CBE Researchers developed a report “Finding Common Ground: Best Practices for Policies Supporting Transit-Oriented Development,” with the Mobility Innovation Center and led by the Washington Center for Real Estate Research. Project Team: Mason Virant, Associate Director, Washington Center for Real Estate Research Christian Phillips, Urban Design and Planning PhD Program Steven C. Bourassa, PhD Director, Washington Center for Real Estate Research Arthur Acolin, Associate Professor, Runstad Department of Real Estate Visit the project page here.
Research Theme: Design & Building
Built environment scholarship at the scales of the interior space to the building
Allocating Safety Cost using in Construction Site
Kim, S., & Kim, Y. (2023). Allocating Safety Cost using in Construction Site. Tehnički Glasnik, 17(4), 594–597. https://doi.org/10.31803/tg-20230104151203
Abstract
Environments, Health, and Safety (EHS) activities are strongly linked to the concept of sustainability in the current construction industry and consequently absorb more financial and managerial attention. One of major obstacles in EHS costing is that most EHS costs are buried in general overhead costs. Therefore, EHS costs lacks transparency, making it hard to allocate EHS costs to relevant construction projects. This paper present a recent study in which a method of activity-based costing (ABC) has been applied to safety costs at a contractor's home office. The list of safety activities, their cost drivers as well as their cost information on one of Korean general contractor is provided. The authors expect that the application of ABC will improve transparency in costing EHS costs as well as allocating EHS costs to projects.
Keywords
budget; safety accident; safety management; safety law
Guerrilla Urbanism: Urban Design and the Practices of Resistance
Hou, J. (2020). Guerrilla urbanism: urban design and the practices of resistance. Urban Design International (London, England), 25(2), 117–125. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41289-020-00118-6
Abstract
Unsanctioned, unscripted, and seemingly “undesirable” activities have long appropriated urban spaces in routine and sometimes unexpected ways, bringing new meanings and unforeseen functions to those places. In the last decade or so, such practices have inspired a growing movement under the banner of DIY and tactical urbanisms. The growing acceptance of these practices creates important openings in the formalized planning systems for greater fexibility and expedient change. Yet, the institutionalization of previously informal and even subversive acts has resulted in concerns regarding co-optation and de-politicization. This special issue seeks to pivot a refocus towards these unsanctioned and unscripted urban activities as a form of counter-hegemonic spatial practices, distinct from its professionalized and institutionalized counterpart. A range of cases is examined here sharing similar characteristics as challenges against the prevailing social and political paradigm. Key findings include the scalability of guerrilla actions, the fuid shift between overt and covert actions, and the linkage between everyday struggles and organized resistance. This special issue is intended to advance our understanding of urban design by situating it in a broader social, economic, and political praxis that encompasses both formal and informal practices performed by a wide variety of individual and collective actors.
Keywords
Guerrilla urbanism; Tactical urbanism; Insurgent planning; Spatial practices; Everyday resistance
Built Environment and Public Health: More Than 20 Years of Progress
Rollings, K. A., Dannenberg, A. L., Frumkin, H., & Jackson, R. J. (2024). Built Environment and Public Health: More Than 20 Years of Progress. American Journal of Public Health (1971), 114(1), 27-.
