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GBBN First Commercial Interior Space in Ohio to be Fitwel Certified

Fitwel, the world’s leading certification system for buildings and communities that optimize projects to support health, has awarded GBBN’s Cincinnati office a 2-star rating. GBBN is the first design studio and the first commercial interior space in Ohio to receive Fitwel certification.

“Fitwel continues to gain traction with organizations looking to attract and retain talent by supporting the health and well-being of their employees,” says GBBN CEO Matthew Schottelkotte. “We’re happy to be helping those efforts by seeking certification for our own offices and helping clients understand and navigate the process,” he says. “We’re currently in different stages of discussion with three of our current clients who are considering Fitwel certification for their projects.”

Certifications like Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) focus on buildings’ impact on the environment; Fitwel focuses on their impact on people. GBBN’s recently completed renovation of its downtown Cincinnati office earned a two-star rating (out of a possible three stars) thanks to several transformations, including: giving all employees increased access to daylight and views to nature; opportunities for movement throughout the building; sit-to-stand workstations; quiet spaces for focused work as well as flexible spaces where people can meet, collaborate, or host events.

Fitwel was created by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), with the Center for Active Design (CfAD), a global, not-for-profit organization selected as the licensed operator of Fitwel in 2016.  CfAD is leading Fitwel’s ongoing development and adoption worldwide, promoting use across private and public sectors. Fitwel provides a range of certification pathways to support the needs of users and advance collective efforts toward building health for all.

“The Fitwel system is designed to be approachable. While it does take thoughtful design and planning, Fitwel certification is something everyone can do even in an existing space,” says Tiffany Broyles Yost, GBBN’s Director of Sustainability and Resilience. “There is a rising demand for healthy buildings. In addition to supporting our well-being, Fitwel helps us apply simple design strategies that lower viral spread in a typical flu season or during a global pandemic,” she says.

For GBBN, Fitwel is another way to support our commitment to sustainability and well-being by designing healthy, environmentally responsible spaces for people to work and live.