National Geographic: “Your daily commute won’t ever be the same”
“The real question is: How do you build a future that addresses both chronic and infectious disease?” Read this NatGeo Interview to our Director, Prof. Lawrence Frank. More
COVID-19 is changing the way we get around cities
During the COVID-19 lockdown, China and Italy saw a dramatic drop in air pollution. The Globe and Mail asked our director, Lawrence Frank, about the potential impact of these changes on chronic diseases. Read what he answered in this interview. More
New B.C. study links chronic disease, health care costs to where you live
“Direct health-care costs for diabetes are 52% less for those living in walkable areas than in car-dependent areas. The cost for hypertension is 47% less, and for heart disease is 31% less.” More
Report: Increased Economic Activity following Bike Lane Installation in Toronto
Featured image: Summer Reid/Gleaner News The numbers are in, and it appears as though the controversial installation of bicycle lanes along Bloor Street in Toronto in 2015 has been a success, both for riders and businesses along the well-travelled corridor. The Toronto Centre for Active Transportation (TCAT) reports that economic activity along the section of Bloor […] More
What Amazon HQ2 RFP Reveals about Transit Importance for Business
Evidence is growing that commuters and businesses alike are recognizing the value of locating near transit routes—particularly high frequency transit routes such as rail, light rail, and rapid bus lines. In their recently unveiled RFP for a new secondary North American headquarters—dubbed ‘HQ2,’—online retail giant Amazon lays out the following requirement for cities hoping to […] More
New report: Objective Assessment of Obesogenic Environments in Youth: Geographic Information System Methods and Spatial Findings from the Neighborhood Impact on Kids Study.
Report: Objective Assessment of Obesogenic Environments in Youth: Geographic Information System Methods and Spatial Findings from the Neighborhood Impact on Kids Study GIS-based walkability measures designed to explain active travel fail to capture “playability” and proximity to healthy food. These constructs should be considered when measuring potential child obesogenic environments. The aim of this study […] More
We are British Columbia’s preeminent research lab specializing in the interaction between land use, travel behaviour, air quality, and health. Originally founded in 2003 as the Active Transportation Collaboratory, we have been involved with some of the leading research on active transportation and the benefits it provides for our health, environment, and communities.
The Health & Community Design Lab is part of UBC's School of Population and Public Health.
Our mission is to assess and to convey how community design, including the location and form of transportation investments and land development actions, impacts: travel, time use, and activity patterns; air quality; climate change; energy consumption; and public health.