Rethinking the Healthcare Facilities: The Role of the Buffer Space.

Objectives: A working group conducted a survey on the use of the principle of buffer space (BS), which in case of emergencies, could benefit healthcare settings. The aim of the preliminary investigation is to define new research lines in hospitals' functional design.

Background: The global experience of the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted challenges faced by hospitals when responding promptly to emergencies, including spatial reorganization and suspension of ordinary medical activities for ensuring adequate management of the emergency surge of patients.

Bridging therapeutic landscapes to architecture. International experience-based design strategies for healthcare infrastructures.

Background And Aim: in Italy, many cases studies of therapeutic green spaces are built into healthcare infrastructures, but only some of these follow the principles of healing gardens. Scientific literature and international case studies offer many contributions of evidence relating to how therapeutic green spaces can support traditional treatments. The paper analyze the relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces and healing gardens' features; the main research questions were: "Can we synthetize experience-based design strategies for therapeutic green spaces and healing gardens? How can we prioritize the most relevant ones for the healthcare infrastructures?"

Methods: Research Method is divided into three different steps: 1st case studies' selection; 2nd case studies' analysis, and 3rd quali-quantitative comparative matrix.

The meta-projects of the new community health centers, community hospitals and local operative centers for the Italian country.

Background And Aim: COVID-19 highlighted significant criticalities of the Italian National Healthcare System (NHS) and recently the Italian Government approved the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) to relaunch its economy and at the same time to promote health, sustainability and digital innovation. Specifically, M6C1 (Mission 6 Component 1) wants to introduce Community Health Centers (CHCs), Community Hospitals (CHs) and Local Operative Centers (LOCs) to strength territorial healthcare services. Starting from the Italian Ministerial Decree n.

Covid-19 emergency management and preparedness in cross-border territories. Collection of experiences, needs and public health strategies in the framework of interreg GESTI.S.CO. project.

Background And Aim: The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted management difficulties in neighboring territories. The aim of the paper is to report the needs of different stakeholders during, before and after Covid-19 emergency with specific regard to challenges faced by public administrators in confined territories.

Methods: In the framework of Interreg GESTI.

Health and well-being key performance indicators in corporate sustainability disclosure. A review of sustainability reports from a sample of major European companies.

Background And Aim: Health and Well-Being (HWB) measurement represents a key issue for companies in all sectors and a core element of social sustainability, according to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite its importance for companies and in sustainability reporting, the topic has not been investigated yet from a cross-sectoral perspective. Therefore, this research aims to assess if health and well-being are disclosed in sustainability reports of the largest European companies.

Can Homes Affect Well-Being? A Scoping Review among Housing Conditions, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Mental Health Outcomes.

The purpose of the scoping review is to explore the relationship between housing conditions, indoor environmental quality (IEQ), and mental health implications on human well-being. In fact, time spent at home increased due to the recent COVID-19 lockdown period, and social-sanitary emergencies are expected to grow due to the urbanization phenomenon. Thus, the role of the physical environment in which we live, study, and work, has become of crucial importance, as the literature has recently highlighted.

Communities, Sport, Inclusion. Strategies for Parish Complexes Social Reactivation Through Sport Practice Promotion.

The following contribution presents some findings deriving from the research project "Sport is Society" by Politecnico di Milano. The research reflects on the built heritage and its ability to be accessible and usable for different users with different needs in its structures and offer of services, focusing on sports activities and spaces. The study refers to collective ecclesiastical structures in the contemporary city.

Influence of Nature at the Time of the Pandemic: An Experience-Based Survey at the Time of SARS-CoV-2 to Demonstrate How Even a Short Break in Nature Can Reduce Stress for Healthcare Staff.

Aim: The current COVID-19 pandemic has been causing significant upheavals in the daily lives of citizens and consequently also their mood (stress, distraction, anxiety, etc.), especially during the lockdown phase. The aim of the investigation is to evaluate the benefits of 20-30 minutes in contact with nature.

COVID-19 and Living space challenge. Well-being and Public Health recommendations for a healthy, safe, and sustainable housing.

Background And Aim Of The Work: The ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 is a strong reminder that the lockdown period has changed the way that people and communities live, work, and interact, and it's necessary to make resilient the built environment, both outdoor and mainly the indoor spaces: housing, workplaces, public buildings, and entertainment facilities. How can we re-design the concept of Well-being and Public Health in relation to the living places of the future?

Methods: According to the previous statements and scenario, this paper aims to integrate the building hygiene and well-being, focusing the possible responses, both existing and for the new buildings, taking home a strong message from this "period" of physical distancing.

Results: The Well-being and Public Health recommendations for a healthy, safe, and sustainable housing are framed into the following key points: 1.

COVID-19 and Healthcare Facilities: a Decalogue of Design Strategies for Resilient Hospitals.

Background And Aim: The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the global healthcare systems. The surge in infections and sick critically ill patients has tested the resilience of healthcare infrastructures and facilities forcing organizations to quickly adapt and embrace emergency solutions. The paper proposes a decalogue of design strategies applicable both to new hospitals and to the refurbishment of existing hospitals.

