Publicly Accessible Use

Buildings that include a service that is publicly accessible - such as a library, retail store, restaurant, atrium, or a coffee shop - increase pedestrian activity, social interaction, and community engagement, contributing to increased physical activity and enhanced mental health.

Key Terms

• Publicly Accessible Use is a community space or commercial facility such as a library, retail store, restaurant, or atrium that is open and welcoming to the general public, and generates pedestrian traffic and social interaction.

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

Strategy Insights

• Publicly accessible spaces must be located within the building; outdoor spaces do not qualify.
• The space must be located on the main building entrance floor, which is typically ground level. If the main building entrance floor is at a different level, the documentation may show this. 
• Banks may qualify, however exterior-facing automatic teller machines (ATM) and/or cash dispensing machines do not qualify.
• Home businesses do not qualify. The intention is for the building to allocate a part of the ground floor of the building for retail, commercial, and/or qualifying use accessible by the general public; not private residential units. The strategy is about supporting streetscapes, not commerce.

Documentation Guidance

• If the publicly accessible space is a workplace’s main entrance floor lobby, please submit detailed documentation to show ample seating and other amenities, such as public art, to show how it meets the rationale as a use for the general public.