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Fitwel in the News
Latest Announcements
Verdani Partners becomes a Fitwel Champion
Verdani Partners, an industry leader in sustainability consulting and ESG management has become a Fitwel Champion, expanding on its commitment to improve building occupant health and productivity on a portfolio-wide scale. The sustainability firm’s new status as a Fitwel Champion comes as the result of its portfolio management for client Clarion Partners, a real estate investment company with $46.6 billion in assets under management. Verdani has been managing Clarion’s ESG initiatives and green building certifications for four years and has recently submitted a total of six new Fitwel certifications for multifamily residential and office properties.
At Verdani Partners, Fitwel allows our clients access to a world-class building certification system that promotes the design of healthy and sustainable environments for their corresponding portfolios,” said Verdani Founder and Principal, Daniele Horton.
We are excited to partner with Verdani and Fitwel on this important initiative,” remarked Joe Leahy, Asset Manager at Clarion Partners. “Historically, achieving green building certifications has been challenging. Through the Fitwel certification process, Clarion has incorporated cost-effective, health-focused improvements that will increase residents’ quality of life while adding value to our properties. We expect that these successful pilot projects will serve as case studies for future Clarion Fitwel projects.
Recently Published Real-World Research Reinforces the Benefits of Sit-Stand Desks in the Workplace
The Center for Active Design collaborated with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Perkins+Will, and Steelcase to study the health impacts of adjustable workstations (also known as “sit-stand” desks). We are proud to report that the Stand Up to Work study was recently published in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management, and also covered by Fast Company.
This year-long study, funded by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Foundation, evaluated sedentary behavior changes in office workers who were randomly selected to receive adjustable workstations, and compared their behavior to that of workers who continued using traditional desks. The study concluded that sit-stand desks are linked to increased productivity, better mental concentration, and improved overall health within the workplace. Some employees even reported that sit-stand desks had a positive impact on their health outside of the workplace.
UL and the Center for Active Design Launch a Revolutionary Partnership, Bringing Together Industry Leading Building and Product Health Certifications
UL, a global safety science leader, and the Center for Active Design (CfAD), operator of Fitwel, the world’s leading building certification system for health, today announced a partnership that will expand the market for healthier, more sustainable products and buildings globally. This alignment represents the first time two leading certification bodies are uniting to provide comprehensive resources on healthy buildings and products for the design and real estate industries. The initial focus is to increase the adoption of the Fitwel Certification System in China, while also providing architects, designers, and developers with more access to products with reduced risks to human health.
UL and CfAD will work together to expand the adoption of Fitwel in China, where the demand for healthier buildings is growing exponentially. According to a 2018 report from the Global Wellness Institute, 47 percent of consumers are willing to pay more for better indoor air quality and Beijing homebuyers will pay up to 14 percent more to be close to a park. With established and impactful standards for health-promoting features, including location and limits to product emissions that impact indoor air quality, both UL and CfAD will provide support for architects, buildings owners, and others in China looking to certify a building to the Fitwel standard.