In today’s fast-paced world, the need for healthy, sustainable, and safe environments has never been more critical. Healthy places play a vital role in the overall well-being of those who frequent them, influencing everything from physical health to social cohesion and mental wellness. But what exactly makes a place "healthy?"
Defining Healthy Places
Healthy places are environments designed to promote physical and mental health and activity, increasing wellness for those who occupy them. Health is measured in various ways, including emotional and physical, or any combination. Healthy places encourage physical activity, instill a sense of safety, facilitate and foster social interactions, and a sense of belonging. Beyond the physical environment, they also encompass the social, cultural, and economic conditions that impact community members' quality of life. A healthy place is one where people feel connected to each other, have access to essential services, and can engage in meaningful activities.
How MKThink Creates Healthy Places
One way MKThink creates intelligent places is by approaching challenges with healthy place solutions in design. Some factors that define the design of healthy places include air quality, temperature, lighting, accessibility, capacity, and how, when, and where people frequent a space. MKThink partners with RoundhouseOne to gather and analyze data about environmental factors and space utilization. Once analyzed, the MKThink team uses the data to inform design, cutting out the guesswork and ensuring a space is optimized as a healthy place.
Healthy Places and Schools
An example of MKThink's efforts in cultivating a healthy place is the Heat Abatement Program for the Hawai'i Department of Education. In this project, the team partnered with the Hawai'i Natural Energy Institute to improve the thermal comfort condition of educational spaces district-wide.
MKThink worked with RoundhouseOne to install weather stations at 37 sites and indoor sensors at 62 schools. By applying the data to design cooling strategies specific to buildings and microclimates. The data was made available on a public portal, providing transparency into district decision-making and serving as a resource to drive sustainable design statewide.
The program mitigates the $1.7 billion cost of installing air conditioning, contains the $50 million annual cost of electricity, and expands the impact of the $100 million state appropriation for heat abatement.
Not only did MKThink design a healthy place, prioritizing students' comfort above all else, but in the process, it also saved the Hawai'i Department of Education funds that can now be allocated to other improvements in their education system.
Is your school or office a healthy place? Contact us here to talk with our team of experts.
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