Environmental design

Environmental design

Environmental design refers to the process of addressing environmental parameters in planning programs, policies or concepts.

Security related aspects and benefits

• Environmental design can impact social/criminal/terrorist behaviour in a positive or negative way.
• Environmental design can mitigate, lessen or even prohibit criminal or terrorist acts.
• Environmental design can reduce crime and terrorist risks and consequences.
• Environmental design can decrease vulnerability and increase resilience.
• Specific environmental design of built infrastructure can limit the damage of terrorist attacks.

Approaches how to address it

• Get familiar with environmental design planning principles
• Get familiar with general design aspects and structural/material aspects
• Consider designing out principles (e.g. HM Government: URL: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/counter-terrorism/crowded-places/design-tech-issues?view=Binary [ 2012-05-23])
• Get familiar with initiatives facilitating environmental design (e.g. International CPTED Association: URL: http://www.cpted.net/ [2012-10-04]]
• ntegrate considerations on response and emergency measures in the planning process

Initiatives such as "Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design" have directly derived practical urban planning principles to limit the damage of terrorist attacks. These principles, also to be found in the U.K. counter terrorism planning guidelines, include:

• stand off distances, to keep people and bomber vehicles away from targets;
• laminated glass;
• framed structures;
• bombshelter areas etc.

Other CPTED inspired core issues, which builders, architects and the housing associations should take into consideration throughout the planning process for designing buildings and public space, are:

• orientation;
• good overview;
• visibility;
• lighting;
• accessibility;
• vibrant urban environment and multiple social functions;
• responsibility;
• avoiding conflicts;
• ensuring maintenance.

For the success of the historical implementation of CPTED the following four factors occur together:

1. willingness of the participants to be part of a security partnership;
2. integration of citizens in the planning process through communication and participation methods;
3. decentralization and localization;
4. commitment.

Related subjects

• Designing out
• Designing in

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