Strategic Public Private Partnership (PPP) Health Holland (HH): Healthy Living Environment

This project aims to form a strategic Public Private Partnership (PPP), for which Health Holland (HH) provides allowances.

HH is one of the ten top sectors distinguished by the Dutch cabinet. It provides PPP allowances to help consortia consisting of research organizations, knowledge institutes, companies, and health foundations to realize their innovative ideas.

The Data and Knowledge Hub Healthy Urban Living (DKH) has been asked to develop a strategic PPP, with regard to mission 1: In 2040, the burden of disease as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle and living environment will be reduced by 30%.

What is DKH? DKH is a public-private partnership that develops and implements evidence-based healthy urban design principles. Partners include Utrecht University, and the hub wants to meet the request of HH (with the UU as main applicant) and build a broader consortium to set up a national programme on Healthy Urban Living, as per the request of HH.

The strategic PPP aims to contribute to the development of the hardware (urban design), software (residents/users of areas and their behaviors and activities) and orgware (governance, collaboration and co-creation processes) needed to (re)develop homes and living environments that stimulate health (behavior).

This is important because our environment has a significant influence on our health. Where we live and work, our social status, income and contacts, what we eat and how active we are and the chemical and physical influences to which we are exposed explain an estimated 70% of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and mental health complaints. Furthermore, the time is now as many challenges (climate adaptation, energy transition, shortage of housing, pandemic preparedness) necessitate a rethinking of our living environments and how to make them future proof.

Various stakeholders benefit from the development of effective hard-, soft- and orgware to construct healthy dwellings and areas: Policy makers gain insight into which measures work, companies can sell products and services with proven effectiveness better, researchers improve their understanding of the relationship between the environment and health, and citizens benefit from a healthier dwelling and living environment. These stakeholders will also all be actively involved in the learning communities we plan to develop in our PPP.

Setting up a strategic PPP is time-consuming. These are large programs (number of million euros), with many stakeholders, which also require significant amounts of cash co-investments. The project team aim to expand their network and find commitment to invest. They will hire a facilitator to support the forming a complete consortium and writing of a proposal, in addition to organising a number of well facilitated sessions with stakeholders.

The result will be a promising complete consortium and project plan for a strategic PPP that can be submitted to HH.