Healthy Neighborhoods and the Effects of Kiezblocks on Ecological Sustainability and Air Quality

The team of the research project "Healthy Neighborhoods and the Effects of Kiezblocks on Ecological Sustainability and Air Quality" is investigating the diverse effects of neighborhood blocks on health, the environment, sustainability and social justice. Not only will the health and environmental benefits of these urban development measures be analyzed, but also the extent to which they can help reduce existing health inequalities.

A central focus is on the implementation of neighborhood blocks here so called Kiezblocks: What factors favor or hinder their introduction? Which political and administrative framework conditions play a role? The aim is to identify the relevant influencing factors and governance processes that facilitate successful implementation in cities and municipalities.

What is meant by Kiezblocks?

Neighborhood blocks alias Kiezblocks are urban development interventions that aim to achieve a sustainable and health-promoting transformation of public space. They combine traffic calming measures with better use of urban spaces so that both environmental and health aspects are addressed in an integrated manner. A particularly important question is whether neighborhood blocks can help reduce health inequalities between different social groups. In order to investigate this, Kiezblocks with different socio-economic structures are specifically included in the evaluation.

Although Kiezblocks are discussed as a promising measure for urban development, it is unclear to what extent findings from international studies can be transferred to the German context, as urban planning and legal frameworks sometimes differ significantly between countries. This is exactly where the KiezTransform study comes in: using a quasi-experimental study design, the causal effects of neighborhood blocks are systematically analyzed. The study thereby makes an important contribution to scientific evidence in Germany.

Since Kiezblocks include fundamental principles of traffic calming and area redesign, it can be assumed that the insights gained are also relevant for other cities and communities in Germany. In addition to the impact analysis, a comprehensive process evaluation is carried out to identify success factors and obstacles to practical implementation. These findings should help local administrations to integrate Kiezblocks more effectively into their urban development concepts and thus contribute to more sustainable and healthier urban design in the long term.

The project is being carried out together with the University of Heidelberg, the Center for Preventive Medicine and Digital Health and the FU Berlin. The RIFS focuses on the effect evaluation of air quality, local project coordination in Berlin, the effect evaluation of ecological sustainability and a governance-oriented process evaluation.