Fitwel v3 and LEED

What do the new Fitwel v3 changes mean for LEED projects?

While the new Fitwel v3 is now required for new projects pursuing Fitwel certification, it is still in Beta mode, which means there is continual room for improvement and feedback from projects and ambassadors (like me!) It’s always interesting to be a part of how Fitwel designs their program, and get the opportunity to offer insight from an on-the-ground perspective of how these credits really work.

This round, Fitwel has allowed only their own strategy requirements and calculations for some credits–credits formerly compatible with LEED credits (such as Views of Nature and Daylight). While this seems to gear credits even more towards the health and happiness of the tenants, in practice it may have added a barrier to certification. From a certification and project management perspective, this inhibits some of the ease and collaboration between LEED and Fitwel. From a tenant perspective, more thorough guidelines of what these credits actually mean on a daily basis for the people living in the spaces would help build dedication to what the Fitwel program is aiming to do – create healthier and happier living spaces for real people. 

At the end of the day, we’re not getting out of bed and looking out our window thinking, “my apartment is LEED/Fitwel certified, therefore I have access to x amount of daylight and x amount of views, so I feel happy!” We’re looking out our windows and simply seeing what we see, and if we see nature, we’re happier. If this means I’m running around to every façade of the building on every floor, taking more photos to document this fact, then so be it.