(pronounced bilt in-VI-rehn-mehnt)

This phrase has become increasingly popular in the last decade. It is a convenient, comprehensive way in which to refer to all man-made environs that supply the means for human activity: residences, commercial buildings / developments, roads and other transportation corridors, pipelines and utilities, etc. In other words, it encompasses any structure that is not natural to the Earth. As interior designers, we work on the built environment, but others who do as well include architects, contractors, engineers, industrial designers, traffic engineers, urban planners, zoning authorities, etc.