10. Food & Water - Healthy Grocery Stores

Provide access to a full-service grocery store

Rationale: A full-service grocery store located within walking distance provides increased access to a variety of healthier foods, supports increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, and contributes to improved nutrition and decreased rates of chronic conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. 

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 provides access to a shared area such as a lobby, reception, or primary circulation path. If no such shared entrance exists, identify the primary access point to a breezeway, stairwell, or any resident entrance.

Demonstrate compliance with one of the options below:

Option 1 - Store and Delivery Service (Full Credit):

Demonstrate 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 access to healthy grocery products and foods that are accessible to all residential occupants through all of the following:
   • a grocery store or food market
   • a grocery or meal delivery service.
2. Ensure that the grocery store and delivery service provide fresh produce.
3. Ensure that the grocery store and delivery service provide a minimum of six of the below general-line food products intended for home preparation and consumption:
   • fresh produce
   • canned goods
   • dry goods
   • frozen foods
   • bread and/or bakery items
   • perishable foods
   • dairy, eggs, and/or cheese
   • fresh meats, poultry, and/or seafood.

4. Ensure that local grocery stores, food markets, and delivery services accept a qualifying government food subsidy or food assistance initiatives that subsidize the purchase of fresh produce.

   Qualifying food subsidies may include but are not limited to the following:

   • government food subsidy payments
   • food vouchers
   • produce prescriptions
   • social supermarkets.
5. Ensure the identified grocery store or food market is located within a 1/2-mile or 800-meter walking distance of a main entrance of each building within the project or is accessible through a shuttle service offered at least once weekly, free of charge.
6. Ensure the identified grocery or meal delivery service is offered a minimum of once per week.

7. Ensure the identified grocery or meal delivery service is publicized to all residential occupants.

   Qualifying methods of sharing educational materials may include but are not limited to the following:

   • 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 - Store and Delivery Service (Full 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 access to healthy grocery products and foods that are accessible to all project occupants through a grocery store or food market.
2. Ensure that the grocery store provides fresh produce.
3. Ensure that the grocery store provides a minimum of six of the below general-line food products intended for home preparation and consumption:
   • fresh produce  
   • canned goods
   • dry goods
   • frozen foods
   • bread and/or bakery items
   • perishable foods
   • dairy, eggs, and/or cheese
   • fresh meats, poultry, and/or seafood
4. Ensure the identified grocery store or food market is located within a 1/2-mile or 800-meter walking distance of a main entrance of each building within the project or is accessible through a shuttle service offered at least once weekly, free of charge.

Option 3 - Grocery Delivery Service (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 access to healthy grocery products and foods that are accessible to all project occupants through a meal delivery service.
2. Ensure that the grocery or meal delivery service provides fresh produce.
3. Ensure that the grocery store provides a minimum of six of the below general-line food products intended for home preparation and consumption:
   • fresh produce  
   • canned goods
   • dry goods
   • frozen foods
   • bread and/or bakery items
   • perishable foods
   • dairy, eggs, and/or cheese
   • fresh meats, poultry, and/or seafood
4. Ensure the identified grocery or meal delivery service is offered a minimum of once per week.

Compliance Documentation

Design Pathway (LR+, LR)

Option 1: 

• Requirement 1:
  • Checkbox to certify that both a grocery store or food market and a grocery or meal delivery service will be accessible to all residential occupants.      
• Requirement 2:
  • Upload an annotated photograph(s) of the grocery store or food market showing the fresh produce that will be provided.      
  • Upload materials from the identified delivery service showing that the fresh produce that will be provided.      
• Requirement 3:
  • Upload an annotated photograph(s) of the grocery store(s) or food market(s) showing the required food products that will be provided.      
  • Upload materials from the identified delivery service showing that the required food products will be provided.      
• Requirement 4:
  • Checkbox to certify that the identified grocery store or food market and food delivery service will accept the following government food subsidies and/or food assistance initiatives (select all that apply):      
    • government food subsidy payments
    • food vouchers
    • produce prescriptions
    • social supermarkets
• Requirement 5:
  • Upload an annotated map identifying one of the following:
    • the walking distance between the planned grocery store(s) or food market(s) and a main entrance of the furthest building within the required distance
    • the planned shuttle route connecting each residential building and the grocery store(s) or food market(s).   
• Requirement 6:
  • Checkbox to certify that the food delivery service will be offered a minimum of once per week.   
• Requirement 7:
  • Checkbox to certify that the educational materials will be shared with all residential occupants.      
  • Upload materials that will be used to publicize the food delivery service to all residential occupants.        

