S01E01 - 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.
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Chapters
00:00 Podcast Introduction
00:52 Housing Shapes Health
03:04 The Stakes and Statistics
05:20 New Zealand Healthy Homes
09:24 A Home Transformed
10:55 What Habitat’s Terwilliger Center Does
15:14 Evidence From New Zealand
19:43 Kenya Malaria Retrofits
24:26 Four Market Gaps
28:01 Regional Challenges
34:59 WASH and Resilience in the Pacific
38:16 Scaling Solutions Together
42:34 Corporate Financing Models
43:58 Calls to Action
48:12 Lightning Round
50:29 Closing summary
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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/s41591-025-04104-9
- AMI Insurance and Habitat for Humanity New Zealand, 2022. "Aotearoa Housing Survey," https://www.habitat.org.nz/nationwide-sponsor
- Cure Kids, 2026. "State of Child Health in Aotearoa NZ," https://www.curekids.org.nz/our-research/state-of-child-health
- 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/womens-health
- Habitat for Humanity New Zealand, 2025. "Science, Shelter, Health: Cool roof research tackles hot topics in Niue." https://www.habitat.org.nz/impact-stories/science-shelter-health-cool-roof-research-tackles-hot-topics-in-niue
- Hong Kong SAR Commission on Poverty, 2020. "Hong Kong Poverty Situation Report 2020," https://www.commissiononpoverty.gov.hk/eng/pdf/Hong_Kong_Poverty_Situation_Report_2020.pdf
- Hong Kong SAR, 2026. "Basic Housing Units Ordinance," https://www.bhu.gov.hk/eng/regulatory-regime/ordinance/
- Stats NZ. "Housing in Aotearoa New Zealand: 2025," https://www.stats.govt.nz/reports/housing-in-aotearoa-new-zealand-2025/
- UN-Habitat, 2024. "Adequate housing for all." https://unhabitat.org/sites/default/files/2025/05/annual_report_2025_final.pdf
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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. A Hong Kong Jockey Club Chicago Booth MBA Scholar, she applies rigorous, analytical thinking, financial discipline, and evidence-based leadership to drive organizational strategy and growth, and has been based in Hong Kong since 2013.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/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 has a Masters Degree in Theology from Regent College in Vancouver. He is passionate about leading Habitat’s mission and its people as a practical outworking of his faith and theology. He is excited about leading the expansion of Habitat’s mission delivery both in New Zealand and the Pacific.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/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 including housing, resilience, climate, health, agriculture, and food security across 22 countries.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-merrill-39185610/
For more information on Habitat for Humanity Asia-Pacific, please visit:
- habitat.org/ap
- linkedin.com/company/habitat-ap/
- instagram.com/habitat.ap/
- facebook.com/HabitatAP