Abstract
Early BEH research addressed influences of toxic environmental exposures, zoning laws, building codes, and healthy housing and communities on asthma, injury, violence, healthy and unhealthy food consumption, mental health, social capital, and health inequities.1 Awareness increased regarding the benefits of denser, more walkable, and less automobile-dependent settings, as well as the accessibility, mobility, and livability needs of the growing aging population. Work on automobile dependence, traffic safety, walking and biking, commuting, and sedentary time was primarily driven by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Active Living Research initiative to promote active living via environment, policy, and practice improvements3,4 Research linked specific building and community features to health outcomes, enabling more effective interventions such as appealing stairways, ample sidewalks, and vibrant activity centers.5 The business case for health promoting, walkable places was documented.6 Unintended consequences, including gentrification and displacement, of interventions aimed at improving health among people from racial and ethnic minority groups and of lower incomes were increasingly recognized, resulting in more research focused on how to mitigate these risks.7 The history of structural racism, segregation, redlining, neighborhood disinvestment, health inequities, and disparities in walkability, housing, and green space access was only recently widely acknowledged.8 Numerous books (Table E, available as a supplement to the online version of this article at http://www.ajph.org) and dozens of BEH measures (e.g., walkability [https://www.wal kscore. com], access to parks [https://www.tpl. org/ParkScore], livability [http://www. livabilitylndex.AARP.org], and brain health [https://cognability.isr.umich. edu]) were also published, reflecting the growth and maturation of the field. The effects of these evolving technologies on land use, housing, economic and community development, traffic patterns, transportation planning and infrastructure, air quality, and associated health outcomes require further research and evaluation (Table G, reference 3).10 PRACTICE Professional organizations across disciplines established BEH committees and working groups (Table F, available as a supplement to the online version of this article at http://www.ajph.org), promoting healthy building and community design through conferences, reports, training, and advocacy (e.g., https://www. Health impact assessments (HIAs) were used to consider potential health impacts of proposed projects and programs and identify disproportionately affected populations as well as how to mitigate adverse effects9,11,12 HIAs improved collaboration, amplified community member voices, increased awareness of health issues, and informed decision makers, but the time and resources required to complete HIAs limited their success.12 Cross-disciplinary public health, planning, policy, real estate, architecture, engineering, transportation, and public-private partnership efforts, along with Complete Streets approaches (https://highways.dot.gov/ complete-streets), improved pedestrian infrastructure and safety.
Public risk perception of covid-19 transmission and support for compact development
Grover, H. (2023). Public risk perception of covid-19 transmission and support for compact development. Humanities & Social Sciences Communications, 10(1), 894–899. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02431-1.
Abstract
In the last few decades, there has been a definitive shift in public support for compact development – characterized by high densities, more multifamily residential use, and effective public transit. The allure of compact development is because, along with sustainability benefits, it offers multiple lifestyle benefits, such as more significant opportunities for socialization and easy access to amenities. Greater possibilities of frequent and longer interpersonal interactions attract residents to such communities. However, given the recent pandemic, it is logical to be concerned about how future public support for compact development may change. This study analyzes data from a national online survey (n = 1100) conducted in the United States toward the end of the COVID-19 pandemic (April 2022). This research aims to assess the relationship between perceived concern for COVID-19 transmission and public support for compact development. The results from SEM analysis suggest that people more concerned about COVID-19 transmission are less supportive of compact development policies. People from areas with higher density and more COVID-19 cases are likely to have greater concern for COVID-19 transmission, which may decrease support for compact development in these areas (mediated relationship). Individuals who rely on news, online media, friends or family for COVID-19 information and single-family residents are also less likely to support compact development. In contrast, while older adults are likely to have higher concern for COVID-19 transmission, they are likely to support compact development. Higher-income households are less likely to be concerned about COVID-19 transmission but are more supportive of compact development. These findings suggest that the perceived threat of disease transmission will likely result in decreased public support for compact development. To ensure continued public support, urban policymakers must allay public fear of virus transmission in compact built environments by incorporating public health measures for controlling virus transmission in compact urban environments.
