Building for Health – moving from ideas to practice

Since launching Build for Health a year ago, I’ve been impressed with the quantity and quality of practitioners from across the built environment and health sectors that are actively exploring links between our built environment and our individual and collective health. Our first workshop in July demonstrated the breadth and depth of experience that these people bring to the challenge of building for health, and their commitment  to seeing ideas made manifest.

It's been encouraging to not only see growing interest in how to build homes and places that promote and support good health but also to be involved with organisations and initiatives that are showing what good practice looks like.

Five of these stand out in their potential for impact over the next year, suggesting that 2026 may be the year when we accelerate the move from ideas to demonstrable practice in building for health.

1.   Places for London

Formerly known as TfL Properties, Places for London is London’s largest landowner, with the scale and ambition to make significant impact on both London’s built environment and the health of its local populations.

Its approach to developing housing and places is underpinned by a comprehensive set of sustainability targets, and its leadership team are committed to working collaboratively with NHS bodies to support the delivery of a Neighbourhood Health Service.

This combination of ambition, scale and leadership is on track to deliver exemplary practice, effective partnerships and innovative development approaches  -- and hopefully inspire new thinking on how to build for health.

2.   Heating homes and hospitals with data centre waste heat

As I wrote at the end of last year, data centres, regarded by government as essential infrastructure, are likely coming to a locality near you. One of the opportunities presented by data centres for local communities is their waste heat, increasingly being used to provide cheap – often costless – heat to homes and public facilities. Expect to see more of this in 2026 from providers such as 1Energy, currently providing decarbonised heating to Milton Keynes Hospital from the waste heat of local data centres;  Thermify, whose HeatHub innovation provides affordable heating to local homes; and Hemiko, working in partnership with the Old Oak Development Corporation to draw waste heat from local data centres to provide low-cost energy for the Old Oak and Park Royal regeneration scheme in west London.

3.   Communities for Health

At a time when decisions about planning, housing and regeneration can advance without a comprehensive framework for addressing the needs or capabilities of local communities, Communities for Health has been established to

to provide a resource of community-led practice in local health.

This is a valuable and continually evolving resource for developers, local authorities and NHS providers in areas undergoing change and development. In providing multiple examples of organisations, initiatives and campaigns that have contributed to the health of local communities, Communities for Health can support and inspire practitioners in assessing health impact, allocating Section 106 funds, and designing Neighbourhood Health Services.

4.   Health on the High Street initiative

Following on from his role as chair of the government’s High Streets Task Force, Mark Robinson is now chairing a new initiative focused on delivering health on the high street.

Building on research from 2024, Health on the High Street is focusing on the creation of health hubs and aims to “produce practical recommendations for central and local government, and health commissioners and providers, to unlock the potential of health on the High Street.” 

5.   Health Street

An initiative led by Heatherwick Studio, Health Street sees health creation as a new mission for high streets.

“Health Street is a vision for a new kind of health space right at the heart of urban communities – the local high street. While hospitals are pushed to the limit, many high streets across Britain are hollowing out. Our proposition shows how pressure in one area could be released where there is more

capacity in another. It envisions how communities can benefit from a shift from treating illness to health creation by co-creating services that are more convenient, holistic, and relevant to their needs.”

I’ve singled out these five because they demonstrate a clear vision and purpose, operate with an inclusive and multidisciplinary approach, and are evolving and open to new inputs. I genuinely believe that they represent real opportunities to  advance how we Build for Health. Watch this space!

Clare Delmar

Listen to Locals

12 January 2026