About

Fitwel is a new certification system intended to enable positive impacts on health and productivity for building occupants through improved workplace design and operational strategies. In office environments, improved employee wellness may result in lower health care costs, lower rates of absenteeism, and increased revenue from enhanced employee performance.

The Fitwel Certification System responds to the growing demand for recognition of healthier buildings and workplaces, serving as a market differentiator that helps in the attraction and retention of tenants and employees. Fitwel was developed by the U.S. General Services Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and is being operated by the Center for Active Design. Fitwel, launched in early 2017, has more than 600 projects in the pipeline. Learn more here and via the links below.

Download the Fitwel FAQ Sheet

Download the Fitwel Overview Document

October 4, 2017 Webinar

On October 4, 2017, ULI hosted a free, members-only webinar. Participants heard from real estate leaders, developers, and property managers who have implemented Fitwel.

You can access a recording of the webinar along with the slide deck below.

Access Webinar Resources

Webinar Panelists:

Joanna Frank, President and CEO, Center for Active Design

Joanna Frank is the founding President and CEO of the Center for Active Design (CfAD), where she advances design and development practices to foster healthy and engaged communities. The Center for Active Design is the operator for Fitwel, a unique building certification that positively impacts occupant health and productivity through an integrated approach to workplace design and operations. Prior to launching CfAD, Ms. Frank worked for the City of New York during the Bloomberg Administration, where her positions included Director of Active Design and Director of the NYC FRESH program. Before working for the City, Ms. Frank was a Partner at Bright City Development, LLC where she was responsible for the development of mixed-use residential buildings using sustainable design criteria. Ms. Frank is a member of the American Heart Association Workplace Health Steering Committee, as well as the Urban Land Institute’s Affordable/Workforce Housing Council.

Jonathan Flaherty, Senior Director, Sustainability and Utilities, Tishman Speyer

Mr. Flaherty joined Tishman Speyer in 2007 and oversees global sustainability and health strategy, as well as global energy management and procurement. In this role, he manages sustainability certifications, investor communications, worldwide performance tracking, procurement strategy, and technological innovation implementation. Mr. Flaherty joined Tishman Speyer as part of the Leadership Development Program and has held various roles with

the company, including in asset management and portfolio management for New York. Prior to joining the firm, he worked as a legislative aide for Senator Schumer in Washington, DC. Mr. Flaherty is the chair of the board of directors for the Building Energy Exchange and is a team leader for the ACE Mentor Program. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Kenyon College, and a Master of Business Administration and Master of Urban Planning from Columbia University.

Sara Neff, Senior Vice President, Sustainability, Kilroy Realty Corporation

Sara Neff creates and executes the health and sustainability strategy, from capital allocation and financial modeling to environmental audits and certifications, for  the Kilroy Realty Corporation’s (KRC) 14.4 million square feet of stabilized office space and 200 residential units, in addition to the 1.2 million square feet of office and 237 residential units currently in development. In four years, Neff took KRC from having no sustainability program to being named the #1 real estate company in North America across all asset classes on sustainability by the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark, and the company is now only the third North American real estate company to be listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. At KRC, she has certified 2.5 million square feet under Fitwel, the most of any private owner, reduced portfolio-wide energy consumption by 15% and water by 13%, executed deals for 5.5 MW of solar installations and 11 MWh of battery installations and created KRC’s award-winning green leasing program. Neff received her MBA with honors from Columbia Business School and her BS with honors in Symbolic Systems from Stanford University.

Rachel MacCleery, Senior Vice President, Content, Urban Land Institute (moderator)

Rachel MacCleery is Senior Vice President at the Urban Land Institute, where she leads the organization’s Building Healthy Places Initiative and other programs. Rachel is spearheading ULI’s efforts to leverage the power of its global networks to shape projects and places in ways that improve the health of people and communities, through design and programming strategies that increase opportunities for physical activity, social engagement, access to healthy food and nature, and other ingredients of holistically healthy living. Rachel has extensive knowledge of land use, environment and sustainability, social equity, and infrastructure policy and practice issues. Rachel has worked at ULI since 2008 and previously worked for AECOM and the District of Columbia Department of Transportation. She has a Masters Degree in Public Administration and Urban and Regional Planning.