Human Wellness: Pandemic and Beyond Wellness Design to Build Environment by Luke Leung (SOM)

Human Wellness: Pandemic and Beyond Wellness Design to Build Environment by Luke Leung (SOM)

Monday, April 26, 2021 @00:00 JST

SUMMARY:
In 2019, United Nation World Health Organization (WHO) categorized health threats that can derail humans and a pandemic was number 3 on the list.  When COVID-19 hit us in early 2020, we saw it firsthand of what the impacts can be.

In this presentation, the latest research on COVID-19 will be presented with quantifiable data on risk and impacts with a focus on how that impacts built environment design.

This presentation will also look beyond the current shadow into the holistic health impacts in our future and what are the strategies to make us healthier.  Global population above 60 years old was about 7% in 1950, 13% in 2020, and likely 28% by 2070.  With the aging of the population, next global health emergency can have more devastating impacts and can derail our future economy if they are not adequately addressed.

Our built environment and our life styles have been decoupled with nature and its natural cycles. The key for a healthy future will be a realignment with nature inside and outside of our built environment. The focus on this presentation will start with human centric health design, and move beyond to terrestrial health. Holistic health of humans requires also a healthy earth to thrive together.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Participants in this session will be able to:

1. Describe the importance of wellness in the future, including by 2070, the percentage of global population above 60 years old will increase from 13% today to 28%, which is also the age group that is prone to pandemic issues.
2. Plan for the global health threats of the future including not only pandemics, but also health issues from climate change (e.g. wild fire, air pollution), chronic diseases, etc. as laid out in the WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION reports.
3. Explore the solution to health issues can lie in the physiology, building, community, and terrestrial health.  The refocus on physiology of humans including respiratory system, the circulation system, the nervous system, the muscular system, the skeletal system etc. is important.
4. Summarize the single most important aspect of wellness is when human and nature thrive together.  Terrestrial health in nature will impact built environment health.

CES:
1.0 LU/HSW for AIA members