In addition to being the first company to receive Fitwel certifications for its buildings, Alexandria Real Estate Equities recently announced it has become the first and only real estate investment trust to be named a First-in-Class Fitwell Champion. Among the company’s buildings that have received Fitwel certifications, five have earned a three-star Fitwel rating, the highest rating achievable.
Fitwel is an evidence-based building standard developed by experts in the fields of public health and design, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the General Services Administration. Fitwel’s purpose is to foster positive impacts on building occupant health and productivity by improving workplace design and instituting new workplace policies. The ratings program is operated by the Center for Active Design.
When undergoing a Fitwel certification evaluation, every aspect of the building and office environments are taken into consideration, such as proximity to public transit, access to fitness facilities, the design of outdoor spaces, indoor air quality, and healthy food options.
Research from the CDC has shown buildings that promote occupant health through programs, policies, and environmental changes can not only improve and support employee health, but also increase productivity and garner potential savings in healthcare costs.
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Rouss & Robertson Halls
University of Virginia McIntire School of Commerce
Charlottesville, Va.
Rouss Hall, a historic 24,000-sf building designed by Stanford White, served as the home of the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce from 1955 to 1975. Thirty years later, the university unveiled plans to have the business school return to the small, outdated 110-year-old facility, but this time with the addition of a 132,000-sf companion building to be named Robertson Hall.
