What is the Fitwel Certification process?

All phases of the Fitwel Certification process from start to finish

Updated: Link to project pricing table on Fitwel Website

The Fitwel Certification process is composed of the following phases:

All phases are conducted through the Fitwel digital platform, which keeps a record of all information and documentation included by both the project team and the reviewing team throughout the certification process. 

1. Registration 

The project team pays the project Registration fee* and inputs basic project information in the Fitwel platform. Registration provides access to the interactive scorecard on the Fitwel digital platform, benchmarking capability, and performance data that summarizes a project's areas of strength and opportunity. The project team will be required to select the project Scorecard based on the project’s scope and typology, as well as the Certification Type (Design or Built), based on the stage of development and occupation of the project.

*Registration fee is in addition to Certification fees, paid upon project submission (see step 3).

2. Documentation

The project team checks the Fitwel Scorecard, selects all strategies to be pursued, and attaches documentation that demonstrates compliance with all corresponding strategy requirements.

Note: Project teams should account for some additional time before their targeted Submission Date to gather the required compliance documentation and upload it to the Fitwel platform.

3. Submission & Certification Fee Payment

When all strategies are fully documented, project teams may submit for review by Fitwel. At this stage, the project team is required to complete payment of a Certification fee, which is calculated based on the project’s size.

Note: The Submission Date is based on the date the Scorecard is submitted on the Fitwel platform and the Certification Fee payment is received, whichever is the latest.

For the Fitwel pricing table, please refer to our website here.

Fitwel Reviewing Process

Fitwel maintains a rigorous third-party reviewing process managed by the Center for Active Design, with project submissions evaluated by qualified consultants. After Submission, the reviewing process officially starts and is composed of three main phases: Initial Review, Client Response, and Final Review.

4. Initial Review

The Fitwel reviewing team conducts an initial assessment of the documentation submitted for review, confirming if it properly demonstrates compliance with the Fitwel requirements. Upon completion of the assessment, the reviewing team provides an Initial Review report with guidance to project teams on how to further clarify the documentation in order to achieve any outstanding strategy.

5. Client Response

The project team has an opportunity to respond to the Initial Review comments, provide clarifying information, as well as submit supplementary compliance documentation to pursue additional strategies, if desired.

Note: Reviewing timelines are based on a typical Client Response phase of 4 weeks, which may be extended as needed upon request to the Fitwel Certification Team. Any extensions to the Client Response phase will push the subsequent Final Review phase, which may impact the expected date of completion of the reviewing process.

6. Final Review & Certification

The Fitwel Certification Team conducts the final assessment of the documentation provided, validating the project's performance against the Fitwel Standard,, identifying all strategies that meet the requirements criteria, and granting a final numerical score that corresponds to the sum of all strategies achieved. 

Upon completion of the assessment, the reviewing team provides a Final Review report with the summary of strategies achieved and not achieved and the project’s final score. Projects that achieve 90 points or more receive a Fitwel Star rating. In addition to the report, those projects receive a Fitwel Certificate and a Letter of Recognition highlighting their outstanding commitment in Building Health for All ®. 

Fitwel Star Rating

Fitwel Review Timelines

The entire reviewing process takes between 12 and 16 weeks:

For Champion Companies, Champion Providers, and Ambassadors: 12-week review timeline.

• Initial Review (6 weeks), Client Response (4 weeks), Final Review (2 weeks).

For General Users: 16-week review timeline.

• Initial Review (6 weeks), Client Response (4 weeks), Final Review (2 weeks).

For projects that wish to be certified within a specific calendar year, please keep in mind our yearly Submission Deadlines, which are available for reference in our Help Center article here.

Fitwel Certification Validation Period

Fitwel Certification is valid for up to 3 years. To maintain its Fitwel Certified status without lapse, the project is required to initiate Recertification at any point within three years from the initial certification award, before the expiration date. 

Optional Remediation Process to Improve Project’s Score

For project teams who intend to improve their final score, Fitwel offers the Remediation Process, which is available for up to one year from the project’s original Certification date. 

For more info about the Remediation process, please refer to our Help Center article Does Fitwel offer a process to improve a project's official score?