Policy
Many legal frameworks and policy documents relate to the built environment and health. WHO has developed a variety of policy documents and guidelines or recommendations on health topics related to built environments.
Policy options for housing and health regulations in Europe
Based on a review of the housing and health regulations in selected European countries, WHO/Europe formulated policy options to support policy-makers responsible for health and for housing in designing regulations and/or action plans in the field of housing. These include for example a better integration of health actors in building regulations, a more consistent monitoring of housing quality, and the use of incentives and fiscal penalties to ensure adequate building conditions.
WHO guidelines for housing and health
WHO has updated the guidelines for housing and health to provide health-based standards for housing conditions that can be applied by national governments and housing regulators worldwide. Other WHO guidelines address issues of relevance to housing and urban environments.
Other international policy documents
The United Nations and other international actors have developed several legally binding documents and conventions that include the right to housing for all individuals. National and international guidelines and policy recommendations may be available on more specific built environments, such as offices, institutional settings and the industrial sector.
