"Arcadis strives to lead by example and show the right way to others through education, the acquisition of know-how and the testing of pioneering techniques to meet the various criteria of all the most modern standards available on the market. After reading the WELL Health-Safety Rating criteria, we as a team came to the conclusion that most aspects of the individual criteria are already implemented in our premises, while incorporating the remaining ones made sense to us. Some criteria have given us a new perspective to maximize the well-being and protection of our employees in this challenging period. In addition, it gave us the opportunity to implement new and at the same time improve already implemented measures that contribute to the overall well-being in the work environment," said Silvie Figurová, Sustainability Consultant at Arcadis Czech Republic.
"The WELL Health-Safety Rating was created in response to the coronavirus pandemic and extends the evaluation of WELL building interiors to health and safety aspects. For tenants and building managers, it serves as a guide on how to create a safe and healthy working environment, and for people who move around in such spaces, it is the highest possible guarantee of the quality of the environment. We wanted to lead by example and let our office be the first in Continental Europe to be successfully tested,” says Pavel Čermák, CEO of Arcadis Czech Republic.
Arcadis - Bredovský dvůr
As part of the WELL Health-Safety Rating process, we have implemented the following measures:
Office space and equipment:
Instructions for proper hand washing are located in all relevant areas (toilets, kitchens, etc.). Antibacterial soaps and paper towels are available in all areas. Reduction of contact points to a minimum. A non-smoking environment was provided not only in our offices, but also in the premises of the building as a whole, including areas near fresh air inlets, entrances and opening windows.The internal guidelines have been amended to meet the stricter health and safety requirements of our colleagues
Cleaning is performed only with environmentally friendly cleaning agents. The current Business Continuity Plan and the Health and Safety and Crisis Management Guidelines have been amended to include aspects arising from the current situation at the time of the coronavirus pandemic. A new plan has been created for a safe return to the office. A new program has been introduced to maintain the mental health and overall well-being of employees.
Experts from our ranks, in close cooperation with the owner of the building, carried out an extensive technical audit of air-conditioning and sanitary equipment and distribution systems. The result of the audit was the implementation of the following changes:
Replacement of filters in air handling units to capture 65 - 90% of particles carrying the SARS-CoV-2 virus Change of time regimes of air handling units leading to reduction of potential contamination to a minimum.A technical audit of air distribution systems in the Green Team's premises showed that the distribution of fresh air significantly reduces the risk of cross-contamination.
"The air conditioning system was designed by our team to ensure maximum thermal comfort and it was a very pleasant finding that this system also increases the protection of people in open space offices," adds Lenka Matějíčková, Head of Sustainability at Arcadis Czech Republic.
Measurement of air quality parameters showed excellent results.
Parametry vnitřního vzduchu 9.10.2020
Parametry vnitřního vzduchu 15.10.2020
Tests on the chemical and biological quality of water performed through ALS Czech Republic s.r.o. confirmed the very high quality of drinking water supplied to the building.
"We congratulate our long-term tenant Arcadis Czech Republic for obtaining a prestigious evaluation of the quality of the office environment and we are glad that we were able to contribute to this success. The administration and owner of the Bredovský dvůr building followed the recommendations of Arcadis experts after the audit, and thanks to the implementation of elements in the ventilation system, we achieved an improvement in the quality of the air supplied to the building. We believe that the improvements will also be appreciated by other tenants of Bredovský Dvůr,“ says Jana Kučerová, Property Manager for Euramco Asset Czech.
Arcadis - Spielberk Office Center
"We congratulate Arcadis for receiving the WELL Health-Safety Rating for its Prague offices and for giving exemplary priority to the health and safety of their employees during a pandemic," said Rachel Gutter, President and Director of the WELL Building Institute International, adding, "Arcadis has implemented important operational measures based on scientific knowledge that gives employees confidence in the work environment and allows them to focus fully on work. ”
By obtaining a certified WELL Health-Safety Rating from an independent third party, Arcadis has proven to be a good employer who values its employees and emphasizes their health and well-being, and is a leader in building sustainability.
About WELL Health-Safety Rating
The WELL Health-Safety Rating supports building owners and operators in taking the necessary steps to prioritize the health and safety of employees, visitors and business partners and is under the control of an independent third party that verifies documentation and ensures the integrity of the entire process.
It draws on lessons learned from the IWBI working group on COVID-19, as well as guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections, developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), global control centers and disease prevention and emergency management agencies.
In addition, it draws on the input of recognized standards development associations such as ASTM International and ASHRAE, leading academic and research institutions. The assessment is based on the basic principles set out in the IWBI WELL Building Standard, which is a unique standard for assessing health in buildings and other spaces of various uses.
