View PDF
Download full issue

Search ScienceDirect

Environment International

Volume 134, January 2020, 105132

Changing the urban design of cities for health: The superblock model

Author links open overlay panelNatalieMuellerabc, DavidRojas-Ruedaabcd, HaneenKhreisabcef, MartaCirachabc, DavidAndrésg, JoanBallesterabc, XavierBartollhi, CarolynDaherabc, AnnaDelucaabc, CynthiaEchaveg, CarlesMilàabc, SandraMárquezabc, JoanPaloug, KatherinePérezhi, CathrynTonneabc, MarkStevensonj, SalvadorRuedag, MarkNieuwenhuijsenabc

Add to Mendeley

Cite

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.105132 Get rights and content

Under a Creative Commons license

Open access

Highlights

• The Barcelona Superblock model provides a paradigm shift towards people-centered city planning
• The model aims to reclaim public space, reduce motorized transport, promote active mobility provide greening and cooling
• Almost 700 premature deaths could be prevented annually with the Barcelona Superblocks
• Health pathways were air pollution, noise and heat reductions and increases in green space and transport physical activity
• The Superblocks could be scaled-up to other cities to reduce the health burden related to car-centered city planning

Abstract

Background

Car-dependent city planning has resulted in high levels of environmental pollution, sedentary lifestyles and increased vulnerability to the effects of climate change. The Barcelona Superblock model is an innovative urban and transport planning strategy that aims to reclaim public space for people, reduce motorized transport, promote sustainable mobility and active lifestyles, provide urban greening and mitigate effects of climate change. We estimated the health impacts of implementing this urban model across Barcelona.

Methods

We carried out a quantitative health impact assessment (HIA) study for Barcelona residents ≥20 years ( N = 1,301,827) on the projected Superblock area level ( N = 503), following the comparative risk assessment methodology. We 1) estimated expected changes in (a) transport-related physical activity (PA), (b) air pollution (NO2), (c) road traffic noise, (d) green space, and (e) reduction of the urban heat island (UHI) effect through heat reductions; 2) scaled available risk estimates; and 3) calculated attributable health impact fractions. Estimated endpoints were preventable premature mortality, changes in life expectancy and economic impacts.

Results

We estimated that 667 premature deaths (95% CI: 235–1,098) could be prevented annually through implementing the 503 Superblocks. The greatest number of preventable deaths could be attributed to reductions in NO2 (291, 95% PI: 0–838), followed by noise (163, 95% CI: 83–246), heat (117, 95% CI: 101–137), and green space development (60, 95% CI: 0–119). Increased PA for an estimated 65,000 persons shifting car/motorcycle trips to public and active transport resulted in 36 preventable deaths (95% CI: 26–50). The Superblocks were estimated to result in an average increase in life expectancy for the Barcelona adult population of almost 200 days (95% CI: 99–297), and result in an annual economic impact of 1.7 billion EUR (95% CI: 0.6–2.8).

Discussion

The Barcelona Superblocks were estimated to help reduce harmful environmental exposures (i.e. air pollution, noise, and heat) while simultaneously increase PA levels and access to green space, and thereby provide substantial health benefits. For an equitable distribution of health benefits, the Superblocks should be implemented consistently across the entire city. Similar health benefits are expected for other cities that face similar challenges of environmental pollution, climate change vulnerability and low PA levels, by adopting the Barcelona Superblock model.

Previousarticle in issue
Nextarticle in issue

Abbreviations

BCNEcologia

Barcelona Urban Ecology Agency

CadnA

Computer Aided Noise Abatement Software

Confidence interval

ERF

Exposure response function

HIA

Health impact assessment

IPAQ

International Physical Activity Questionnaire

Lden

EU day-evening-night noise indicator with 5 dB and 10 dB weights for the evening and night time, respectively

Life expectancy

METs

Metabolic equivalents of task

NO2

Nitrogen dioxide

NDVI

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index

Physical activity

PAF

Population attributable fraction

Prediction interval

PM2.5

Particular matter with diameter ≤ 2.5 μm

Relative risk

SDGs

Sustainable Development Goals

TRAP

Traffic-related air pollutants

UHI

Urban heat island

VSL

Value of a statistical life

WHO

World Health Organization

%GS

Percentage green space

Keywords

Active transport

Health impact assessment

Public space

Sustainability

Transport planning

Urban planning