Providing supportive environments that encourage people of all ages and capacities to be active in their neighbourhoods, cities and towns is integral to increasing physical activity levels.

The Heart Foundation's Active by Design project is currently focusing on creating environments that support and encourage Australians to increase the amount that they walk, whether it is for recreation, social, health or transport.

In late 2005, the Heart Foundation began a national approach to promoting supportive environments for walking. This approach was built on the experience and resources developed through our previous state-based projects, such as Supportive Environments for Physical Activity (SEPA), Healthy by Design: a planner's guide to environments for active living resource, and other activities.

For more information, please email us.

About Active by Design

Active by Design involves:

• identifying opportunities to work with appropriate sectors, including planning, property development, transport, health, recreation and sport, environment, local government and education
• synthesis of the evidence relating to the link between the built environment and walking from an Australian perspective, considering the implications for policy and practice
• identifying appropriate resources for general and targeted distribution to both professionals and consumers
• consideration of suitable advocacy strategies for us to undertake.

Healthy by Design, Tasmania

"Healthy by Design: A guide to planning and designing environments for active living in Tasmania" helps professionals create environments that encourage us to be active.

Healthy by Design, Victoria

Well-planned neighbourhoods can increase the number of people who walk or cycle to shops, schools, parks, services, facilities and public transport. 

In Victoria, Healthy by Design engages municipal councils to increase environmental support and opportunities for people to be physically active in their daily lives by highlighting the benefits of integrating health into planning. Councils incorporate the message through unique initiatives and programs that, in a variety of ways, enable people to be active in their local community.

Healthy by Design was recently cited in the World Health Organization international report "Closing the gap in generations", in the focus area of health equity in policies, systems and programs, as an example of "involving the entire community including local government in designing spaces that encourage walking and cycling."

Healthy by Design: a planner's guide to environments for active living (2004)  Download
Healthy by design matrix (2003)  Download
Site assessment audit tool (2006)  Download    

The Melbourne 2030 audit was undertaken during September and October 2007.  "Melbourne 2030" is the strategic framework that will guide Melbourne's development and expansion over the next two decades. 

 Download the Melbourne 2030 submission.

For more information about Healthy by Design, please email us.

The Built Environment and Walking

The built environment is directly associated with physical activity, particularly walking. To encourage and facilitate walking for transport and walking for recreation, the Heart Foundation makes recommendations for adult Australians, the health sector, governments and planners that include changes to the built environment and multi-level strategies, such as public education.

For more information, see our position statement below.

Position statement. The built environment and walking  Download 

Current Activities

The Healthy Spaces and Places project is developing a national planning guide and accompanying materials, addressing the relationship between people’s health and the built environment. The project also aims to raise awareness of this cross-disciplinary area and contribute to national policy setting.

Visit the PIA website to access the draft for discussion purposes resulting from the project’s scoping phase. As it is a work in progress, the project collaborators – the Heart Foundation, the Australian Local Government Association and the Planning Institute of Australia – would like your feedback.

There are many potential users with many different needs for resources, tools and advocacy. It is anticipated that the final guide and accompanying materials will be relevant, user-friendly and accessible.

Comments and insights are critical for the development of this national guide and accompanying materials. A series of workshops is being held around Australia.

Walkability Tool

The Heart Foundation has commissioned consultants to develop and pilot a Walkability Tool that will assist the public to advocate for improvements to the walkability of their community. 

It is expected the Walkability Tool will be used, in conjunction with other resources, to:

• raise community awareness of the relationship between the built environment and walking 
• help community members to assess the walkability of their local neighbourhood for recreation, exercise and transport
• help community members to advocate for changes to their neighbourhoods to make them more walkable.

 Download more information on the Walkability Tool project.

Case Studies

These case studies from Victoria are excellent examples of environmental support for healthier lifestyles and a more vibrant local neighbourhood for their residents.

