Building construction has now turned into a more environmentally conscious industry. This is in line with the global goal to cope with climate change in a few decades. As this trend has become the standard, a new factor, health, is turning out to be another essential element in designing modern buildings.

According to experts, It is important that a building will not only decrease the impact on the health of the occupant but could also be designed into a medium for improving health.

Similar to environmentally conscious programs such as LEED, wellness and health have also been given a program to follow. The FitWel® Certification System is a structured program that established standards and guidelines for the design and operational strategies in support of the health of the occupants. This would include buildings that cater to multi-family residential properties. 

The Center for Active Design operates FitWel. It offers over 50 strategies that can improve the impact of housing on the health of the residents. The program is available to all developers, as certification can be achieved through several pathways. It will take 12 to 16 weeks for an average certification process and approval.

Joanna Frank, the president and CEO of the center for active design, confirms that FitWel currently has over 700 registered projects. An 80% increase in projects successfully achieving certification was reported from 2017 to 2018. Frank added that these numbers are a testament to the growing demand for buildings and the environment that is built to promote health. The CEO later pointed out that one of the key factors for the FitWel program is the requirement for multi-family housing to be intentionally optimized for the health of its residents.

As an added incentive, Fannie Mae's Healthy Housing Rewards Program gives developers the benefit of up to 15-basis-points loan discount to borrowers that incorporate health as a factor in design. To qualify, projects must be able to meet the requirements set by the said rewards program. First, it must be a FitWel certified project. Second 60% of the units should be catering to the residents that are at 60% or below the median income. Reimbursement of the certification fees with a $6,500 cap will be awarded by Fannie Mae when the criteria are met. Projects that are part of the said rewards program Will also have expedited processing of their certificate to as short as six weeks, compared to the normal processing duration which is 12 to 16 weeks.

With the FitWel Certification as a starting point, it is expected to see more health-conscious construction projects.