Blueprints and footprints for healthier urban environments
Official title: STREET SOLUTIONS: BLUEPRINTS AND FOOTPRINTS FOR CREATORS AND USERS OF URBAN ENVIRONMENTS
Funded at Urban Design 4 Health, INC. · NIH-11316081 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new AI-powered tool helps urban planners and developers predict how pedestrian-friendly design features can reduce diabetes and heart disease while boosting health and local economy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Urban Design 4 Health, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,253,332 |
| NIH project number | 2R44HL169137-02A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11316081 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include adults living in or planning development areas where pedestrian-friendly designs are being considered.
✕Less likely to help
In areas with low exposure to pedestrian design changes or where other health factors dominate, benefits may be limited.
What this research studies
This grant develops an AI-based tool to automatically detect pedestrian environment features and predict how these features influence physical activity and cardiometabolic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular conditions. It builds on an existing public health model and adds a commercializable blueprint that ties investment in the built environment to health and economic outcomes. The project aims to show planners and lenders a clear ROI for pedestrian-friendly designs, guiding decisions in land use and transportation investments. The work involves translating health and economic data into an accessible product that supports community creators in making healthier urban choices.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, communities could use the blueprint tool to design streets and spaces that support healthier lifestyles and lower health care costs.
How similar studies have gone: Prior models show associations between built environment features and health outcomes, and this project extends that work with an AI-enabled, market-ready blueprint.
Where this research is happening
-
Urban Design 4 Health, INC.
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bachman, William — Urban Design 4 Health, INC.
- Study coordinator: Bachman, William
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.