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Current Environmental Health Reports

, Volume 4, Issue 4, pp 491–503 | Cite as

Urban Form, Air Pollution, and Health

  • Steve HankeyEmail author
  • Julian D. Marshall
Air Pollution and Health (S Adar and B Hoffmann, Section Editors)
First Online:
Part of the following topical collections:
  1. Topical Collection on Air Pollution and Health

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Urban form can impact air pollution and public health. We reviewed health-related articles that assessed (1) the relationships among urban form, air pollution, and health as well as (2) aspects of the urban environment (i.e., green space, noise, physical activity) that may modify those relationships.

Recent Findings

Simulation and empirical studies demonstrate an association between compact growth, improved regional air quality, and health. Most studies are cross-sectional and focus on connections between transportation emissions and land use. The physical and mental health impacts of green space, public spaces that promote physical activity, and noise are well-studied aspects of the urban environment and there is evidence that these factors may modify the relationship between air pollution and health.

Summary

Urban form can support efforts to design clean, health-promoting cities. More work is needed to operationalize specific strategies and to elucidate the causal pathways connecting various aspects of health.

Keywords

Urban planning Built environment Sprawl Walkability 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

This article was developed in part under Assistance Agreement no. RD83587301 awarded by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This article has not been formally reviewed by the US EPA. The views expressed in this document are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the agency. The US EPA does not endorse any products or commercial services mentioned in this publication.

Compliance with Ethical Standards

Conflict of Interest

Steve Hankey and Julian D. Marshall declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance

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© Springer International Publishing AG 2017

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.School of Public and International Affairs, Virginia TechBlacksburgUSA
  2. 2.Department of Civil and Environmental EngineeringUniversity of WashingtonSeattleUSA

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