IWBI Announces Inaugural Healthy Building Policy Summit in Washington, D.C.

NEW YORK, August 7, 2024 /3BL/ - The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), in partnership with Georgetown University’s Global Cities Initiative, is proud to host its inaugural Healthy Building Policy Summit in Washington, D.C. on September 16. This groundbreaking, full-day event will be the first-ever gathering dedicated to exploring the critical role of policy in shaping the future of how we support and enhance human health, well-being and equity in our buildings.

“The Healthy Building Policy Summit, a first-of-its-kind event, represents a critical step forward in our mission to prioritize health and well-being in our buildings, organizations and communities,” said Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO, IWBI. “We’re excited to come together around the imperative for healthy buildings and delve further into the full range of policies that can help accelerate people-first places for everyone, everywhere.”

By bringing together a diverse group of policymakers, government officials, industry leaders, and public health experts, the Summit aims to drive discussion, engagement and meaningful advancements in healthy building policy. “Human health metrics are fundamental to understanding the performance of the built environment; they should be at the center of our discourse on planning, investment & design,” said Uwe S. Brandes, Professor and Director of the Georgetown Global Cities Initiative, which is hosting the event at its Capital Campus.

Attendees will engage in dynamic conversations about emerging policy actions that can accelerate healthier environments, while also learning from distinguished government and industry leaders who are speaking at the event. Already, a remarkable roster of speakers has been confirmed, including:

• Donnel Baird, CEO, BlocPower
• Holly Paeper, President, Commercial, HVAC, Americas, Trane
• Kenneth Mendez, President and CEO of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA)
• Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO, IWBI
• Khoi Vo, CEO, American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)
• Maria Cancian, Dean, McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown University
• Rick Fedrizzi, Executive Chairman, IWBI
• Uwe Brandes, Director, Georgetown Global Cities Initiative, Georgetown University
• Dr. Yele Aluko, Chief Medical Officer, EY Americas
• Whitney Austin Gray, Senior Vice President for Research, IWBI
• Chris Pyke, Chief Innovation Officer, GRESB
• Katie McGinty, Vice President and Chief Sustainability & External Relations Officer, Johnson Controls
• Kelly Worden, Vice President of ESG and Investing for Health, IWBI
• Tony Abate, VP and Chief Technology Officer, AtmosAir
• Rebecca Katz, Professor and Director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security, Georgetown University
• Christopher King, Dean, Georgetown University School of Health, Georgetown University
• Kay Sargent, Senior Principal, Director of Thought Leadership, Interiors, HOK
• Dr. Linda Lee, Chief Medical Officer & Science Officer, UV Angel
• Dr. John McKeon, CEO, iAIR Group
• Lisa Jacobson, President, Business Council for Sustainable Energy

Through its programming, the Summit will feature several timely trends, such as the integration of health, resilience and sustainable building practices; the role of technology advancements in improving occupant experiences; and pioneering use cases in both the private and public sectors.

“At Trane Technologies, we are climate innovators with the courage to look at our world’s challenges and see endless opportunity,” said Holly Paeper, President of Commercial HVAC, Trane Technologies, one of the mainstage speakers. “We are proud of our success in helping to improve the built environment and excited to join other leading voices in collaboration with IWBI at the Healthy Building Policy Summit to advance this critical policy conversation and set a higher bar to enhance the health and well-being of our communities, customers, employees, and planet.”

The Summit will also cover a range of other vital topics, including policy innovations promoting healthy building practices while helping to achieve climate goals, new approaches to indoor air quality, and government leadership in deploying health-focused solutions in public buildings.

“At Corvias, we are dedicated to the care and quality of residences for service members and their families, and we have teamed up with IWBI to integrate healthy building best practices throughout our portfolio,” said Chris Wilson, CEO of Corvias Group. “This commitment advances the well-being of our servicemembers and the resilience of these communities, all while helping bolster our nation’s security. We are proud to support IWBI’s Healthy Building Policy Summit and engage in important discussions about the future of military housing."

The Summit is generously sponsored by leading companies that are supporting important work to advance health in buildings. The event’s Gold level sponsor is Corvias, with Trane Technologies as a Silver level sponsor. Bronze level sponsors include Vogel Group and UV Angel, with WellStat, AtmosAir, PathogenFocus and Aeroseal as experience sponsors. In addition, Lutron is hosting the Summit’s evening reception.

The event also includes nearly a dozen Supporting Organizations, including American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), American Lighting Association (ALA), Americans for Small Business, Better Homes for Heroes, American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), BOMA International, Global Green, Greenseal, ISSA-The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association, National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). In addition, the Summit’s Media Partners include FacilitiesNet, Buildings Magazine and BuildingGreen.

“Public health leaders, building practitioners and government officials are championing a new policy paradigm that recognizes our buildings as vital to our health and well-being,” said Jason Hartke, Executive Vice President of External Affairs and Advocacy, IWBI. “The Summit is the first event in the nation’s capital to unite and amplify efforts to advance health-promoting policies in our buildings and communities.”

For more information and to register for the event, please visit IWBI’s Summit registration page.

What Summit Speakers and Supporters Are Saying:

“The clean energy transition isn’t just about reducing emissions — it’s about creating healthier, more equitable communities,” said BlocPower CEO, Donnel Baird, one of the event’s keynote speakers. “IWBI has taken a crucial step in bringing together great minds looking to craft policies that will make clean, healthy buildings accessible to all, and I’m honored to have been asked to speak at their inaugural summit.”

