The Built Environment as a Social Determinant of Health.

The built environment encompasses buildings we live in; the distribution systems that provide us with water and electricity; and the roads, bridges, and transportation systems we use to get from place to place. It provides safety, health, and well-being and meaning to its dwellers, as a place to work, live, learn, play, and thrive. Poor-quality housing affects dwellers' health through toxins such as radon and lead, mold, cold indoor temperatures, and overcrowding.