Fitwel: the strategy for healthier buildings

Leeson Medhurst, Head of Workplace Strategy Sustainability

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies are becoming increasingly important in today’s world. With investment decisions and reputational integrity determined in part by business initiatives towards sustainability, frameworks to set, assess, and achieve sustainability benchmarks are central to organisational success. One way to demonstrate your business’ ESG commitments in the built environment is through Fitwel.

What is Fitwel?

Fitwel is an innovative real estate platform driving health insights in building, ESG performance, and value. Driven by a mission to deliver a healthier future where every building is enhanced to support the wellbeing of its occupants, Fitwel is committed to building health for all.

These world-leading insights are developed by professionals in public health, facility management and design, and are supported by five years of research on more than 5,600 studies. They inform the development of the Fitwel Standard, a portfolio of tailored scorecards containing design and operational strategies for new and existing buildings and sites.

Fitwel Certification

Applying for Fitwel Certification is simple, and Peldon Rose are here to guide you. With our help, businesses can register projects and select the scorecards most appropriate to their projects’ needs. The Fitwel standard is extensive, with over 55 evidence-based design and operational strategies that enhance buildings by addressing a broad range of health behaviours and risks. Each scorecard takes users through the relevant documentation required to be uploaded to the platform for subsequent review by the Fitwel Certification team.

Fitwel has a 3-star scoring system. Because Fitwel addresses health as a holistic system, and the benefits of strategies are cumulative, there are no prerequisites or mandatory thresholds within different categories, only the 90-point threshold for receiving a Fitwel-Certified designation. Strategies with stronger, multi-faceted impacts receive more points across Fitwel’s seven health impact categories.

In just 12 weeks, projects can be Fitwel Accredited.

Why undertake Fitwel Certification?

Healthy building strategies have positive impacts on human health and business outcomes. Fitwel’s research shows that prioritising health strategies and creating benchmarks which assess their efficacy can significantly improve tenant satisfaction and real estate value. With 92% of investors anticipating demand for healthy buildings to escalate in the next three years, obtaining formal documentation of building health is integral for securing business success.

Post-pandemic, Fitwel has introduced a Viral Response Module that addresses how to mitigate the risk of infectious disease transmission within interior spaces. The relationships and requirements between sustainability and design are constantly evolving – staying up to speed takes education and responsibility, and we can help you embark on this journey.

We help you strategize your goals towards sustainability, benchmark your project, guide you through a step-by-step accreditation process, and register for professional approval on Fitwel’s platform.

Inhouse sustainability expertise at Peldon Rose

At Peldon Rose, our inhouse expertise benefits clients during the planning, delivery and occupation of their bespoke office interior design and office refurbishment projects, helping to achieve excellence in sustainability. Workplace Strategy consultant, Sameeha Joshi, is an accredited Fitwel certifier, and is taking clients on a journey to deliver healthier buildings for their people. In addition to Fitwel Certification, Peldon Rose work with clients to achieve LEED accreditation, which benchmarks the most healthy, efficient, carbon and cost-saving green buildings.

Contact us
to find out how we can help your business attain a sustainable design accreditation.

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