• Case study 1: Mornington Peninsula Shire Council  Download
• Case study 2: Baw Baw Shire Council  Download
• Case study 3: Bayside City Council   Download
• Case study 4: Moreland City Council  Download
• Case study 5: Macedon Ranges Shire Council  Download
• Case study 6: City of Casey  Download
• Case study 7: City of Port Phillip  Download
• Case study 8: Wellington Shire Council  Download
• Case study 9: Whitehorse Community Health Service  Download
• Case study 10: Latrobe City Council  Download
• Case study 11: Maroondah City Council  Download
• Case study 12: Bass Coast Shire - Health and Wellbeing  Download
• Case study 13: Bass Coast Shire - Philip Island  Download
• Case study 14: Manningham City Council  Download

If you have suggestions for case studies to include on this site, please email us. 

South Australian Active Living Coalition

The creation of urban environments that support active living requires a whole-of-government approach, with collaborative partnerships between all levels of government and other agencies.

The South Australian Active Living Coalition consists of key government departments and other agencies whose core business includes fulfilling targets relating to improving the health and well-being of South Australians. The Coalition aims to provide a collaborative forum for the planning and coordination of active living in South Australia.

 Download more information about the work of the Coalition.

In 2009 the SA Active Living Coalition identified a need for more evidence/guidance about the role and importance of open and public space in supporting active living.

A literature review was commissioned from the Institute for Sustainable Systems and Technologies, The University of South Australia.

The full report identifies the academic and policy evidence around: amount, types of public open space, uses of public open space, location of spaces and design of space.

The review also includes a specific focus on the policy perspective relating to open and public space in higher densities and transit-oriented developments. 

 Download electronic version of the Summary Report

 Download printable version of the Summary Report

 Download Full Report

Active Children

Enabling children to move around their neighbourhood, play freely and enjoy being outdoors is fundamental to their healthy development and well-being. Two presentations that explore this important topic are available.

What makes a city child-friendly? by Dr. Karen Malone  Download
Active children and the urban environment by Professor John Whitelegg  Download

Space for Active Play : Creating Play Spaces for children 8 to 12 years of age

Space for Active Play is a Victorian initiative to build on work achieved through the Healthy by Design project. The initiative involves the selection of parks for redesign as natural spaces for older children's active play.

This involves widespread consultation - including with children themselves - to create a design brief that informs landscape architects, open space planners and play space designers who will be involved in the development and implementation of park design.

For more information, call (03) 9321 1531 or email us.

This project is an initiative of the Heart Foundation with support from Go for your life, Parks Victoria and VicHealth.

Safe Speed Forum

Australia's urban speed limit is high by international standards. High vehicle speeds not only cause serious injury and death on our roads, but also act as a barrier to pursuing active travel options, such as walking and cycling.

In Victoria on 14 November 2008, the Safe Speed Interest Group - of which the Heart Foundation and a number of Victorian municipalities are members - held its first Safe Speed Forum. It was attended by representatives of VicRoads, the Transport Accident Commission, Monash University Accident Research Centre and a number of Victorian local governments. 

At the forum, the issue of implementing a safe speed limit across Melbourne was discussed and the Safe Speed Interest Group released its first report, "Safe speed: Promoting walking and cycling by reducing traffic speed".

The full report was released Friday 5 December 2008 in a media event featuring international sustainable transport expert Professor John Whitelegg and retired Collingwood defender Shane Wakelin.  

"As a father you want to know that when you are out and about your children are safe, whether it's at school or the shops. Cutting the speed limit in local streets would be a really positive step to encourage families to get outside more and be a bit more proactive with the kids," said Mr Wakelin.

Safe speed: Promoting walking and cycling by reducing traffic speed - summary  Download

Safe speed: Promoting walking and cycling by reducing traffic speed - full report  Download

Email us for more information.

Conference Presentations

International Walk 21 Conference 2006, Melbourne
Active by Design project overview  Download
Poster: Active by Design - identifying legislative and policy opportunities  Download
Poster: The built environment and active living  Download