Housing and Health: Why Home Is the Foundation of Wellbeing

Housing and Health: Why Home Is the Foundation of Wellbeing In this episode of Open the Door, moderator Jo Hayes, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Hong Kong, speaks with Alan Thorp, Group CEO of Habitat for Humanity New Zealand, and Scott Merrill, Senior Director for Regional Operations at Habitat for Humanity's Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter, about how housing conditions directly shape health and why effective solutions require both practical home upgrades and broader systems change. The conversation explores overcrowding, ventilation, damp, pests, heat and other health risks; examples from Hong Kong, New Zealand and Kenya; and what it takes to connect housing improvements with health budgets, market systems and policy change. --- Sources/References: •⁠ ⁠Abong’o, B., Kwaro, D., Bange, T. et al, 2026. "Housing modifications for heat adaptation, thermal comfort and malaria vector control in rural African settlements." https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-025-04... •⁠ ⁠AMI Insurance and Habitat for Humanity New Zealand, 2022. "Aotearoa Housing Survey," https://www.habitat.org.nz/nationwide... •⁠ ⁠Cure Kids, 2026. "State of Child Health in Aotearoa NZ," https://www.curekids.org.nz/our-resea... •⁠ ⁠Habitat for Humanity Hong Kong. "Ageing in Place." https://aip.habitat.org.hk/ •⁠ ⁠Habitat for Humanity International, 2025. "Informal Settlement Improvements and Women’s Health." https://www.habitat.org/home-equals/w... •⁠ ⁠Habitat for Humanity New Zealand, 2025. "Science, Shelter, Health: Cool roof research tackles hot topics in Niue." https://www.habitat.org.nz/impact-sto... •⁠ ⁠Hong Kong SAR Commission on Poverty, 2020. "Hong Kong Poverty Situation Report 2020," https://www.commissiononpoverty.gov.h... •⁠ ⁠Hong Kong SAR, 2026. "Basic Housing Units Ordinance," https://www.bhu.gov.hk/eng/regulatory... •⁠ ⁠Stats NZ. "Housing in Aotearoa New Zealand: 2025," https://www.stats.govt.nz/reports/hou... •⁠ ⁠UN-Habitat, 2024. "Adequate housing for all." https://unhabitat.org/sites/default/f... --- For more information about the speakers: Jo Hayes is Chief Executive Officer of Habitat for Humanity Hong Kong, advancing access to safe, healthy, and affordable housing. Since 2004, Habitat Hong Kong has served the local community and raised awareness of housing as a critical foundation for improving lives and tackling intergenerational poverty across the region. With nearly 30 years of international experience across the public, private and nonprofit sectors, including roles with the British Council, BBC Worldwide and The Women’s Foundation, Jo brings deep expertise in strategy, governance, and stakeholder engagement.   / johayeshabitat   Alan Thorp is the Group CEO of Habitat for Humanity New Zealand. Joining Habitat in 2007, he has fulfilled various roles, beginning as Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Deputy CEO, and Group CEO/National Director. Alan has over 25 years’ experience as a Chartered Accountant in public practice, private commercial entities and the NGO sector.   / alan-thorp-1178a82   Scott Merrill is Senior Director of Regional Operations for Habitat for Humanity International's Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter, where he leads regional teams from across the globe to advance market-based approaches to affordable housing. He brings deep experience in market systems development, systems thinking, human-centered design, and lean startup approaches across sectors.   / scott-merrill-39185610   --- For more information on Habitat for Humanity Asia-Pacific, please visit: www.⁠habitat.org/ap ⁠  / habitat-ap   https://www.⁠instagram.com/habitat.ap/ https://www.⁠facebook.com/HabitatAP #OpenTheDoor #50Voices #HabitatforHumanity #HabitatInAP