Ten questions concerning older people and a sustainable built environment

Around the globe environmental sustainability of the built environment has become a pressing issue for everyday life. Environmental sustainability is defined as a state where natural ecosystems and resources are preserved to support the well-being of the present as well as future generations. Environmental sustainability requires the carbon emissions from the built environment to be minimised and air quality to be improved. This is a relevant topic for people of all ages, with older people recognised as key contributors to shaping a better world for future generations. Older people will also benefit from any environmentally sustainable practices since many of them improve comfort and lower energy use. Further, in the long-term, implementing environmentally sustainable practices will help reduce the cost of utilities, making it more affordable for older people to live in their homes comfortably. This ‘Ten Questions contribution’ provides an overview of the importance of environmental sustainability in the built environment for older people, what it constitutes, how it can be evaluated and stimulated, the barriers to implementing environmentally sustainable solutions, as well as policies and future perspectives to achieve environmental sustainability.