Fitwel and the Center for Active Design Launch COVID-19 "Research to Action" Series, Introduce Tool to Help Landlords and Tenants Collaborate on Wellness Strategies

Resources provide real estate professionals, designers, tenants and other decision makers with evidence-based strategies and guidance for mitigating the spread of illness and building trust

News provided by

Center for Active Design

May 12, 2020, 10:53 ET

NEW YORK, May 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Fitwel®, the healthy building certification system operated by the Center for Active Design (CfAD), today announced the launch of a series of resources as well as a collaboration tool to help building owners, operators, tenants and designers determine how to adapt their projects, portfolios and office spaces to respond to the unique challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Fitwel was originally developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), with the CDC remaining Fitwel's research and evaluation partner.

Titled Research to Action: Building Health for All® in the Face of COVID-19, the series will comprise five tailored, evidence-based chapters that examine the intersection of public health and the built environment and provide guidance on how to create healthier environments. Each chapter offers practical, actionable strategies building owners, operators and tenants can follow based on objective, peer-reviewed third-party research. Fitwel's Building Collaboration Tool enables building owners and tenants to assess the roles each can play in promoting health and wellness, allowing for greater collaboration and resulting in more holistic benefits for all involved.

Joanna Frank, President and CEO of CfAD, said: "Research shows there is strong connection between the built environment and the health of the individuals that work and reside within. Since its inception, Fitwel has focused on providing actionable, science-based guidelines to help building owners and tenants improve the health performance of their properties and workforces. Never has the focus on these important topics been more pronounced than in the current environment, and they will play a critical role in the future of building design and programming. We are all in this together, and we look forward to continuing to evolve this conversation as the research base expands."

The first two chapters in the series – Leveraging Buildings to Mitigate Viral Transmission and Building Trust in the Workplace – are available now at https://www.fitwel.org/resources/, with others due to publish in the coming weeks. Descriptions of the five chapters can be found below:

Leveraging Buildings to Mitigate Viral Transmission. This chapter provides an overview of the basics of viral transmission, as well as strategies to mitigate transmission—including limiting physical interactions, handwashing, regular cleaning, ventilation, filtration, and humidity.
Building Trust in the Workplace. This chapter will provide guidance for cultivating employee and tenant trust, and enhancing perceptions of safety once office buildings are ready to re-open. It will cover topics, including but not limited to, emergency preparedness, communication, surveying, and signage.
Mental Health and COVID-19. This chapter will focus on the importance of considering mental health during crises, and how home environments can be optimized to promote feelings of well-being. Strategies covered will include greenery, outdoor spaces, high quality indoor air, sleep environments, and health-promotion programming.
Density and Resiliency. This chapter will focus on how density can contribute to resiliency and public health, concentrating on a number of areas, including energy savings, affordable housing, diversity, public transit, sustainability, active transportation, and healthcare.
Chronic Disease, Equity, and COVID-19. This chapter will explore the interconnected relationships between COVID-19, the social determinants of health, and chronic disease. Topics covered will include healthcare access, food access, housing quality, job role s, among others. This resource will also dig into specific strategies that can help address many of the inequities associated with negative COVID-19 outcomes, such as pollution, food environments, access to outdoor space, and community resiliency.

Fitwel is producing these resources to address key questions being asked across the commercial real estate industry in light of COVID-19. These materials are being developed in collaboration with key advisors including Fitwel's Leadership Advisory Board, which comprises some of the most well-known names in health and real estate such as Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Tishman Speyer, Vornado, Kilroy, Triovest, Fannie Mae and Anthem.

"Triovest realized that we needed to start early in our tenant reintegration planning efforts," said Philippe Bernier, VP Innovation & Sustainability at Triovest Realty Advisors. "Our partnership with Fitwel and the Center for Active Design accelerated our research efforts, and assisted Triovest in making informed, evidence-based preparations across our national portfolio of properties. The Research to Action series is a valuable resource to guide decision-making as owners and managers plan to safely welcome tenants back into their buildings."

About Fitwel and the Center for Active Design
Fitwel is the world's leading certification system committed to building health for all™. Generated by expert analysis of 5,000+ academic research studies, Fitwel is implementing a vision for a healthier future where all buildings and communities are enhanced to strengthen health and well-being. Fitwel was created by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. General Services Administration. The Center for Active Design, a global not-for-profit organization, was selected as the licensed operator of Fitwel, charged with expanding Fitwel to the global market.

SOURCE Center for Active Design