NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Growing its focus on the importance of healthy workplace environments, Tishman Speyer today announced a partnership with the Center for Active Design's (CfAD) building certification system Fitwel. Fitwel is the leading global health certification system, providing effective design and operational strategies to improve building occupant health and productivity. It was created as a joint initiative by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the General Services Administration, and it is operated by CfAD.

In addition to certifying its buildings in the United States, Tishman Speyer will introduce Fitwel to new markets in China, Brazil, India, Germany and France. The goal is to complete the certification process of the vast majority of Tishman Speyer buildings by the end of 2019.

Fitwel certification follows Tishman Speyer's introduction earlier this year of Zo, its comprehensive workplace amenity and services package focused on enhancing work-life balance, which was piloted at New York City's Rockefeller Center and is now being rolled out across Tishman Speyer's portfolio.

"We are prioritizing the health and wellness of our tenants throughout our portfolio, and Fitwel provides a new building certification that can be used as a strategic resource to create healthier work environments," said Jonathan Flaherty, Senior Director of Sustainability and Utilities, Tishman Speyer. "With its solid foundation in scientific research conducted or reviewed by the CDC, Fitwel provides us with a clear, verifiable benchmark of how our buildings currently provide healthy work environments for the people who spend most of their days there, and a roadmap for how to make the most beneficial health-focused building improvements."

"We are proud to partner with Tishman Speyer as Fitwel's first Global Strategic Partner to adopt health promoting strategies within their buildings and campuses and to further signal to the market that the built environment matters for health. Tishman Speyer has long been recognized as a market leader in providing building services with a sustainable focus. We are thrilled that they are also concentrating on impacting health within their global portfolio, and advising Fitwel on its development in the coming years," said Joanna Frank, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Center for Active Design.

With over 250,000 people working in its buildings, Tishman Speyer is uniquely positioned to apply Fitwel to all its properties around the world. CfAD will be able to take advantage of Tishman Speyer's wide geographical reach to introduce Fitwel certification in China, Brazil, India, Germany, France, and the U.K., while further developing and customizing the certification to those markets. Tishman Speyer will also serve as a founding member of Fitwel's Leadership Advisory Board.

Fitwel provides 63 cost effective design and operational strategies for enhancing building environments to improve occupant health and productivity, such as dedicated lactation rooms, accessible stairways, and pest management plans.

Each Fitwel strategy is linked to one of seven health impact categories: (1) community health impact; (2) absenteeism reduction; (3) wellbeing promotion; (4) healthy food options; (5) increased physical activity; (6) occupant safety; and (7) social equity for vulnerable populations.

About Tishman Speyer

Tishman Speyer is a leading owner, developer, operator and fund manager of first-class real estate around the world. Founded in 1978 and led by President & CEO, Rob Speyer, Tishman Speyer is active across the United States, Europe, Latin America and Asia, building and managing premier office, residential and retail space in 30 key global markets for industry-leading tenants. The firm has acquired, developed and operated a portfolio approximately 172 million square feet with a total value of approximately US$81 billion spread over 394 assets. Signature assets include New York City's Rockefeller Center and Chrysler Center, São Paulo's Torre Norte, The Springs in Shanghai and OpernTurm in Frankfurt. Tishman Speyer currently has projects at different stages of development in Atlanta, Boston, Brasília, Chengdu, Frankfurt, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Los Angeles, New York City, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, San Francisco, São Paulo, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Washington, DC.

About Fitwel & the Center for Active Design

Named one of Fast Company's 2017 Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Social Good, Fitwel is the premier system for optimizing building design and operations to improve health and productivity outcomes. Generated by expert analysis of over 3,000 academic research studies, Fitwel is implementing a vision for a healthier future where all buildings and communities are enhanced to strengthen health and wellbeing. Fitwel was created as a joint initiative led by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's together with the General Services Administration. The Center for Active Design (CfAD), an international non-profit that uses design to foster healthy and engaged communities is the independent operator and third-party certifier of Fitwel. CfAD was awarded the exclusive operating license in 2016 with the mandate to expand Fitwel globally to the private sector. CfAD takes a multi-disciplinary approach to translating research into practical design solutions. CfAD guides the creation and implementation of initiatives that respond to unique community priorities and result in measurable outcomes. Follow CfAD & Fitwel: @active_design + @fitwel.

SOURCE Tishman Speyer

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