Fitwel is the Future for Buildings: Our Successful Projects
Mainer Associates are proud to share the successful Fitwel accreditation of 11 & 12 Wellington Place in Leeds, which has achieved a 2-star Fitwel rating, in addition to being on track to successfully deliver a 2-star Fitwel accreditation for NOMA, 4 Angel Square, in Manchester.
Written by
Dan Skelton
Graduate Sustainability Consultant
To contact please email:
dan.skelton@mainer.co.uk
What is Fitwel?
Facility Innovations Toward Wellness Environment Leadership (Fitwel) is a people-centric real estate certification platform, which focuses on enhancing and improving the health and wellbeing of tenants and residents in commercial properties, multifamily residential buildings, and retail space.
Launched for universal use in 2017, the green building certification scheme rates the building’s performance through seven Health Impact Categories: surrounding community health impact, morbidity and absenteeism reduction, support for social equality for vulnerable populations, physical activity increase, promotion of occupant safety, sense of well-being, and healthy food options. The Fitwel programme, which is based on over 5,600 scientific studies, includes 63 proof-based procedures, policies, and design strategies which have been shown to increase the wellbeing and prosperity of the building’s occupants. These can be categorised into 12 groups: stairwells, location, outdoor spaces, water supply, shared spaces, vending machines and snack bars, indoor environments, entrances and ground floor, emergency procedures, cafeterias and prepared food retail, and building access.
How did Mainer Associates help?
11 & 12 Wellington Place, Leeds
11 & 12 Wellington Place, Leeds
At 11 & 12 Wellington Place in Leeds, Mainer Associates helped clients MEPC, alongside contractor Wates, to achieve their goal of a 2-star Fitwel accreditation – scoring a final total of 107.45 points.
To do this, Mainer Associates reviewed evidence and scored it against Fitwel rules to distinguish and validate the people-centric nature of the building. Some of the key characteristics of the building which helped it to achieve this score included:
Main Entrance amenities, including benches and seating areas.
Safe entry and exit lighting at the entrances.
Walkability to transit within 800 metres.
Establishment of an indoor air quality (IAQ) policy.
Establishment of a regular cleaning protocol for all areas.
Outdoor garden with a walking path along the canal.
Outdoor fitness area within 800 metres of the building, free of charge to all regular occupants and accessible always during working hours.
11 & 12 Wellington Place. Source 11 & 12 Wellington Place | Landmark Offices in Leeds City Centre
4 Angel Square - NOMA, Manchester
4 Angel Square - NOMA, Manchester
Meanwhile, at NOMA in Manchester, Mainer Associates are helping clients MEPC to also deliver their target of a 2-star Fitwel accreditation for 4 Angel Square. To achieve this, Mainer Associates have aided in the adaptation of MEPC’s policies and procedures to Fitwel standards. These include the policies for indoor air quality (IAQ) and healthy eating, in addition to the integrated pest management plan, occupant surveys, and commuter surveys. Similarly, Mainer Associates have played a vital role in reviewing documentation and evidence regarding the building’s characteristics that will aid in the successful 2-star accreditation of 4 Angel Square in the coming months.
These characteristics include:
A restorative outdoor garden, free to all occupants, and a walking trail.
Within 800 metres of public transport.
Bicycle storage for occupants.
Exercise rooms.
Asbestos and smoke-free environment.
Common area, free of charge, with sink, refrigerator, microwave and seating.
4 Angel Square - NOMA, Manchester Source: MEPC | Property investment and development
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Why Fitwel?
The great thing about Fitwel is that there are no prerequisites or barriers to entry, which might otherwise prevent a building from being eligible. It can be used for new buildings or for buildings that already exist.
Fitwel, meanwhile, is advantageous as it improves the occupants’ wellbeing, increasing company attractiveness and reputation, and increasing employee retention rates. Similarly, it promotes an increase in value, whereby the enhancement of tenant satisfaction can generate additional referral rates – creating an advanced return on investment.
Why Mainer Associates?
By helping MEPC to successfully achieve a 2-star Fitwel accreditation at 11 & 12 Wellington Place in Leeds – and by being on track to help MEPC successfully achieve a 2-star Fitwel accreditation at NOMA, 4 Angel Square, in Manchester - Mainer Associates are paving the way for high quality, sustainable, and human-centric workspaces and properties.
By focusing on the wellbeing of its occupants through Fitwel accreditation, Mainer Associates has aided in directly improving the company’s attractiveness, and, subsequently, aided in increasing their potential return on investment – all whilst creating a sustainable and comfortable environment for its occupants.
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