Towards Livable Urban Environments by Addressing Health from a Spatial Perspective: Exploration by Mapping Environmental Noise and Air Pollution in the Northern Fringe of Brussels

摘要

Although a growing societal awareness for the impact of the built environment on health and well-being urges spatial planners to take health aspirations into account, the issue is mostly addressed very late in the planning process.This results in a rather short term perspective of possible solutions and a mainly local focus on measures to mitigate environmental nuisance. The article starts from the existing gap between the requisite technical expertise concerning enviromnental nuisance and the daily spatial planning practice, preventing a substantial shift to incorporating public health concernsin spatial policy initiatives or interventions. Therefore opportunities to positively affect health and well-being through enhancing environmental liveabilty conditions are missed.udThe article focuses on environmental noise and air pollution in relation to human health in the Northern Fringe of Brussels. Useful data sources are explored and selected indicators are processed by GISanalysis to establish a comprehensible mapping method for evidence informed spatial policy,showing spatial varation of environmental health issues in the area.