Stair Design

Implementing active design strategies in stairwell design can encourage occupants to use the stairs when traveling across floors, contributing to increased daily physical activity rates.

Key Terms

Active Design Strategies are shown to increase stair use, such as posting motivational signs, installing a music system or creative lighting, moderating stairwell temperature, featuring engaging artwork and bright colors, and locating a window or skylight in the stairwell for increased daylight.

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

Strategy Insights

Fitwel’s Stair Design strategy is intended to create an attractive, motivating stairwell environment in order to encourage routine stair use. The selected active design strategies must be implemented on a minimum of 51% of the floors within the project.
- Notes that each active design strategy must be implemented on a minimum of 51% of the floors. Combining two to add up to a minimum of 51% will not qualify.
  - Examples for context if a given project has 10 floors.

Example 1: DOES NOT qualify:

One qualifying strategy btw floors 1-4 (less than 51%);
Another qualifying strategy btw floors 5-10 (> 51%).

Example 2: QUALIFIES:

Implements one qualifying strategy btw floors 1-6 (> 51%);
Implements another qualifying strategy btw floors 4-10 (> 51%).

Because this strategy is about improving the environment within the stairwell, we require that all active design elements be inside the stairs. External elements, such as signs on exterior-facing walls/doors, paint around exterior door frames, or artwork leading to the stairwell but not in the stairwell, are excluded from consideration.

Additional parameters for active design strategies

Brightly colored walls. Qualifying colors may be muted and/or pastel; however, they may not be white nor neutral shades (including black, light gray, taupe, and white). If the door is selected as being coated with bright paint, the bright color must be visible from inside the stairwell.
Signage. Posted motivational signage must include messaging relevant to stair use. The messaging may be encouraging, affirmative, and speak to the positive benefits of using the stairs. Motivational stair signage should be posted within the stairwell to qualify for this strategy.
Treading. Non-treading stair material (e.g., textured fabric or bright tape along a stair tread) does not qualify if pursuing the tread option. The intent is to install a tread that enhances safety and has gripping ability. Treading added to the stair tread edge on each stair qualifies, such as rubber treading or metal treading with gripping effects.
Moderating Temperature. Ensuring that the temperature within the staircase is the same as the rest of the building, whether for being an open staircase or through the use of temperature control systems.
Creative Lighting. Innovative, inventive or artsy uses of lighting that creates an inviting ambience to encourage stair use (not regular ambient lighting).
Artwork. Qualifying artwork may include framed artwork, as well as murals and/or stenciled graphics applied directly to the wall(s).

Documentation Guidance

Anything that is difficult to show with photographs alone, such as moderating temperature or music systems, can be detailed thoroughly with annotations and additional relevant documentation.