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Renowned Urban Development Expert Speaks at HKU – Institute of Human Performance / Public Health Distinguished Lecture

06 Apr 2006

 

Land use and physical health are closely linked, as research shows that the physical design of communities shapes our behavior and activity patterns, and impacts our exposure to harmful pollutants. Single-use, low-density land development and disconnected street networks are positively associated with auto dependence and negatively associated with walking and transit use. These factors in turn appear to affect health by influencing physical activity, obesity, and emissions of air pollutants. By measuring the index of walkability which incorporates several land use measures (land use mix, street connectivity, net residential density, and retail floor area ratio), Dr Lawrence Frank, a renowned expert in the area of sustainable urban development, is able to examine the relationship between the urban development patterns and the factors that affect several prevalent chronic diseases.

Entitled "Many Pathways from Land Use to Health", the lecture is part of HKU's Institute of Human Performance / Public Health Distinguished Lecture series, which will take place on Monday, April 10, at 6:00pm at the Rayson Huang Lecture Theatre. Interested parties are cordially invited to attend. For reservation enquiries, please call 2817 9576.

Dr Lawrence Frank is the Bombardier Chair in Sustainable Urban Transportation Systems, School of Community and Regional Planning, The University of British Columbia, Canada. He specialises in the interaction between land use, travel behavior, air quality, and public health. Dr Frank is a registered landscape architect, holds a masters in civil engineering transportation planning, and a doctorate in urban design and planning.

Members of the press are invited to cover the lecture. For media enquiries, please contact Elsie Leung of HKU’s External Relations Office at tel. 2859 2600.