Educational institutions face two problems growing at the same time. On one side, sedentary behavior and childhood and youth obesity keep rising across the region, with ever-shorter recess periods and cafeterias full of ultra-processed food. On the other, the mental health of students and teachers has become a daily concern: anxiety, academic burnout and teacher absences that are hard to cover. A school or university can't solve that with talks alone; the building teaches too. Fitwel, created by the U.S. CDC and GSA, certifies that the campus promotes healthy habits every day: visible, inviting stairs, safe walking and cycling access, drinking water throughout the building, healthy food options, outdoor and restorative spaces, lactation rooms for faculty and staff, and clear emergency protocols. For private schools, universities and technical institutes, it's a credential parents and students understand and one that sets the institution apart in enrollment decisions.
Campus assessment: we evaluate the institution's buildings against the appropriate Fitwel scorecard and define which buildings or campuses to certify first.
Registration and strategy: we register the project with Fitwel and set the target level, from one to three stars, together with academic leadership, administration and student wellbeing teams.
Implementation: we coordinate water stations, stairs, outdoor spaces, bike parking, and break and lactation rooms, and draft policies on healthy food, smoke-free spaces and emergencies.
Certification: we submit the documentation, secure the seal valid for three years and set up the recertification plan and communication to the school community.
Fitwel charges a registration fee and a per-building certification fee, with special terms for portfolios, useful for institutions with several campuses. Since it doesn't require on-site performance testing, the total cost is well below WELL's. Physical investment usually focuses on water stations, bike parking, stair signage, outdoor spaces, and break and lactation rooms. The process takes 4 to 8 months per existing building, and certification is valid for three years.
It can apply to both. During the assessment we define the most suitable scorecard based on building type —classrooms, administrative buildings, student housing— and campus scale.
Generally not. Fitwel has no mandatory prerequisites, and many of its strategies are policies —food, smoke-free spaces, emergencies— and minor upgrades such as water stations, signage or bike parking.
It complements them. Wellbeing programs work with people; Fitwel makes sure the building supports those programs with spaces, services and policies that make healthy habits easier every day.
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