Week 12: Built Environment

Question 1

Built environment

Answer 1

Human-made or modified physical surroundings in which people live, work and play. These places and spaces
include our homes, communities, schools,
workplaces, parks/recreation areas,
business areas and transportation
systems, and vary in size from large-scale urban areas to smaller rural developments

Question 2

Characteristics of unsustainable built environments (3)

Answer 2

Unhealthy
Inequitable
Unmaintainable

Question 3

Unhealthy

Answer 3

When the consequences of built environments negatively affect human health outcomes and the health of other species

Question 4

Inequitable

Answer 4

When groups are disproportionately exposed to environmental contaminants, have reduced access to amenities or healthy environments

Question 5

Unmaintainable

Answer 5

The high quality of the environments cannot be passed on to future generations
Using up resources needed to maintain quality

Question 6

Urban sprawl

Answer 6

Uncontrolled expansion of urban areas

Question 7

Features of urban sprawl development

Answer 7

Extensive road and infrastructure construction
Segregation of land uses
Homogeneous architecture, landscapes
Social and economic homogeneity
Focus of capital investments on the periphery
Absence of regional planning for sustainability

Question 8

3 main elements of urban sprawl phenomena that can lead to ill health

Answer 8

Automobile dependency
Air pollution, inefficient energy consumption
Social relationships

Question 9

5 features of healthy built environment

Answer 9

Neighbourhood cohesion
Connectivity 
Affordable and safe housing
Link to nature
Affordable and healthy food

Question 10

Importance of cultivating physical activity behaviours among youth

Answer 10

Decline in physical activity from childhood to adolescence and beyond
Carry important consequences for future (adult) health
Sedentary activities dominating youth time