Health and well-being: building health-focused cities and buildings: The health and well-being of urban residents are profoundly influenced by the built environment. Cities can cultivate positive health outcomes by ensuring access to green spaces, promoting active transport and reducing environmental hazards like air and noise pollution. According to the World Bank’s Healthy Cities report,22 the design and management of urban spaces can either support or undermine public health, depending on how they prioritize access to health-related services and infrastructure. A core principle of future-oriented city planning is to integrate health considerations into urban development at all stages. This includes promoting policies that reduce urban heat islands, enhance air quality, and provide clean water and sanitation. For example, cities like Singapore and Melbourne have adopted comprehensive green infrastructure strategies that include urban parks, green roofs and sustainable drainage systems, which not only mitigate the effects of climate change but also create healthier environments for residents. Furthermore, the role of cities in promoting mental health is becoming increasingly recognized. Urban stressors such as noise pollution, overcrowding and long commutes can contribute to mental health issues. Cities have begun investing in quiet zones, reducing traffic congestion and designing inclusive public spaces reflecting a holistic approach to health. Buildings must also be designed and operated in ways that enhance the well-being of their occupants. Features such as improved indoor air quality through ventilation systems that minimize pollutants and maximize fresh air flow, natural lighting that supports circadian rhythms, and biophilic design elements such as green walls or indoor plants can support both physical and mental health. Efficient climate control systems help maintain comfortable temperature and humidity levels, supporting occupant well-being. Additionally, the use of non-toxic, sustainable building materials is an important and growing consideration. These efforts, in turn, help drive occupancy. CASE STUDY 9 T3 Minneapolis Cities can cultivate positive health outcomes by ensuring access to green spaces, promoting active transport and reducing environmental hazards like air and noise pollution. The use of mass timber is an example of integrating wellness into design. Exposed wood has been shown to have psychological benefits as it helps bring occupants closer to nature. T3 Minneapolis, the first major multistorey US office building to be constructed of wood in the last 100 years, demonstrates the possibility of sustainable mass timber. T3, which stands for timber, transit and technology, is Hines’s prototype for the use of mass timber in office projects. T3 buildings source renewable and sustainably sourced timber to cultivate well-being and productivity while helping reduce embodied carbon. A comprehensive and innovative suite of technology offerings helps drive connectivity and productivity for occupants, while the natural wood interior complements other wellness activities to support overall mental and physical health. In addition to wellness, mass timber is also a more sustainable building material. The responsibly sourced timber used for T3 is less energy-intensive to extract and process, cleaner and quicker to build with, and produces less waste than concrete and steel. It is recyclable, biodegradable and non-toxic, and it is more fire-resistant than traditional building materials. Source: Hines Reimagining Real Estate: A Framework for the Future 36

Reimagining Real Estate 2024