Global guidelines for Housing and Health
The Housing for Health incubator recently invited and heard from David Jacobs, Chief Scientist, National Center for Healthy Housing, United States on the recently launch World Health Organization’s (WHO) Housing and health guidelines. There are many familiar scenarios published and recommendations.
As described by the WHO:
” The WHO Housing and health guidelines bring together the most recent evidence to provide practical recommendations to reduce the health burden due to unsafe and substandard housing. Based on newly commissioned systematic reviews, the guidelines provide recommendations relevant to inadequate living space (crowding), low and high indoor temperatures, injury hazards in the home, and accessibility of housing for people with functional impairments. ”
To read the full report please click here.
David Jacobs and Dr. Paul Torzillo both appear on Radio National to discuss the issues of achieving environments that do not adversely impact on health and the importance of ongoing maintenance programs to ensure improvements are not reversed.
“There obviously needs to be new housing because there’s a housing deficit, but we think that unless we can implement these local sustainable maintenance programs with access to electricians and plumbers across the country, we are not going to keep these houses functioning and we are going to lose housing stock.” Paul Torzillo, Radio National ABC, 25th February 2019