“I’m excited about participating in IWBI’s policy summit as an opportunity to elevate the conversation around health and well-being as a key strategy in achieving business and community goals,” said Chrissa Pagitsas of Pagitsas Advisors and a mainstage speaker at the Summit. “I’ve long advocated for adopting a sustainability lens to not only manage risk but also drive tremendous economic benefits that help foster innovation, enhance resilience and support long-term growth.”

“On behalf of the more than 27 million people in the United States with asthma, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) applauds the work of the IWBI,” said AAFA President and CEO Kenneth Mendez, and a Summit mainstage speaker. “Focusing attention on policies with the potential to make indoor spaces healthier can saves lives and improved productivity. More than ten people die each day from asthma. The annual economic cost of asthma exceeds $82 billion – including $3 billion due to missed work or school days. I’m excited to join this group of leaders as we discuss ways to promote healthy building practices.”

“As a proud supporter of the Healthy Building Policy Summit, USGBC welcomes this important dialogue on policy leadership to create healthy and sustainable buildings and communities,” said Peter Templeton, President and CEO, U.S. Green Building Council. "This inaugural event is a milestone in our collective efforts to realize a future where the built environment protects human health and improves quality of life for all.”

“I look forward to participating in the Healthy Building Policy Summit and highlighting the critical importance of meeting modern health, safety, and resilience standards in America’s public school facilities,” said Mary Filardo, Executive Director, 21st Century School Fund, and a mainstage speaker. “Modernizing our nation’s public school buildings and grounds will bring better learning outcomes, advance the well-being of millions of students, teachers and administrators; and ensure resilience for our communities. This involves tremendous work, but work that we are fully capable of doing.”

“It’s crucial that we continue to rethink policy to ensure our products, buildings and communities protect both people and the planet,” said Doug Gatlin, CEO, Green Seal. “The Healthy Building Policy Summit will provide a valuable platform to come together and highlight the essential innovations that our policymakers can embrace for a more sustainable future.”

“The momentum we’re seeing in healthy building policy is more consequential than ever as we work to reshape our built environment to better prioritize human health,” said Kathleen “Katie” McGinty, Vice President and Chief Sustainability and External Relations Officer, Johnson Controls, and a mainstage speaker at the Summit. “As the global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, Johnson Controls is delivering solutions today that dial down unhealthy indoor air issues while dialing up productivity, well-being, effectiveness and happiness in the places we live, work and play. That’s why I’m excited to participate in IWBI’s Healthy Building Policy Summit and make the promise of healthy buildings a reality today.”

“The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is leading an essential dialogue with its inaugural Healthy Building Policy Summit in Washington, D.C., focusing on the pivotal role of policy in shaping the future of our built environment to support and enhance human health and wellbeing,” said Dr. John McKeon, CEO, iAIR Group, a mainstage speaker. “I look forward to contributing to this important discussion and exploring how we can advance policies that enhance indoor air quality and environmental health.”

“Human health is fundamental in our work to shape the future of design,” said Khoi Vo, CEO of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), and a mainstage speaker. “At IWBI’s Healthy Building Policy Summit, we have a special opportunity to discuss challenges and explore innovative ideas that will help our community achieve ambitious design goals in equity, health and well-being.”

“AIHA is honored to support the Healthy Building Policy Summit, a signature DC event that will underscore the critical connection between indoor air quality and our health,” said Lawrence Sloan, CEO of AIHA. " One of AIHA’s primary focuses is improving indoor air quality through well-defined protocols and solutions that protect worker and community health.”

“We are witnessing the evolution of the place, and design can be a powerful tool in that endeavor. Designers need to balance what we have always done well, the art of design, with the science of design,” said Kay Sargent, Senior Principal, Director of Thought Leadership, Interiors, HOK. "And there is a heightened awareness that the most valuable asset in any space is the people. After all, people are the reason we create space in the first place. We can’t lose sight of the fact that we are human, and we need to design spaces that reflect that and reflect our humanity. By creating environments that support wellbeing, engagement and inspire those within them, we can drive powerful outcomes.”

“I am pleased to be able to participate in this great event and provide insights on behalf of AtmosAir on how to make our buildings healthier and more efficient,” said Tony Abate, Chief Technology Officer at AtmosAir, and mainstage speaker. “And as a committee member of ASHRAE’s recently published Standard 241, which was created to help guide our built environment to provide safe and healthy indoor spaces for all, I can say unequivocally that we need more dialogue about how to advance a suite of healthy building policy solutions.”

About the International WELL Building Institute
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the global authority for transforming health and well-being in buildings, organizations and communities. In pursuit of its public-health mission, IWBI mobilizes its community through the development and administration of the WELL Building Standard (WELL), WELL for residential, WELL Community Standard, its WELL ratings and management of the WELL AP credential. IWBI also translates research into practice, develops educational resources and advocates for policies that promote people-first for everyone, everywhere. IWBI is a participant of the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate citizenship initiative, and helps companies advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the use of WELL. More information on WELL can be found here.

Contact: media@wellcertified.com

International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL EP, WELL Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Performance Rated, WELL Equity Rated, WELL Equity, WELL Residence, Works with WELL, 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.

About Georgetown University’s Global Cities Initiative
The Georgetown Global Cities Initiative reaches across the entire University community to explore cross-cutting themes related to urbanization. Through this dialogue, Georgetown aims to align more than 60 faculty scholars and practitioners engaged in urban research who are not otherwise linked through their traditional academic disciplines. The Initiative matches Georgetown’s international research networks with our civic role as a leading local anchor institution in Washington, DC. Research themes include social equity, rapid urbanization, city diplomacy; urban governance frameworks; social entrepreneurship; public health; technology, data and ethics; and changing environmental resources. We invite you to join us in dialogue as we engage one of the most important global trends in the 21st Century.

Contact: globalcities@georgetown.edu

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