Climate-cultural Conscious Design Approach to the Post-COVID-19 Built Environment

Abstract

The pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation, by enabling current work activities to be done online more efficiently. With the movement control restrictions being lifted, the conventional workspace is no longer stationary. The role of the built environment as a health determinant in the post-COVID-19 era should consider co-mitigation interventions for non-communicable and communicable diseases through physical activity campaigns. This study aims to provide a perspective on the influence of micro-climate-conscious design in various built environments in hot climate countries on physical activity behaviour. The challenges to the social context, the cultural aspects, and the environmental aspects of the cultural-climate design measures in existing built environments are synthesised from analytical themes made in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards. The implications for future research are discussed. The finding recognises the importance of spatial heterogeneity in the cultural-climate-conscious built environment design approach. This study provides insights for policymakers and employers to better understand the dynamic roles of built environment perceptions in the post-COVID-19 era in hot climate regions at different intervention levels.