Prepared Food Areas Section

10.1 - Healthy Food and Beverage Policy

10.2 - Choice Architecture

10.3 - Pricing Incentives

10.4 - Water Access

While the Prepared Food Areas section deals more with owner policy, architects and designers will have an opportunity to make an impact.

Totaling 14.81 points available, this section focuses on policy and pricing mainly. One of the strategies is to establish and implement a Healthy Food and Beverage Policy in the prepared area. For projects that do not have a prepared food area for regular occupants, projects may implement a catering policy instead. Within the food area, policy should also implement pricing incentives. These incentives are to encourage occupants to consume healthy foods and beverages. Lastly, in terms of policy, projects should provide access to free potable water in the prepared food areas.

Architecture and design can make an impact through the Choice Architecture strategy. This strategy rewards teams for employing design to encourage healthier choices. Design strategies range from signage, to displays, to even layout. For projects that do not have prepared food areas for regular occupants only, educational signage may be located in a common break room to promote healthy eating as an Alternative Compliance.

Nutrition is such a key aspect of health. In an effort to increase access and awareness of healthy choices, Fitwel rewards teams for related policy and design.

Vending Machines/ Snack Bars Section

11.1 - Healthy Vending Machines/ Snack Bars

11.2 - Vending/ Snack Bar Choice Architecture

11.3 - Pricing Incentives

11.4 - Water Access

The Vending Machines and Snack Bars section is similar to the Prepared Food Areas one. For projects that do include vending machines and snack bars, Fitwel encourages healthy choices through policy and design.

This section offers a total of 6.72 points available. The strategies are very similar to the ones in the Prepared Food Areas section, simply adjusted to cater to vending machines and snack bars.

In terms of policy, one strategy is to establish and implement a Healthy Food and Beverage policy as it relates to vending machines and snack bars. In an effort to offer nutritional benefits to occupants, this policy, combined with the pricing incentives strategy, increases access to healthy foods. To further the policy, Fitwel also rewards teams for locating free potable water supply within 20’-0” from the vending machine and snack bar areas. In the case with this strategy, it is beneficial to have the design team collaborate and ensure vending machines and snack bars are properly located near a water supply.

The last strategy also relates to design. Choice Architecture can be employed to once again encourage healthy food selections through displays, signage, and layouts.

Through policy and design, teams can increase access to healthy food options to improve occupant eating habits and nutrition.