Applying implementation science to evaluate participatory ergonomics program for continuous improvement: A case study in the construction industry
Zhang, Z., & Lin, K.-Y. (2023). Applying implementation science to evaluate participatory ergonomics program for continuous improvement: A case study in the construction industry. Applied Ergonomics, 115, 104181–104181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2023.104181
Abstract
While participatory ergonomics (PE) presents numerous benefits, its empirical effectiveness remains elusive due to the lack of transparency in implementation contexts and processes. This hinders our ability to discern the reasons behind a program's success or failure and to determine optimization and adaptation strategies. To unravel this "black box," we present a case study using implementation science to evaluate a PE program and illuminate the mechanisms linking process to outcome. The study examines a 4.5-year PE program at a construction company, targeting musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) from material-cart handling. Using the RE-AIM framework and Implementation Causal Pathway Model, we evaluated implementation process and catalogued contextual factors through worker surveys (n = 106), safety document review (27 training sessions and 7 construction projects), and key informant observations. We assessed the program's impact using a 42-worker survey and an analysis of 8-year injury data, and determined the return-on-investment (ROI) by monetizing the collected data. The program achieved significant impact: Workers' ergonomic knowledge improved from 73% in baseline to 86% in follow-up; 97% of workers reported at least one positive change in their crews; and no cart handling injuries occurred after the first program change, resulting in a ROI rate of 1.99. Implementation process evaluation revealed that seamless integration, tailored intervention, and ongoing adjustments contributed to the success. Five organizational factors necessary for the effective functioning of these three strategies were identified, along with three moderators that amplified their influence. Finally, this case study demonstrates that implementation science offers a coherent structure for evaluating PE programs, uncovering mechanisms of change, and informing future improvements and adaptations. Our research facilitates knowledge transfer from implementation science to ergonomics, eventually leading to more cost-effective PE programs that are faithfully implemented across various industrial settings to prevent MSDs.
• This case study employs implementation science to assess a participatory ergonomics program within the construction industry.
• The evaluation encompasses the implementation process and context, program outcomes, and the return on investment.
• We delve into the mechanisms of change, establishing a link between the process and its intervention outcomes.
• We identify critical implementation strategies, including their preconditions and moderating factors.
• Through the lens of implementation science, we provide a structured framework for evaluating the execution of ergonomic intervention, thereby guiding improvements and future adaptations
Keywords
Case study; Implementation science; Participatory ergonomics
Livable City Year
Livable City Year
Many communities lack the capacity to fully address livability goals. UW is a powerhouse of research and innovation on all aspects of livability, but this knowledge isn’t always available to communities. Through Livable City Year, UW faculty and students from multiple disciplines work on high-priority projects identified by our community partners, creating benefits for all involved.
For more information, email uwlcy@uw.edu.
15. Integrated Studio: Trade-offs as a Mechanism for Collaboration
Borys, A.M., & Dossick, C.S. (2023). 15. Integrated Studio: Trade-offs as a Mechanism for Collaboration. In Kim, J. (Ed.), Interdisciplinary Design Thinking in Architecture Education. Routledge. ISBN 9781032283241.
Abstract
This book explores the creative potential for architecture curricula to integrate solid interdisciplinary thinking in design studio education.
Annotated case studies, both from academic institutions and from professional practices, provide examples of interdisciplinary engagement in creative design work, highlighting the challenges and opportunities of this approach. Cases are from a diverse selection of international collaborators, featuring projects from the United States, Australia, Mexico, Germany, and Italy, and cover a range of project types and scales. Chapters by invited experts offer speculations on current and future models, situating examples within the broader context, and encouraging dialogue between practice and pedagogy. The collection of voices in this book offers critical and provocative lenses, learning from history while forging inventive and creative roles for the architect as practitioner, entrepreneur, strategist, choreographer, activist, facilitator, leader, and teacher.
Interdisciplinary Design Thinking provides insights into the potential of interdisciplinary engagement at the level of foundational undergraduate education, making it ideal for faculty in architecture schools. It will also be of interest to design professionals concerned with interdisciplinary collaboration and how to incorporate similar efforts in their own practices.
Reducing Fatal Bird Collisions on UW Campus
College of Built Environments Ph.D. researcher Judy Bowes has been featured in a story, entitled “New research aims to reduce fatal bird collisions on campus” on UW News highlighting her project work. The video below dives into her work. KOMO News also published a related story. Read the full story on UW News here.
Carrie Sturts Dossick featured on Freakonomics Radio episode
Associate Dean for Research and P.D. Koon Professor of Construction Management Carrie Sturts Dossick was interviewed and featured in a NPR Freakonomics Radio episode entitled “566. Why Is It So Hard (and Expensive) to Build Anything in America?” View the College of Built Environments LinkedIn post about this podcast feature. Episode description: “Most industries have become more productive over time. But not construction! We identify the causes — and possible solutions. (Can you say … “prefab”?) RESOURCES: “The Strange and…