How Can Design Features and Other Factors Affect the Indoor Air Quality in Inpatient Rooms? Check-Lists for the Design Phase, Daily Procedures and Maintenance Activities for Reducing the Air Concentrations of Chemical Pollution.

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is one of main topics of Public Health on which international institutions and countries are taking action. With regards to healing architectures, several studies have reported data analysis and case studies to improve users' health (patients, and medical and administrative staffs), but there are not enough regarding volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Regarding chemical pollution of indoor air, the Scientific Community has highlighted that there are several factors that affect the IAQ, in particular the design and management, and energetic efficiency, of inpatient wards.

Leadership in Public Health: Opportunities for Young Generations Within Scientific Associations and the Experience of the "Academy of Young Leaders".

This paper outlines the characteristics of scientific leadership and the role of Scientific Associations with their specific activities. The recent activities of the Lombard Academy of Public Health are subsequently described, including the creation, in 2019, of the Academy of young leaders in public health. Comparing to other sectors, scientific leadership dynamics take into consideration different aspects.

Chemical Pollution in Healing Spaces: The Decalogue of the Best Practices for Adequate Indoor Air Quality in Inpatient Rooms.

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is one of the main topics in which governments are focusing. In healthcare facilities, several studies have reported data analysis and case studies to improve users' health. Nowadays, although many studies have been conducted related to the biological and physical risks, the chemical risks have been less investigated and only in some specific functional areas of the hospitals.

Design and hygiene issues in sports facilities. A pilot study which investigates fitness centres by using a multidisciplinary tool.

Introduction: Awareness of the benefits of the physical activity on health by the general public has increased the number of people who is practicing it in the recent years. The gyms are the primary place - as the main indoor environment - for practicing physical activity.

Methods: A multidisciplinary tool was used primarily to investigate and analyse the general aspects of fitness centres then an assessment tool was created to evaluate a specific aspect such as the location, dimension, maintenance, etc.

Indoor Air Quality in Inpatient Environments: A Systematic Review on Factors that Influence Chemical Pollution in Inpatient Wards.

Introduction: Indoor air quality is one the main issues in which governments are focusing. In healing spaces, several research studies are reporting a growing number of data analysis and research works in order to guarantee and prevent health of users and workers. Currently the main investigations are about biological and physical risks; otherwise chemical ones are less investigated.

Indoors and health: results of a systematic literature review assessing the potential health effects of living in basements.

A new law approved in March 2017 in the Lombardy Region makes it possible to live in basements. Basements are defined as buildings partly below curb level but with at least one-half of its height above the curb. Basements' features and structural characteristics might pose risks to human health.

Local health rules and building regulations: a survey on local hygiene and building regulations in Italian municipalities.

Introduction: WHO has highlighted the need to strengthen the relationship between health and built environment factors, such as inappropriate housing conditions. Local Health Rules (LHRs) and Building Regulations (BRs) are tools which provide safety and building hygiene in construction practices. Currently the Italian Government is considering to establish a National Building Regulation and, related to the following purpose, this paper presents a survey on the status of adoption and updating of LHRs and BRs in Italian municipalities.

Healthcare for all in emerging countries: a preliminary investigation of facilities in Kolkata, India.

Introduction: India is one of the five countries with the lowest public health spending levels: the private medical services are one of the most developed fields, meanwhile public health ones are totally inadequate with the most number of health facilities concentrated in cities, where only the 25% of the population lives. Public facilities are mainly made up of primary level and not well distributed on the territories, so they do not guarantee accessibility to a wide sample of population, who live in rural areas of India.

Methodology: Starting from the analysis of three different health care levels in the Indian context, the research team developed a meta-project that considers all the current criticisms and the Indian customs through a flexible layout that responds to the healthcare needs of population.

Open building and flexibility in healthcare: strategies for shaping spaces for social aspects.

Introduction: The fast development of technology and medicine influences the functioning of healthcare facilities as health promoter for the society, making the flexibility a fundamental requirement. Among the many ways to ensure adaptability, one that allows change without increasing the building's overall size is the Open Building approach.

Methodology: Starting from the analysis of the State-of-the-Art and many case-studies, eight parameters of evaluation were defined, appraising their relative importance through a weighting system defined with several experts.

Architectures for paediatric palliative care: how to improve quality of life and environmental well-being.

Introduction: The influence of the environment on wellness, not only for patients themselves but for all care-givers as well, refers to the humanisation principles of spaces of care. Commencing with an analysis of existing paediatric hospices, the paper examines design suggestions for prosthetic environments, considered as a fundamental component in the healing process.

Methodology: A prosthetic environment can be created only through a specific knowledge of the real needs of users.

Humanisation and soft qualities in emergency rooms.

Unlabelled: Scenario. Currently, there are few evaluation methods that analyse social aspects in healthcare issues, especially humanisation and well-being, as perceived by users in emergency departments which are places in which patients' psycho-physical well-being is decisive. For this reason, research was conducted to create a tool to improve the quality of these areas.