Schools represent an ideal focus for primary development of Green Health environmental design research focused on addressing both childhood obesity and sustainability. School facilities are pivotal community resources and a central part of each family and child’s daily life. They are mandated and positioned to help form social norms and default behaviors such as those related to health behaviors. However, comprehensive research specifically addressing the physical design of school environments is limited.
This report highlights findings of a 2011 workshop linking environmental design, sustainability and childhood obesity prevention, held by the National Collaborative for Childhood Obesity Research and the National Academy of Environmental Design, in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council Center for Green Schools.