Tobacco and Smoke-Free Outdoor Signage

Posting tobacco- and/or smoke-prohibitive signage at high-volume pedestrian areas raises the visibility of a building’s policy, increasing compliance with the policy. This contributes to reduced smoking rates and decreased exposure to second-hand smoke, and subsequently boosts feelings of well-being. 

Key Terms

• Tobacco-Free prohibits the use of tobacco products on-site, which includes smoking forms and non-smoking forms, such as snuff, snus, chew, and vapor-based products.
• Smoke-Free prohibits the use of all smoking forms of tobacco products on-site, which include inhaling, exhaling, burning, and vapor-based products. 
• A Designated Smoking Area includes an on-site space in which smoking is permitted.
• Permanent Signage is a durable and freestanding sign that is attached to the wall or ground, consistently displayed, and non-removable.

For full strategy and documentation requirements, please refer to the digital scorecard made available on the Fitwel Platform.

Strategy Insights

Implementation

• This strategy provides both a full credit and an Alternative Compliance (AC) pathway which is differentiated between “tobacco-free” signage versus “smoke-free” signage:  
• Qualifying tobacco- and smoke-free signage may include messaging such as:
• "tobacco- and smoke-free building and site"
• "tobacco-free property"
• "smoking and the use of tobacco products is prohibited within the site"
•  "no smoking, including smoke-free tobacco products" 
• Qualifying smoke-free signage may include messaging such as:
• "smoke-free building and site"
• "smoking, including e-cigarettes is prohibited within the property"
• "smoking tobacco is not allowed on-site

Signage Location

• Signage that prohibits smoking within a certain distance of the signage (e.g., "no smoking within 25 feet," etc.) may not qualify unless the project demonstrates that the designated smoking area is off-site or if the project confirms that the building is a zero-lot-line building.
• Entrance signage must be located at all entrances into the building including pedestrian entrances to the building from indoor parking garages.  
• Outdoor signage must be located at all on-site outdoor areas such as plazas, courtyards, rooftop amenities, and parking areas, as applicable to the project.

Documentation Guidance

• Photographs should capture the content of each unique signage and the context or location of the permanent signage.
• Plans should be included for each relevant floor that includes building entrances and on-site outdoor areas.
• The Fitwel Certification Team suggests that submitted annotated plan(s) and photographs correspond for clarity. For example, all building entrances and on-site outdoor areas should be labeled on the plan and photographs (e.g., One Main St entrance; central courtyard, northwest plaza, LL1 entrance, LL2 entrance, etc.). 

Sample Documentation

Please note: imagery in the sample documentation includes photoshopped signage for demonstration purposes only. Photoshopped images will not be accepted as part of a project's submission.