03. Outdoor Space - Fruit or Vegetable Garden

Provide occupants access to a fruit or vegetable garden

Rationale: An on-site fruit and vegetable garden that is well-maintained and accessible to occupants provides increased access to gardening opportunities, promoting increased physical activity and social interaction, contributing to reduced stress, increased job satisfaction, and improved eating habits. 

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

Requirements

Requirement Guidance

For buildings with multiple entrances, identify a main building entrance that is used to access a common area within the building such as a lobby, reception area, or main circulation pathway.

A fruit or vegetable garden may qualify for more than one building. A combination of multiple fruit or vegetable gardens that meet the requirements may qualify for the strategy.

Demonstrate compliance with one of the options below:

Option 1 - Fruit or Vegetable Garden (Full Credit):

Demonstrate compliance with all the following requirements:

Low-Rise Residential with shared interior spaces (LR+), Low-Rise Residential with no shared interior spaces (LR)

1. Provide an outdoor fruit or vegetable garden that is free of charge to all occupants within the project.
2. Ensure that the garden is open and accessible during all daytime hours.
3. Locate the garden within a ½-mile or 800-meter walking route of a main building entrance of each building within the project.
4. Establish a weekly maintenance plan for the garden during the local growing season.
5. Plant the garden with fruits, vegetables, or herbs.
6. Ensure the garden meets demand based on the number of occupants with access by including the number of plants detailed below:
   • for buildings with 1 - 500 occupants, 10 plants
   • for buildings with 501 - 1,000 occupants, 20 plants
   • for buildings with 1,001 - 1,500 occupants, 30 plants
   • for buildings with 1,501 - 2,000 occupants, 40 plants
   • for buildings with 2,001 - 2,500 occupants, 50 plants
   • for buildings with 2,501 - 3,000 occupants, 60 plants
   • for buildings with 3,001 - 3,500 occupants, 70 plants
   • for buildings with 3,501 - 4,000 occupants, 80 plants
   • for buildings with 4,001 - 4,501 occupants, 90 plants
   • for buildings with 4,501+ occupants, 100 plants
7. Ensure gardens are located outdoors and are a minimum of 32 square feet or 3 square meters.
8. Publicize information about the garden with all project occupants through a minimum of one of the following methods:
   • a digital platform, such as a website, digital application, or display screen in common areas
   • communication material, such as notification emails or newsletters.

Option 2 - Community Garden (Partial Credit):

The project may achieve partial credit by demonstrating compliance with all of the following requirements:    

Low-Rise Residential with shared interior spaces (LR+), Low-Rise Residential with no shared interior spaces (LR)

1. Identify a publicly accessible community garden that includes fruits, vegetables or herbs.
2. Ensure the publicly accessible community garden is located within a ½-mile or 800-meter walking route of a main building entrance of each building within the project.
3. Ensure that the garden is open and accessible during all daytime hours.
4. Ensure that the garden is a minimum of 2,500 square feet.
5. Publicize information about the garden with all project occupants through a minimum of one of the following methods:
   • a digital platform, such as a website, digital application, or display screen in common areas
   • communication material, such as notification emails or newsletters.

Option 3 - Hydroponic Garden (Partial Credit):

The project may achieve partial credit by demonstrating compliance with all of the following requirements:    

Low-Rise Residential with shared interior spaces (LR+), Low-Rise Residential with no shared interior spaces (LR)

1. Provide a hydroponic fruit or vegetable garden that is free of charge to all occupants within the project.
2. Locate the hydroponic garden within the project.
3. Ensure that the garden is open and accessible during all daytime hours.
4. Establish a weekly maintenance plan for the garden.
5. Plant the garden with fruits, vegetables, or herbs.
6. Ensure the garden meets demand based on the number of occupants with access by including the number of plants detailed below:
   • for buildings with 1 - 500 occupants, 10 plants
   • for buildings with 501 - 1,000 occupants, 20 plants
   • for buildings with 1,001 - 1,500 occupants, 30 plants
   • for buildings with 1,501 - 2,000 occupants, 40 plants
   • for buildings with 2,001 - 2,500 occupants, 50 plants
   • for buildings with 2,501 - 3,000 occupants, 60 plants
   • for buildings with 3,001 - 3,500 occupants, 70 plants
   • for buildings with 3,501 - 4,000 occupants, 80 plants
   • for buildings with 4,001 - 4,501 occupants, 90 plants
   • for buildings with 4,501+ occupants, 100 plants
7. Publicize information about the garden with all project occupants through a minimum of one of the following methods:
   • a digital platform, such as a website, digital application, or display screen in common areas
   • communication material, such as notification emails or newsletters.

