Air Quality
Good air quality is key to promoting respiratory health and Design for Health (DFH) addresses it in the following materials. The main sources of air pollution are area sources (dry cleaners, lawn mowers, etc.), mobile sources (cars, trucks, off-road equipment), and stationary sources (factories, power plants, etc.). These different sources produce different types of pollutants that can cause problems for respiratory health, cardiovascular health, and cancer treatment. Locating sensitive land uses in close proximity to polluting facilities or major roadways can raise health concerns for sensitive populations. Some pollutants tend to have a greater effect over an entire metropolitan area and others drop off fairly quickly away from the source.
Design for Health (DFH) Materials
- Planning Information Sheet: Influencing Air Quality with Comprehensive Planning and Ordinances (3.64 MB)
- Key Questions Research Summary: Air Quality (920 KB)
- Image Resources
- Event Presentations
- Topical Planning Guides
- Comprehensive Plan Review Checklists
- Example Plans
- Air Quality Ordinance Examples
Other Resources
- The Role of the Built Environment in Supporting Active Living and Health: A Review of Research Findings (13 MB. It may take a few moments to open)
This presentation from Active Living by Design covers the findings from a variety of researchers. It is divided into three main sections: "What is the built environment?"; "Effects of the built environment on behavior, natural environment, health, and society"; and "Active community environments and their impact on health."
- Air Quality Data
The air quality section of the MPCA's environmental dataaccess system allows visitors to access air monitoring and emissions data. - Air Pollution and Respiratory Health
This part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site contains a wealth of information. - Air Quality, Pollution, and Trees
This document from the Boulder Area Sustainability Information Network is a great example of the role urban forests play in improving air quality. - European Research on the Indoor Environment
The Database on European Research on the Indoor Environment is moving its home, but at present is still available. The free text or keyword searching features in the left menu give access to the data. - United Kingdom Department of Health
This organization produces a number of publications on air pollution and climate change, many downloadable from its Web site. - Environmental Public Health Indicators Project
This CDC-sponsored project creates a set of very important public-health indicators. A work-in-progress the link is to the lists of specific indicators in a number of topics. This link is actually quite hard to find on the Web site. Indicators include potential sources for data. See the general overview. - InformeDesign
InformeDesign is a research and communication tool for designers. Its search engine provides research summaries on many health themes. Each article summary has the following elements: design issue, design criteria, key concepts, research method, limitations, and commentary.
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