Airport City, Ridge and Cantonments are home to a wave of new office towers for mining, oil and gas, banking and international organizations. It's modern architecture designed around air conditioning and cars, where many people go through the day without walking farther than the parking lot. At the same time, Ghana is seeing a steady rise in non-communicable diseases: health studies put hypertension at roughly a third of urban adults, alongside growing rates of diabetes and obesity. Extreme heat and Harmattan dust make moving around outdoors even harder. Fitwel, created by the U.S. CDC and GSA, certifies that the building offers what the city doesn't yet: inviting stairs, drinking water always at hand, healthy food, shaded outdoor spaces, break areas and emergency protocols. For multinationals and organizations operating in Accra, it's a way to apply locally the same standard of care they require at their global headquarters.
Assessment: we evaluate the building against the applicable Fitwel scorecard, with particular attention to hydration, outdoor spaces, and heat and dust conditions.
Registration and strategy: we register the project with Fitwel and set the target level, from one to three stars, based on budget and asset type.
Implementation: we coordinate water stations, stairs, break areas and shaded outdoor spaces, and draft policies on healthy food, smoke-free spaces, lactation and emergencies.
Certification: we manage the review, secure the seal valid for three years and set up the recertification plan.
Fitwel charges a registration fee and a per-building certification fee, with special terms for portfolios. Since it doesn't require on-site performance testing, the total cost is considerably lower than WELL's, which matters in a market where health certifications are still new. Physical investment usually goes into water stations, shade for outdoor spaces, stair signage and break areas. The process takes 4 to 8 months for existing buildings, and certification is valid for three years.
Fitwel is an international standard with certified projects in dozens of countries, and its main value in Ghana lies with occupants: multinationals, international organizations and companies that report ESG globally and already know it from their offices in other markets.
Yes. EDGE and LEED focus on energy efficiency, water and materials. Fitwel adds people's health. Holding both lets you present a complete building to tenants and investors with ESG criteria.
Less than people usually expect. Fitwel has no mandatory prerequisites, and many of its strategies are policies and minor upgrades, such as water stations, signage or break areas. Major works are rarely needed.
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