Option 2: 

• Requirement 1:
  • Checkbox to certify that healthy grocery products and foods will be accessible to all project occupants through a grocery store or food market.      
• Requirement 2:
  • Upload an annotated photograph(s) of the identified grocery store or food market showing the fresh produce that will be provided.      
• Requirement 3:
  • Upload an annotated photograph(s) of the grocery store or food market showing the required food products that will be provided.      
• Requirement 4:
  • Upload an annotated map identifying one of the following:
    • the distance between the planned grocery store(s) or food market(s) and a main entrance of the furthest building within the required distance.
    • the planned shuttle route connecting each residential building and the grocery store(s) or food market(s)

Option 3: 

• Requirement 1:
  • Checkbox to certify that healthy grocery products and foods will be accessible to all project occupants through a grocery or meal delivery service.      
• Requirement 2:
  • Upload an annotated photograph(s) from the identified delivery service showing the fresh produce that will be provided.      
• Requirement 3:
  • Upload annotated materials from the identified delivery service showing that the required food products will be provided.      
• Requirement 4:
  • Checkbox to certify that the grocery or meal delivery service will be offered a minimum of once per week.      
• Requirement 5:
  • Checkbox to certify that the educational materials will be shared with all residential occupants.      
  • Upload materials that will be used to publicize the food delivery service to all residential occupants.        

Built Pathway (LR+, LR)

Option 1: 

• Requirement 1:
  • Checkbox to certify that both a grocery store or food market and a grocery or meal delivery service is accessible to all residential occupants.     
• Requirement 2:
  • Upload an annotated photograph(s) of the grocery store or food market showing the fresh produce that are provided.     
  • Upload materials from the identified delivery service showing that the fresh produce that are provided.     
• Requirement 3:
  • Upload an annotated photograph(s) of the grocery store(s) or food market(s) showing the required food products that are provided.     
  • Upload materials from the identified delivery service showing that the required food products are provided.     
• Requirement 4:
  • Checkbox to certify that the identified grocery store or food market and food delivery service accepts the following government food subsidies and/or food assistance initiatives (select all that apply):     
    • government food subsidy payments
    • food vouchers
    • produce prescriptions
    • social supermarkets
• Requirement 5:
  • Upload an annotated map identifying one of the following:
    • the walking distance between the planned grocery store(s) or food market(s) and a main entrance of the furthest building within the required distance
    • the shuttle route connecting each residential building and the grocery store(s) or food market(s).  
• Requirement 6:
  • Checkbox to certify that the food delivery service are offered a minimum of once per week.  
• Requirement 7:
  • Checkbox to certify that the educational materials are shared with all residential occupants.     
  • Upload materials that will be used to publicize the food delivery service to all residential occupants.        

Option 2: 

• Requirement 1:
  • Checkbox to certify that healthy grocery products and foods are accessible to all project occupants through a grocery store or food market.     
• Requirement 2:
  • Upload an annotated photograph(s) of the identified grocery store or food market showing the fresh produce that are provided.     
• Requirement 3:
  • Upload an annotated photograph(s) of the grocery store or food market showing the required food products that are provided.     
• Requirement 4:
  • Upload an annotated map identifying one of the following:
    • the distance between the planned grocery store(s) or food market(s) and a main entrance of the furthest building within the required distance.
    • the planned shuttle route connecting each residential building and the grocery store(s) or food market(s)

Option 3: 

• Requirement 1:
  • Checkbox to certify that healthy grocery products and foods are accessible to all project occupants through a grocery or meal delivery service.     
• Requirement 2:
  • Upload an annotated photograph(s) from the identified delivery service showing the fresh produce that are provided.     
• Requirement 3:
  • Upload annotated materials from the identified delivery service showing that the required food products are provided.     
• Requirement 4:
  • Checkbox to certify that the grocery or meal delivery service are offered a minimum of once per week.     
• Requirement 5:
  • Checkbox to certify that the educational materials are shared with all residential occupants.     
  • Upload materials that are used to publicize the food delivery service to all residential occupants.