By achieving the WELL rating, Mayor Suarez ensures Miami is “walking the walk” and paving the road for other cities to lead on healthy buildings
SOURCE: International WELL Building Institute
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MIAMI, May 31, 2022 /3BL Media/ - The City of Miami, ranked recently as America’s healthiest city, and the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the leading authority for transforming health and well-being with its people-first approach to buildings, organizations and communities, announced that Miami has become the first city in the country to earn the WELL Health-Safety Rating for Facility Operations and Management across a portfolio of 10 municipal buildings and public parks, including City Hall. The WELL Health-Safety Rating recognizes Miami’s commitment to promoting a safer and healthier environment for its employees and all those who visit.
“Here in Miami, we have long prioritized the health, safety and well-being of everyone in our city,” said Mayor Francis Suarez, City of Miami. “But not everyone realizes that we spend roughly 90 percent of our lives inside buildings, which underscores just how important it is to support better buildings that will help all people thrive. Today, by embracing WELL for our public buildings, we are stepping up — we’re walking the walk. I’m proud that this portfolio of city buildings, including our City Hall, is being recognized by IWBI, the world’s leading authority on healthy buildings. I hope other cities will replicate what Miami is doing to advance WELL buildings, so we can deliver the benefits of healthy buildings to communities everywhere.”
The WELL Health-Safety Rating is an evidence-based, third-party verified rating for all new and existing building and space types, advancing human health and well-being through science-backed policies and procedures. From Yankee Stadium and the Empire State Building to JPMorgan Chase & Co. global retail locations to the entire portfolios of companies like T-Mobile and Planet Fitness, facilities around the world are prioritizing the health and safety of their staff, visitors, and stakeholders with the help of the WELL Health-Safety Rating.
“Congratulations to the City of Miami, the first city in the nation to achieve the WELL Health-Safety Rating across a large, signature set of municipal buildings, including City Hall,” said IWBI President and CEO Rachel Hodgdon. “Thanks to the leadership of Mayor Suarez, Miami is setting the bar for other cities across the country. And by committing to WELL, the city is not only leading by example on health and well-being, but helping advance the movement for people-first places.”
In order for Miami to achieve the WELL Health-Safety Rating, IWBI, through third-party experts, has verified that the policies and protocols for all of these buildings met the rating’s requirements for supporting the long-term health and safety needs of all those inside. This includes holistic aspects of health from improved air flow, hygienic hand washing practices, reduction in hand contact of high-touch surfaces, effective cleaning protocols, robust emergency preparedness and response and more.
“Mayor Suarez has been able to lift Miami up as a national model for driving healthy buildings in cities," said Paul Scialla, Founder of IWBI and CEO of Delos. "This is exactly the type of leadership that reverberates across the community, the region and even the country. We look forward to continuing our collaborative work with the Mayor to support his vision for a healthier, safer Miami."
Miami achieved the WELL Health-Safety Rating across 10 public buildings and public parks, spanning nearly 800,000 square feet and including City Hall, Miami Riverside Center and Dinner Key Marina. The WELL third-party review process ensures integrity and consistency, and results in a WELL Health-Safety seal, communicating leadership and a commitment to the health and well-being of the people who frequent these spaces.
Mayor Suarez has also leveraged his leadership role as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) to encourage fellow mayors to join him in doing more to prioritize indoor health and deploy a ‘people-first’ approach to city buildings. In 2020, Mayor Suarez, alongside six other mayors, co-sponsored and led the passage of a groundbreaking USCM policy resolution that encouraged cities around the country to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic by advancing integrated healthy building solutions, such as the WELL Health-Safety Rating. This year, at the upcoming June USCM meeting, Mayor Suarez is leading another resolution focused on ramping up healthy building efforts to help strengthen and fortify cities in the face of COVID-19 or future public health threats.
About the International WELL Building Institute
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the world’s leading organization focused on deploying people-first places to advance a global culture of health. IWBI mobilizes its community through the administration of the WELL Building Standard (WELL) and the WELL Health-Safety Rating, management of the WELL AP credential, the pursuit of applicable research, the development of educational resources, and advocacy for policies that promote health and well-being everywhere. More information on WELL can be found here.
International WELL Building Institute pbc is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delos Living LLC. International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL Portfolio, WELL Portfolio Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rating, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Health-Equity, WELL Performance Rated, WELL Performance Rating, WELL and others, and their related logos are trademarks or certification marks of International WELL Building Institute pbc in the United States and other countries.
Media Contacts:
International WELL Building Institute: media@wellcertified.com
City of Miami: SCedro@miamigov.co
KEYWORDS: International Well Building Institute, Miami, WELL Health-Safety Rating
