Workman, the UK’s largest independent commercial property management and building consultancy firm, is rapidly establishing itself as the country’s leading advocate for Fitwel. a relatively new metric in the UK, Fitwel is fast becoming a global leader for certifying sustainability performance in buildings and the enhancement of wellbeing and occupier health.
Workman has been selected for the international Best in Building Health™ award for their work at The Paragon in Bristol, the sole UK scheme recognised in the forthcoming global awards event. Owned by Lothbury Investment Management, the 68,489 sq ft Grade A office development succeeded in the Multi-Tenant category as one of Fitwel’s highest scoring projects in 2019. The Best in Building Health™ awards recognition programme identifies the leading firms enhancing human health via Fitwel, and Workman’s outstanding performance on the development will be acknowledged by The Center for Active Design (CfAD), the operator behind Fitwel, at its annual event later in February.
CfAD has also confirmed that Workman currently holds the record for the most completed Fitwel certifications of all time in the UK and Europe, with five accomplished and one pending totalling a combined 471,500 sq ft of office and business park projects in Chester, Bristol, London, Reading, Theale and Leeds.
In addition, Workman holds the highest number of active Fitwel registrations in the UK and Europe, with 14 projects comprising both offices and shopping centres totalling circa 2,837,000 sq ft of assets in London, Bristol, Newcastle, Solihill, Sheffield, Aberdeen, Glasgow, St Albans, and Chatham.
Nick Hobbs, Sustainability and Wellbeing Manager Workman, commented: “Having set the precedent last year by securing the UK’s very first Fitwel certification for a business park, for Arlington Business Park, we have fast become the UK’s leading implementor of Fitwel, a metric that is really resonating which the occupier community. To date, we’ve been appointed to deliver Fitwel certifications on 22 projects and are also currently pursuing a strong pipeline of additional office and business park instructions.
“We understand the needs of occupiers and are clear that the future of the workplace will need to integrate wellness considerations from the very start, as well as achieving a high level of occupier engagement. We recognise the value of Fitwel as a leading metric for optimising health and evaluating sustainability objectives in buildings, and our adoption of this industry leading standard, which is now recognised as part of GRESB sustainability benchmark, sends a clear signal to occupiers that we prioritise wellness in the development and operation of our buildings. The increasing demand for Fitwel reflects the growing recognition of the importance of occupier health and wellbeing across the industry, and Workman is in a prime position to fulfil these certification requirements.”
Joanna Frank, President and CEO CfAD, commented: “Congratulations to the Workman team for their well-deserved recognition in our flagship Best in Building Health awards programme, which celebrates the leading firms enhancing human health via Fitwel. The number of countries with projects achieving Fitwel Certification doubled over the past year, generating positive health impacts across four continents. We’re therefore delighted Workman has taken the lead in implementing Fitwel in the UK market, by achieving the most completed certifications and active registrations.”
Applying an evidence-based approach, the Fitwel standard provides a blueprint for benchmarking sustainability performance, making positive changes that are scientifically proven to enhance wellbeing and occupier health. it is part of the growing trend among developers and workplace strategists to promote healthy workplaces.
This year’s Best in Building Health™ event takes place on February 27, 2019 in San Francisco.