WHAT IS THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT?

“Built Environment” is a term used to describe features of our surroundings both above and below ground, that are built by human beings and is completely separate from the natural environment. This term includes not only buildings, but the human-made or modified physical spaces between buildings, such as parks and recreational spaces, where people live and perform their daily activities. Also included in the Built Environment is the infrastructure which supports human activity such as transportation networks, utilities networks, natural disaster defenses and telecommunications, among others.

As the human population increases globally, there is greater pressure for sustainable development. Therefore, the requirements we have from the built environment are becoming more demanding. Over half the planet’s population lives in cities. This figure is predicted to increase to more than 70% by the second half of the century, a figure that is even more significant, due to the prediction that the human population will have increased by two billion, during the same timeframe.

As a result, there is a great need for a sustainable built environment, to serve the increasing global population, which will protect and enhance the quality of life for people, places and the natural environment. This is critical to managing various global environmental issues such as greenhouse gas emissions and the climate crisis.

School of Higher Education Limited has dedicated itself to doing its part to ensure a sustainable built environment, by ensuring the tertiary education and development of the future minds who will serve to design, build and maintain our Built Environment.