How to Bring a Health Lens to Environmental Monitoring?

Description

Integrating a health perspective into environmental monitoring projects helps us better understand how various factors — such as air quality, noise, heat, or lack of green spaces— impact people's physical and mental well-being. Numerous studies have shown, for example, that air pollution is linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases; that noise can lead to stress, sleep disturbances, and concentration problems; and that prolonged exposure to high temperatures increases the risk of heat-related illnesses. Moreover, these impacts do not affect all populations equally. Some people are more exposed because they live or work in areas with higher levels of pollution or heat, while others are more vulnerable, as they have less capacity to adapt or recover from these risks —such as children, older adults, or people with chronic illnesses. Acknowledging these differences is essential for designing healthier and more equitable cities.

Why is this relevant?

Including a health perspective when interpreting and communicating results not only makes the information more relatable and easier to understand, but also helps connect with a broader audience —because health is a universal concern that affects us all. Health is also a fundamental right, recognised by international bodies and legal frameworks, so working toward healthier environments is, in itself, a way to defend that right. Framing environmental issues through the lens of health helps raise awareness, build empathy, and encourage more active and meaningful participation. When environmental data is linked to health indicators, communities are empowered to make informed decisions and advocate for policies that protect their well-being. Moreover, this integration can help build trust in sensor technologies and foster greater engagement in environmental monitoring initiatives.

How can this be done?

The health dimension can be approached in different ways — here are some ideas to consider:

1. Making data speak clearly: Imagine you place a sensor in your neighbourhood to measure air pollution, noise, or temperature. After a while, you get the results: numbers, graphs, maybe even a map. But what do those numbers mean for your health or the health of your community? Sensor data helps us understand the levels of certain environmental conditions—like how polluted the air is, how loud the environment gets, or how high temperatures rise in a specific area. This information is valuable, but it doesn’t directly explain how those conditions might affect our health. To get a clearer picture, we need to interpret the data through the lens of previous scientific knowledge. By comparing what the sensors detect with health-based recommendations based on existing scientific evidence—such as those from the World Health Organization—or with legal limits set by national or European regulations, we can start to estimate whether the environment around us supports good health or poses a risk. When this kind of information is communicated clearly and accessibly, it becomes a powerful tool. It helps communities understand their environment, make informed decisions, and advocate for changes that promote healthier, more livable cities.

2. Looking beyond the sensors: Sensors are a powerful tool to understand environmental exposure—like how much air pollution or noise is present in a specific place. To build a more complete picture of how a space affects people’s health, we can enrich this data by looking at other aspects as well. What do people do in that space? Do they exercise there, work, rest, or socialise? How do they feel when they’re there—calm, stressed, safe, connected? Is the space easily accessible, or are there barriers that make it hard to reach or enjoy? Collecting this kind of information—through surveys, observation, or simply talking with the people who use the space—gives us a much richer picture. It allows us to go beyond the numbers and understand not just what’s in the air, but how the environment as a whole supports or harms people’s physical and emotional well-being.

3. Bringing in the voices of those who care for our health: Just as we involve local authorities or community members in environmental projects, it's equally important to include public health professionals or researchers with expertise in environmental health. When possible, inviting them to be part of the project from the beginning helps bring in a broader and more accurate understanding of how different environmental factors—like air pollution, noise, or heat—can affect people's health. Their perspective can guide the selection of relevant indicators, support meaningful interpretation of data, and help ensure that the project stays focused on protecting and improving community well-being.

4. Putting attention on equity: Not everyone is affected equally by environmental factors. Integrating a health perspective also means paying attention to who is most exposed and who is most vulnerable. This involves actively including these groups in your research or action team, and making sure their voices and experiences are reflected in the monitoring process. By doing so, you help ensure that the outcomes are more inclusive, fair, and responsive to real community needs.

5. Connecting results with local public health policies: When interpreting the data, you can link it to existing goals in local health plans, climate strategies, or policies focused on children, ageing, or social equity. In this way, environmental monitoring supports cross-sector policies and becomes a more useful tool for informed decision-making.

6. Always look at the bright side of urban planning: The way cities are designed has a direct impact on our health — but the good news is that cities can change. They can be reimagined and redesigned to better protect and promote people's well-being. It’s important not only to highlight the problems, but also to show the positive side: how new models of urban planning can help improve air quality, reduce noise, increase green spaces, and ultimately safeguard our health.

Useful resources

Understanding Health Impacts:

• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has developed the Air Quality Guidelines, AQG, WHO 2021, which describe the health risks associated with 37 of the most common air pollutants.

• If you're looking for something more visual, ISGlobal has created a summary infographic – The Cities that we want. It highlights some of the most relevant health effects of environmental factors such as air pollution, noise, lack of green space, heat, and physical inactivity.

• If you're looking for a more educational resource, ISGlobal has also created a comic – Redrawing Barcelona– that explores the health impacts of air pollution, noise, and sedentary lifestyles. It also shows how urban and mobility planning can influence these issues.

• If you want to understand how a specific environmental factor may affect certain population groups, the ISGlobal Blog offers accessible articles on various pollutants and their impact on groups such as children, the elderly, people with pre-existing health conditions, outdoor workers, pregnant women, and others. Would you like to know how many deaths could be prevented if your city met European directives and WHO recommendations? If you live in Europe, you can check this ranking tool, which provides data on three key environmental factors: air quality (NO₂ and PM2.5), noise, and access to green spaces.

Resources to help assess the health impact of the data collected with my sensor:

• In the Air Quality Guidelines, AQG, World Health Organisation, 2021, you can find the WHO’s recommended levels for common air pollutants: PM, O₃, NO₂, and SO₂.

• You can also refer to the Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region , where you’ll find recommended exposure levels for different sources of noise.

• If you're working with temperature data, you may also want to consider relative humidity to better assess heat stress levels. You can use this Heat Index Calculator to find out the potential risk of heat stress.

What other elements can we assess to gain a more complete understanding of the health impact?:

This catalogue, developed by ISGlobal’s Urban Planning, Environment and Health Initiative, offers a wide range of resources to help integrate health into urban planning. It brings together tools and models to assess the impact of environmental factors such as air pollution and noise, along with practical guidelines that support the application of this approach in policies and planning processes. The catalogue also includes training materials aimed at urban planning and public health professionals, as well as real-world examples of projects that have implemented these methodologies with active citizen participation. In addition, it provides key indicators for measuring urban health—such as access to green spaces or levels of active mobility—and explains how to collect and use this data effectively.

What elements can I include in my communications to connect my data with health impacts?

• The website of the Urban Planning, Environment and Health Initiative of ISGlobal offers a variety of resources and infographics that can help you create communication materials for your community and other stakeholders.

• If you're looking for examples of new city models that can help protect our health, this article highlights several and explores their potential health impacts.