Aurora Lecture Theatre, IMAS, Castray Esplanade, Battery Point
Summary:A public lecture by Dr David Jacobs, Chief Scientist, National Center for Healthy Housing, and Director of the World Health Organization USA Collaborating Center on Healthy Housing
Presenter(s):
- Dr David Jacobs
Housing and health represent two of the largest parts of our economy, but they remain largely separated, which causes needless suffering and avoidable costs. Health care costs can be reduced by remediating housing conditions associated with disease and injury; similarly, housing sustainability can be improved by making investments in housing quality, enabling residents to reap both housing and health benefits. The World Health Organization has recently released rigorous, scientifically based housing and health guidelines. The guidelines featured findings from many countries, a series of systematic literature reviews and specific recommendations. For example, the guidelines contain recommendations on thermal conditions in housing and showed how better insulation can improve health outcomes, as well as reduce heating and cooling costs. There are also recommendations on crowding, injury prevention, accessibility and other issues. A healthy home includes keeping homes dry, ventilated, maintained, accessible, free of contaminants, free of pests, safe from injury hazards, affordable and thermally controlled.
This talk will discuss how the guidelines can be used to inform Australian policy on both housing and health, and re-establishing partnerships between planners, health care and housing professionals, citizens, financial institutions and many others.
David Jacobs served on the WHO Housing and Health Guidelines and Development Group. He is a Visiting Scholar at the University of Sydney and has testified before the US Congress and is widely published. This presentation is supported by The Henry Halloran Trust.
