people with SMI to eat healthily and be physically active. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods approach was used. A questionnaire administered to patients in both wards measured acceptability, demand, implementation and practicality of the project. Individual semi-structured interviews and focus groups were used to explore staff and patients’ perceptions of the project; as well as the barriers and enablers towards an effective implementation and participation in the project’s activities. Findings Patients were, overall, satisfied with the activities implemented. Successful activities were easy to implement, had staff actively engaged and did not require logistic or administrative planning beforehand. Barriers included unawareness around funding mechanisms of activities, staff capacity issues or lack of patients’ permission to leave the ward. Originality/value Few studies have assessed the feasibility of real-life interventions aimed to improve healthy eating and physical activity in secure mental health units. The results of this study can inform commissioners and providers of mental health services to design and implement new interventions and programmes.

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