3.D. Round table: Creating climate and health-friendly buildings

Abstract The crossover between buildings, the built environment, climate, and health is still a widely under-recognised area of climate policy as well as of public health policy. Buildings are responsible for 40% of EU greenhouse gas emissions, and people spend on average 90% of their time indoors, either at home, work, school, or elsewhere. As a result, buildings that do little to mitigate the threats of climate change have a large influence on our health and wellbeing. This workshop will bring to attention the urgent need to recognise the built environment and the quality of our buildings, as well as the energy and fuel it takes to either heat or cool a building or built environment and related pollution impacts as a public health issue as well as a climate issue. It will explore different approaches and solutions that can be adapted and replicated across Europe to suit local and regional needs and limitations. This innovative workshop is structured around two videos that will be used to provoke a debate and showcase best practices to address building quality in respect to the environment and our health. The videos will include: • A just transition away from solid fuels in Ireland. • Indoor air quality and women's health in Bulgaria. • Heat waves and schools in Spain. • Sustainable healthcare facilities in Austria. In the discussion, the panellists will be asked to explore the following questions: • How can we ensure that building quality and the environment are integrated into public health policy? • How can these best practices be replicated in other European countries? • How can best practices increase public support for a just transition? This will be followed by an open debate with audience members on how built environments play a key role in public health and how improving building conditions contributes to action on climate change. The videos are produced by EuroHealthNet and the national public health authorities in Austria, Bulgaria, Ireland and Spain, and with support of the European Climate Foundation Agenda: Introduction • Workshop aims are introduced by the moderator Video 1 - Best practices with a message from WHO • EuroHealthNet's video ‘Climate change, health, and our built environments’ will be shown to the audience - with a message from WHO First intervention • Two panellists will speak on the best practice and facing challenges, and how they envision the project can be scaled up to be implemented in different European countries. Video two • Further best practices with a message form the European Commission Second intervention of two panellists Open debate with interventions from the audience Closing • The moderator reflects on the key takeaways presented and a proposed vision on how to move forward to a pan-European Climate and Health Strategy in which there is a strong focus on ensuring healthy and sustainable buildings and a healthy built environment for all. Key messages • Public health actors will be made aware of the climate and health equity impact of buildings and the built environment. • How public health actors can engage and what can be done at European as well as local levels, to move towards a pan-European Climate and Health Strategy. Speakers/Panellists Ana Gil Ministerio de Sanidad, Madrid, Spain Jenny Mack Institute of Public Health, Belfast, UK