Elevate Your GRESB Score for 2025: Start Planning with Fitwel Today
Whether you get 1, 2, or 3 stars, your Fitwel Certification can elevate your GRESB score in 2025. Image courtesy of Adai.
GRESB Full Points for Fitwel Asset Certification
Fitwel Asset Certification now earns full points for GRESB in 2025, enhancing your building’s sustainability score. This is a groundbreaking achievement for the Fitwel Standard, marking the first time Fitwel-Certified buildings receive this level of recognition from GRESB. Earning this credit can significantly elevate your building’s appeal to investors, demonstrating your commitment to sustainable and healthy building practices.
The Fitwel-GRESB Connection
Fitwel has made a direct connection between its Certification and GRESB scoring through the publication of a Fitwel-GRESB Crosswalk—a guide that outlines how Fitwel’s health-focused strategies can lead to higher GRESB ESG scores. This Crosswalk provides a clear pathway for real estate professionals to understand how implementing Fitwel’s health and well-being measures can enhance their GRESB performance, particularly in areas like social sustainability, governance, and environmental impact.
The Fitwel-GRESB Crosswalk is a key part of the roadmap for integrating Fitwel and health into ESG reporting for the real estate sector. The tool identifies a range of strategies that can be implemented by developers and owners both in the design phase of new construction or for retrofits that can ultimately increase their ESG scores. The tool helps to identify which strategies overlap with popular ESG scoring frameworks like GRESB.
Sarah Coughlan, Head of Social Wellbeing at EVORA Global.
“As we prepare for GRESB 2025, we’re ensuring our clients have the best coverage with Green Building Certifications. Fitwel is now recognized as a full GBC, making it an ideal choice for many new buildings. Fitwel Certified buildings lead to happier, healthier tenants, higher rental premiums, and improved Net Promoter Scores—a win-win for tenants and owners.”
GRESB Evaluations and Fitwel’s Role
GRESB evaluates real estate assets based on their ESG performance, with a significant focus on social sustainability, health, and well-being. Fitwel Certification can directly contribute to improving your GRESB score in several areas:
Health and Well-Being Initiatives: Fitwel's emphasis on promoting physical activity, improving indoor air quality, and enhancing access to natural light can boost your GRESB scores in the Social Impact category. These initiatives not only improve tenant satisfaction but also demonstrate a commitment to creating healthier living and working environments.
Community Engagement: GRESB values properties that engage with and contribute to their surrounding communities. Fitwel strategies prioritize the creation of communal spaces, outdoor areas, and programs that promote social interaction.
Environmental Stewardship: While Fitwel is primarily health-focused, research has shown that there is an inextricable link between the health of the planet and the health of people. Fitwel Strategies support environmental sustainability through the use of non-toxic materials, energy efficiency measures, and sustainable water management practices, among others.
Policy and Management: Fitwel Certification involves the implementation of policies that prioritize health and well-being, which align with GRESB’s emphasis on governance.
Align with GRESB indicators and Fitwel strategies by enhancing indoor environmental quality: natural light, optimal acoustics, and robust air quality policies improve health, boost productivity, and reduce risks associated with respiratory issues and contagious diseases.
Align with GRESB through Fitwel strategies: Boost sustainability and well-being with water quality testing, green purchasing, waste reduction, and emergency preparedness, while showcasing certified healthy buildings.
Harry Etra, Chief Executive Officer of HXE Partners
“As a Fitwel Partner, the HXE Partners team appreciated the opportunity to collaborate in developing the workplace and multi-family crosswalks with GRESB. There is increasing importance being placed on better understanding and measuring the social component of ESG for the real estate industry, and we believe these kinds of resources and metrics will help companies concretely implement better strategies to promote health and well-being in their portfolios”
How Fitwel Certification Helps with GRESB Scores
Increased efficiency - Fitwel allows users to tackle multiple ESG goals through a single certification process
Higher GRESB Scores - Fitwel Asset Certification now receives a full GRESB point
Long-Term Value - Positions properties as leaders in sustainability, health and wellbeing
Fitwel and GRESB Integration
The window to plan and budget for your 2025 GRESB reporting is open, making now the perfect time to consider how Fitwel can play a role in boosting your score.
By aligning your property’s health and well-being initiatives with GRESB’s social and environmental criteria, you can not only improve your score but also create healthier, more sustainable environments. As the demand for sustainable buildings continues to grow, integrating Fitwel into your ESG strategy will position your property as a leader in the industry. Start planning now to make the most of the upcoming GRESB reporting cycle.
For more information about how to integrate Fitwel into your portfolio, please reach out directly to our Business Development team.