Wellbeing

RESEARCH OVERVIEW

Wellbeing related to infrastructure can be understood as the psychological benefits (e.g. happiness) that are offered as a result of social-infrastructure-environment interactions. It represents more than just the ability to avoid risk and hazard, and places greater emphasis on being well, feeling happy, and the ability to thrive and flourish. Wellbeing benefits may derive, for example, from urban place making or the positive effects of parks and green spaces. Social structures, family networks, and friend circles often mediate and modulate infrastructure-related wellbeing factors.

The network’s research efforts on wellbeing are focused on combining real time tracking of wellbeing linked with various infrastructure-social-environment interaction events (e.g. walking, biking, riding transit, engaging in urban farming, or during extreme heat/cold or flood events). This offers a path-breaking approach to assess the interactions among people, infrastructures and the environment as they shape health, well-being and livability. It also offers a path for understanding how best to relate wellbeing to urban design, infrastructure decision making, and the natural environment.