Low-Rise Residential: Multiple-Building Documentation Guidance

Purpose

This guide is designed to support accurate, efficient, and streamlined documentation for low-rise residential projects, providing clear guidance on how to document and demonstrate compliance with Fitwel requirements across multiple buildings.

General Guidance to Demonstrate Compliance with the Strategy Requirements

• All buildings located within the project must meet the strategy requirements.
• However, not all buildings must be fully documented independently in order to demonstrate compliance.
  • Documentation may be submitted in groups whenever strategy implementation is consistent across all buildings or groups of buildings.
  • A specific set of documentation must be provided for each variation in strategy implementation across the buildings.

Scenario 1: Asset-Wide Documentation for the Entire Project

In some cases, asset-wide documentation may be submitted to demonstrate all buildings within the entire project comply with the strategy requirements. Asset-wide documentation is appropriate when the condition or element being documented applies uniformly across the entire site. If there are variations between buildings, those differences must be clearly noted and documented accordingly.

When can the Asset-Wide Documentation Approach be Used?

[1] When strategy implementation is exactly the same throughout the project, and sample documentation is representative of all situations found within the project:

• Strategies related to policies, protocols, procedures, and benefits, which are consistently applicable to all buildings and/or occupants within the project:
  • This includes most strategies under sections 9 Programming and Evaluation; 11 Operations and Maintenance; and 12 Emergency Preparedness.
  • Typical qualifying documentation: Single document that applies to the entire project (all buildings and/or occupants).

• Strategies related to standard signage language, systems, and specifications that are implemented consistently throughout the project, such as standard language handwashing signage, entryway systems, mold-resistant materials, lighting, and ventilation specifications.
  • This includes most strategies under sections 4 Entrances and Ground Floor; and 7 Dwelling Units.
  • Typical qualifying documentation: Annotated design drawings or renderings (Design) or Annotated photographs or screenshots PLUS floor plan or map showing locations/ application. Documentation should be annotated as needed to clarify locations and compliance.
  • Example: If all buildings on a site use the same type of bicycle rack, the project may submit one clear photo of the rack showing its design and a site plan annotated to identify where each rack is located. If different rack types are used, the project simply needs to provide one photo of each unique rack type, along with the annotated site plan showing the corresponding location(s) of all racks within the project.
    
     

[2] When strategy implementation is dependent on distance, and documentation demonstrates that the furthest building meets the distance requirements:  Strategies related to distance to features, amenities and destinations, such as distance to water supplies, to common shared spaces, and to community destinations:

• This includes most strategies under sections 1 Location; 2 Building Access; 3 Outdoor Space; and 8 Shared Space.
• Typical qualifying documentation: Single map, master plan, or google maps screenshot with proper annotations showing the location of site-wide amenities or off-site destinations and the walking distance between the required amenity and a main entrance of the furthest building.

How to Prepare Asset-Wide Documentation?

Follow these steps:

1. Identify whether the strategy implementation is consistent throughout the entire project (for all buildings, relevant amenities, or to all occupants within the project).

2. Prepare documentation that applies across the entire project (e.g., representative photographs, specification sheets, general policies, etc.).

• Note: Include clarifying annotations in the documents properly identifying locations and further explaining the strategy implementation.

3. Whenever possible, include supporting documentation indicating how many buildings are located on site, as well as which buildings or areas the documentation applies to, through a master plan, a site plan, a map or a matrix with clarifying annotations for the Fitwel reviewer.

Scenario 2: Grouped Documentation based on Typical Buildings

What are Typical Buildings?

Typical buildings are those that have identical floor plans and design elements, meaning the implementation of Fitwel strategies is identical across them.

The main intent of the typical building approach is to find as many patterns as possible to reduce the number of unique sets of documentation required to demonstrate compliance, streamlining the process of collecting, recording, and uploading compliance documentation.

• Note: When buildings are not typical (meaning, each building is unique and different from each other), projects may identify ‘typical floor plans’, ‘typical dwelling units’, or ‘typical amenities’, as applicable.

When can the Typical Buildings Approach be Used?

• Strategies related to fixed building design elements, such as stairs location and design, entryway systems and shared circulation areas.
  • This includes most strategies under sections 4 Entrances and Ground Floor; 8 Shared Space; and 10 Food and Water.

How to Identify Typical Buildings within a Project?

Follow these steps:

• 1. Identify the various floor plans available in all the buildings within the project.
• 2. Group buildings that have identical floor plans and design elements, such as:
  • Building entrances are identical;
  • Floor plan layouts are typical, with consistent dwelling units size and/or placement;
  • Stairs and elevator call areas are located in the same place;
  • Façades and feature implementation is consistent.
• 3. Prepare a specific set of documentation for each identified group of typical buildings [or floor plans, or dwelling units, or amenities, as applicable to the project].

Other Relevant Information

What does “each unique” mean?

It means “each unique type”. Project teams do not need to document every instance of a feature, just each unique type. Examples:

• Smoke- and Tobacco Free Signage: One photo per unique sign design or message, plus site plan(s) showing all locations.
• Operable Windows: One photo per unique operable window type if multiple are used, plus floor plan(s) showing relevant locations in each typical building floor and/or typical dwelling unit.
• Safe Street Infrastructure: One photo for each type (e.g., bike lane, raised crosswalk, traffic control), plus map(s) showing where each is located.

What does “main building entrance” mean?

It refers to the primary access point used by residents to enter a building.

• If a building has multiple entrances, identify a main building entrance that is more frequently used to access a common area within the building such as a lobby, reception area, or main circulation pathway.
• For projects without shared building entrances (e.g., townhomes, single-family homes), refer to the primary entrance of each individual dwelling or cluster of units, as applicable.

What does “main entrance of the furthest building” mean?

It refers to the entrance of the building that is farthest from the destination, amenity, or element relevant to the strategy. 

• This helps demonstrate accessibility, walkability, and travel distance-related requirements.
• By illustrating the distance between the amenity and the building located farthest away, the documentation can demonstrate that all other buildings fall within the required distance.
• The relevant site plan or map submitted as compliance documentation should be annotated to clearly show both reference points: the amenity and the farthest entrance.

What does “shared interior space” mean?

Spaces that are used by several or all occupants within the entire project, and are not considered a part of the private areas within the dwelling units. Shared interior spaces may include but are not limited to the following:

• Building entry points (e.g., entrance, lobby, reception area)
• Indoor circulation areas (e.g., hallways, stairwells, corridors)
• Common spaces and/or resident amenities (e.g., lounges, fitness centers, clubhouses, communal kitchens and interior barbecue areas, interior pool areas)

Note: Projects that include amenities buildings or clubhouses should use the Low-Rise Residential with Shared Spaces Scorecard, even if the residential buildings do not include shared entry points or spaces.