ABSTRACT
As the pressure on land grows globally, it is important to recognise the value of natural environments. Nature contributes towards satisfying basic human needs and improving human quality of life in many ways, as discussed in the Introduction. Architectural and urban design can benefit from nature’s services for minimising the use of water and energy resources, reducing pollution and improving human health. Natural elements such as planting and water features can help moderate water and energy use and water disposal in individual buildings and urban and rural developments (see Chapters 6 and 5 respectively). Nature plays a part in purifying our water and air, and helps moderate global and local climate by providing cooling, shading and shelter from winds. Natural environments affect people at a psychological and physical level. Studies have shown that contact with nature positively affects people’s mental health, while many leisure activities in nature, ranging from ball games in a park to trekking up mountains, are directly beneficial to people’s physical health (see Chapter 3). Considering how nature can be employed to provide such benefits to an architectural development is clearly important, but equally important is to consider how such developments might impact on natural ecosystems.