Compliance Documentation

Design Pathway (LR+, LR)

Option 1: 

• Requirement 1:
  • Checkbox to certify that the fruit or vegetable garden will be free of charge to all occupants within the project.       
• Requirement 2:
  • Checkbox to certify that the fruit or vegetable garden will be open during all daytime hours.       
• Requirement 3:
  • Upload an annotated map identifying the distance between the planned garden and a main building entrance of the furthest building within the required distance.       
• Requirement 4:
  • Checkbox to certify that a weekly maintenance plan for the garden will be established during the local growing season.       
• Requirement 5:
  • Upload annotated design drawings identifying the types of fruits, vegetables, and/or herbs that will be planted in the garden.       
• Requirement 6:
  • Text box to input the anticipated number of occupants with access to the garden.
  • Text box to input the total planned number of plants within the garden.
• Requirement 7:
  • Text box to input the planned size of the garden (sq. ft).
• Requirement 8:
  • Checkbox to certify that information about the garden will be shared with all project occupants through the following methods (select all that apply):       
    • a digital platform, such as a website, digital application, or display screen in common areas
    • communication material, such as notification emails or newsletters

Option 2:

• Requirement 1:
  • Upload annotated design drawings identifying the types of fruits, vegetables, and/or herbs that will be planted in the garden.       
• Requirement 2:
  • Upload an annotated map identifying the distance between the planned garden and a main entrance of furthest building within the required distance.       
• Requirement 3:
  • Checkbox to certify that the fruit or vegetable garden will be open during all daytime hours.       
• Requirement 4:
  • Upload an annotated map identifying the size of the garden.       
  • Upload an annotated photograph(s) showing the community garden.       
• Requirement 5:
  • Checkbox to certify that information about the garden will be shared with all project occupants through the following methods (select all that apply):       
    • a digital platform, such as a website, digital application, or display screen in common areas
    • communication material, such as notification emails or newsletters

Option 3:

• Requirement 1:
  • Checkbox to certify that the hydroponic fruit or vegetable garden will be free of charge to all occupants within the project.       
• Requirement 2:
  • Upload an annotated map identifying the hydroponic garden that will be within the project.       
• Requirement 3:
  • Checkbox to certify that the fruit or vegetable garden will be open during all daytime hours.       
• Requirement 4:
  • Checkbox to certify that a weekly maintenance plan for the hydroponic garden will be established.       
• Requirement 5:
  • Upload annotated design drawings identifying the types of fruits, vegetables, and/or herbs that will be planted in the garden.       
• Requirement 6:
  • Text box to input the anticipated number of occupants with access to the garden.
  • Text box to input the total planned number of plants within the garden.   
• Requirement 7:
  • Checkbox to certify that information about the garden will be shared with all project occupants through the following methods (select all that apply):       
    • a digital platform, such as a website, digital application, or display screen in common areas
    • communication material, such as notification emails or newsletters

Built Pathway (LR+, LR)

Option 1: 

• Requirement 1:
  • Checkbox to certify that the fruit or vegetable garden is free of charge to all occupants within the project.      
• Requirement 2:
  • Checkbox to certify that the fruit or vegetable garden is open during all daytime hours.      
• Requirement 3:
  • Upload an annotated map identifying the distance between the garden and a main building entrance of the furthest building within the required distance.      
• Requirement 4:
  • Checkbox to certify that a weekly maintenance plan for the garden is established during the local growing season.      
• Requirement 5:
  • Upload annotated design drawings identifying the types of fruits, vegetables, and/or herbs that are planted in the garden.      
• Requirement 6:
  • Text box to input the number of occupants with access to the garden.
  • Text box to input the total number of plants within the garden.
• Requirement 7:
  • Text box to input the size of the garden (sq. ft).
• Requirement 8:
  • Checkbox to certify that information about the garden is shared with all project occupants through the following methods (select all that apply):      
    • a digital platform, such as a website, digital application, or display screen in common areas
    • communication material, such as notification emails or newsletters

Option 2:

• Requirement 1:
  • Upload annotated design drawings identifying the types of fruits, vegetables, and/or herbs that are planted in the garden.      
• Requirement 2:
  • Upload an annotated map identifying the distance between the garden and a main entrance of furthest building within the required distance.      
• Requirement 3:
  • Checkbox to certify that the fruit or vegetable garden is open during all daytime hours.      
• Requirement 4:
  • Upload an annotated map identifying the size of the garden.      
  • Upload an annotated photograph(s) showing the community garden.      
• Requirement 5:
  • Checkbox to certify that information about the garden is shared with all project occupants through the following methods (select all that apply):      
    • a digital platform, such as a website, digital application, or display screen in common areas
    • communication material, such as notification emails or newsletters

Option 3:

• Requirement 1:
  • Checkbox to certify that the hydroponic fruit or vegetable garden is free of charge to all occupants within the project.      
• Requirement 2:
  • Upload an annotated map identifying the hydroponic garden within the project.      
• Requirement 3:
  • Checkbox to certify that the fruit or vegetable garden is open during all daytime hours.      
• Requirement 4:
  • Checkbox to certify that a weekly maintenance plan for the hydroponic garden is established.      
• Requirement 5:
  • Upload annotated design drawings identifying the types of fruits, vegetables, and/or herbs that are planted in the garden.      
• Requirement 6:
  • Text box to input the number of occupants with access to the garden.
  • Text box to input the total number of plants within the garden.  
• Requirement 7:
  • Checkbox to certify that information about the garden is shared with all project occupants through the following methods (select all that apply):      
    • a digital platform, such as a website, digital application, or display screen in common areas
    • communication material, such as notification emails or newsletters