What is it about?
The study is about psychosocial (mental) well-being, its causes and how these markers influence people’s happiness in neighbourhoods. These indicators are better in green neighbourhoods due to access to nature and green spaces. The study identifies the psychosocial well-being domain in the green neighbourhood and the effects of these psychosocial (mental) well-being factors on occupants'- happiness. To ascertain this assertion, we (investigators) had interactions with fifty (50) professionals in the Built Environment Profession (BEPs) and Medical and Health Profession (MHPs) - Architects, Builders, Materials Engineers, Service Engineers, Estate surveyors, Urban and Regional Planners, Property developers, Medical Doctors, Psychologists, environmentalists, biologists, chemists, Art historians, environmental health practitioners and Occupants. From the discussion, we identified these factors in a green neighbourhood as personal happiness and demography, lifestyle, community structure, local economy, activities, the built environment, natural environment, global ecosystem and other environmental factors. Consequently, these factors affect occupants' well-being and happiness in a green home, neighbourhood, community, town and city.
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Why is it important?
The study revealed that psychosocial well-being inclusion and implementation in the sustainable development agenda has an affirmative impact on neighbourhoods, societies and countries where zillions of occupants may enjoy the needed well-being and happiness. According to WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan, "including non-communicable diseases under the health goal is a historical turning point". Therefore, the findings showed that health and psychosocial well-being features in green happy neighbourhood design can enhance happiness. It also explained that the key determinants of health and psychosocial well-being in built environments are enhancers of happiness.
Perspectives
The study identified eight green elements (Preserved Environment, Conscious Landscaping, Gardens and Community Agriculture, Building Placement and Planning, Green Amenities, Human-Scale Infrastructure, Included Neighbourhood and Inclusiveness for all) that make a green neighbourhood a place for psychosocial well-being determinants that enhance people’s happiness. These eight (8) elements are consistent with the eight human needs of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and psychosocial well-being determinants (Psychological, Security, Social, Esteem, Cognitive, Aesthetic, self-actualisation and Self-Transcendence). Therefore, the summary of the whole process engaged in this study includes the background theories of human needs and pleasure principle, the proposed strategies for a green neighbourhood according to the research and the key drivers of happiness incorporated. The study concluded that using a Global South city as a case study based on similarities of countries in the Global South implied that research results might be applicable in all the residential neighbourhoods across the Global South.
Dr Eghosa Noel Ekhaese
Covenant University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Psychosocial Well-Being Determinants and Occupants’ Happiness in a Green Neighbourhood/Community, Frontiers in Built Environment, June 2022, Frontiers,
DOI: 10.3389/fbuil.2022.816390.
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