IWBI Policy Roundup: Advocating for Healthier Buildings and Workplaces

2022 has started out strong in the policy realm, thanks to action taken by the Biden Administration and White House officials. In this roundup, learn more about the new White House initiatives, legislation being considered on Capitol Hill to strengthen the nation’s public health preparedness and how IWBI is partnering to promote healthier workplaces.

We are excited to share this work and look forward to working with you to amplify our collective voice, expand our reach and increase our impact. Join us in these efforts by emailing us at info@wellcertified.com.

Now, on to the Roundup…

White House weighs in on school infrastructure, indoor air quality and building performance standards

On April 4, the White House announced the Biden-Harris Action Plan for Building Better School Infrastructure to upgrade public schools with modern, clean, energy efficient facilities and transportation—delivering health and learning benefits to children and school communities and saving school districts money. The action plan activates the entire federal government in leveraging investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and American Rescue Plan (ARP) to advance solutions including healthy, energy efficiency retrofits, electric school buses, and resilient design. IWBI’s President and CEO, Rachel Hodgdon, was able to join Vice President Kamala Harris in Washington, D.C. at Neval Thomas Elementary in the announcement of the plan. Read Rachel’s first-hand account here.

In March, as part of the recently announced National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan, the Biden Administration underscored the critical need to utilize funding from ARP and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help improve indoor air in the nation’s schools, universities and other public buildings as a key strategy to help avoid future education and economic disruptions. The White House, alongside the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge, which includes a set of recommendations for action across four categories to improve indoor air quality in buildings and reduce the risk of airborne spread of viruses and other contaminants. The Preparedness Plan also recognized WELL for advancing health and supporting improvements in indoor air quality.

The focus of the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge is to “highlight a range of recommendations and resources available to assist with improving ventilation and indoor air quality, which can help to better protect the health of building occupants and reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread,” according to today’s EPA announcement. IWBI had a chance to work with White House officials in the lead up to the announcement and strongly supported the launch. Learn more about the Clean Air in Buildings challenge and IWBI’s efforts here as well as our statement of support.

Additionally, in January, President Biden announced the launch of the National Building Performance Standards Coalition which establishes a partnership between 33 state and local governments committed to advancing cleaner, healthier, more affordable energy efficient buildings nationwide by supporting building performance standard policies. This new White House initiative seeks to bring a renewed commitment to both the design and deployment of building performance policies, which are deployed at the state and local level and focus on implementation strategies that can help these communities not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also help keep residents and workers safer from harmful air pollutants. Learn more about how state and local government participants will work together on this effort. IWBI and the Institute for Market Transformation are helping lead an important part of this conversation—how to better address indoor air quality in building performance standards. In October of last year, we released The Building Performance Standard Module: Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality aims to guide policy-makers through how to include parameters around ventilation and indoor air quality (IAQ) as part of IMT’s Model BPS Ordinance.

Partnering together to promote healthier workplaces
Over the past two years, businesses around the country have been struggling to implement workplace improvements and strategies to advance the health, safety and well-being of their employees and all others inside these facilities. More now than ever, businesses need help as they face the unexpected costs to deploy proven workplace solutions and strategies to address a post-COVID-19 environment as well as broader health and safety-related issues into the future.

As market demand increases for businesses to invest in healthier workplaces, the need for federal action to support these businesses also increases. This is why IWBI has partnered with a group of trade associations, nonprofits and industry leaders to create the Healthy Workplaces Coalition, to support and advance federal policy aimed at helping businesses and nonprofits better afford and implement health and safety improvements in workplaces and across the built environment for the benefit of employees, customers and the public.

The Coalition launches later this month. If your organization is interested in becoming a member of the Healthy Workplaces Coalition, please contact Jodie Applewhite at jodie.applewhite@wellcertified.com.

Senators Move to Strengthening the Nation’s Public Health and Medical Preparedness and Response Systems
In January, Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Richard Burr (R-NC) introduced S.3799, the Prepare for and Respond to Existing Viruses, Emerging New Threats, and Pandemics Act (PREVENT Act). The bipartisan bill addresses a number of areas to boost preparedness and strengthen response systems, including measures aligned with the social determinants of health. The proposed legislation would provide grants to eligible entities to conduct “evidence-based or evidence-informed projects” aimed at improving health outcomes and reducing health disparities.

While this bill has been voted out of committee, the Senate has yet to bring the legislation up for a vote. As the legislative conversation progresses, IWBI continues to highlight the legislation and provide expert insight.

Infrastructure for Well-being: Designing and Building with Social Resilience at the Forefront
In partnership with the National League of Cities, IWBI will be co-hosting a webinar to discuss how well-being and resilience are critical factors in our nation’s future infrastructure plans. Experts on health, well-being, and community resilience will break down how they are promoting both structural and social investments in changes to the built environment, programming, and operations.

The webinar will be held on April 27, 2022 at 12pm ET. If you are interested in participating, please register here.

Kicking Off the WELL City Advisory
In February, IWBI held the inaugural WELL City Advisory meeting, with over 50 advisors in attendance from 5 continents. Over the course of the year, the WELL City Advisory will work with city leaders to identify and scale strategies that can help advance health and well-being across their buildings, organizations and communities, recognizing the critical role that local government leaders play in protecting and enhancing human health. Learn more about the WELL City Advisory and its co-chairs and advisory members.

Supporting Cities at the Intersection of Health, Sustainability and Climate Resilience
In 2020, IWBI announced a multi-year partnership with the National League of Cities (NLC), focused on supporting cities in their efforts to create safer, healthier spaces and help accelerate systems change to integrate health and well-being across the foundation of their communities.

IWBI continues to work closely with NLC’s program manager focused on this work, Abygail Mangar, who supports the partnership, as well as provides insight on the intersection of health, sustainability and climate resilience. Late last year, IWBI’s Director of Advocacy and Policy, Jodie Applewhite, had the opportunity to sit down with Abygail to discuss her role and her background in sustainability. Learn more about what Abygail had to say here.

Connect with us
Interested in learning more about our advocacy work or in collaborating with us to advance policy that helps everyone thrive? Reach out to us at info@wellcertified.com and sign up here to receive regular updates. We look forward to connecting with you!