From Housing to Mobility: The Built Environment Trends That Defined 2025

Fitwel PlatformCertificationStrategies & Solutions
Written By Guest User

Kilroy Realty | 333 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA | Photo courtesy of Lawrence Anderson

As 2025 comes to a close, we’re reflecting on a year of meaningful progress—and the powerful ways cities around the world became stronger, more resilient, and more inclusive. Globally, cities have made incredible strides in prioritizing affordable housing, improving stability and health for children and families. Cities also accelerated investments in bike and transit infrastructure, reducing congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, while supporting active transit and safety. 


This year also marked a turning point for inclusive design. From public spaces that foster social connection to transit stations and playgrounds designed to  support neurodivergent individuals, approaches once considered unconventional are  becoming more mainstream. Together, these shifts signal a built environment that is more people-centered, equitable, and future-ready.  The progress we’re seeing—reflected in the evolution of  Fitwel v3— gives us reason to be optimistic about the trends in the development of our built environment, and hopeful for the coming year of innovation, impact, and growth.

Affordable housing: one solution with dozens of impacts. Across the globe from Hong Kong to New York, Vancouver, and San Francisco, affordable housing remains an immense challenge facing cities. While this is not a problem with a one size fits all solution–the United States has implemented a variety of programs, such as Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program and Section 8 vouchers, and Hong Kong is even working to develop artificial islands to support additional housing–it is a challenge that requires the support of many solutions.

Republic, London, United Kingdom | Photo Courtesy of Republic

In 2025, cities like New York implemented ballot measures to streamline developments that include affordable housing, while Vancouver enacted zoning and land-use reforms to remove parking minimums for affordable housing and allow more multifamily dwellings on single-family lots, all of which encourages middle- and low-income housing development. These shifts give reason to believe we are more poised than ever to tackle this age-old problem. Affordable housing is vital: it opens the door for individuals and families to thrive by enabling greater spending on healthcare and nutrition, improving access to education and employment, reducing stress, and fostering a sense of security and community.

Micro-mobility with major impacts. As cities and countries grapple with meeting emissions goals, encouraging the use of public and active transportation in place of single-vehicle transit has become a priority. Micromobility, or the use of vehicles like scooters or bicycles, particularly on share systems, has emerged as an efficient urban transportation solution that also supports climate goals. Supporting micromobility includes a range of initiatives from installing protected bike lanes and expanding bike-share programs to implementing open streets policies and car-free zones– all of which appear to be on the rise globally. 

In 2019, the United States had just 33 cities classified as bike-friendly; by 2025, that number has grown to 234. This year in Paris, voters approved to close 500 additional city streets to cars, also eliminating 10% of the city’s parking, to make way for expanded micromobility and active transportation. Across Asia, e-bikes and bike-share programs are also rapidly expanding. These efforts not only support environmental health by decreasing traffic congestion and air and noise pollution, but also improve human health by increasing physical activity, contributing to reduced morbidity and mortality, and supporting improved mood and reduced stress. As these trends continue, the benefits for both urban residents and the built environment are likely to grow.

Republic, London, United Kingdom | Photo Courtesy of Republic

Inclusive design becomes mainstream design. One of the most notable trends to emerge over the past year is the growing adoption of inclusive design. Historically, spaces have been designed centering the white, able-bodied male experience, making it difficult to navigate for people with disabilities or those who experience the world differently. As awareness of the “curb cut effect”, the idea that solutions designed for vulnerable populations often end up benefiting everyone, has grown, developers and architects are increasingly treating inclusive design as a core planning consideration rather than an optional expense. 

Incorporating auditory, sensory, and accessibility considerations into the design process results in parks, transit stops, and commercial spaces that are welcoming for neurodivergent individuals, those with hidden disabilities, and the aging and mobility-limited populations. Manhattan’s redesigned Robert F. Wagner Park embodies these principles through noise-protected natural spaces, while a school in Austin, Texas supports inclusivity through sensory gardens, flexible workspaces, and wide, curving pathways throughout the campus. Internationally, schools and commercial spaces in Belgium, Sweden, Singapore, and Australia are placing inclusivity at the forefront of design, a trend we expect to accelerate further with the emergence of the new CIDIE Standard.

As cities continue to confront societal division, rising stress, climate change, and biodiversity loss, the aforementioned policy and design innovations emerging offer real reason for optimism.By prioritizing increased access to affordable housing, micro-mobility, and inclusive design, urban spaces can continue to become more resilient. As we head into the new year, we’re energized by this progress and committed to supporting the diverse leaders and communities advancing healthier, more connected places—now and for years to come. 

Search Blog Articles

Search Website

Guest User
Next

From Evidence to Action: ADG 2.0 and The Next Era of Health-Centered, Equitable Design