Birmingham’s healthiest building set to open in May
Moda Living’s new neighbourhood The Mercian has secured a three-star Fitwel certification making it one of Europe’s healthiest buildings.
To attain the certification, the team behind The Mercian ensured the design and operation of the neighbourhood would have a positive impact on the people that live and work within it, from implementing fitness facilities and amenities, to the best light levels and convenient access to nearby shops and public transport.
Opening its doors in May, the 481 apartments range from studios to three-bedroom homes. In order to provide a calm living environment, the walls’ soundproofing is five decibels above the required levels.
Environment sensors have been installed by Utopi to monitor humidity, temperature, light levels and air quality.
The development features a 200m rooftop running track with views over the city centre, a 24/7 gym alongside access to personal trainers and wellness experts.
Other amenities include lounges with panoramic views over Birmingham, a rooftop garden, and more than 30,000 sq ft of commercial space on the ground floor for businesses and services. Co-working stations and bookable meeting spaces are also available.
This is the first community to be awarded this certificate in Birmingham.
Richard Smith, Managing Director at Moda’s operational developments, said: “Health and wellbeing is at the core of Moda’s business, so ensuring our buildings are healthy places that support and encourage wellness-focused lifestyles is absolutely paramount to what we do. We are committed to making healthy living achievable for all of our residents.
“We are thrilled to have secured our second 3* Fitwel accreditation at Moda, The Mercian. We can’t wait to welcome our first residents to the neighbourhood this spring so they can enjoy the benefits of all the hard work that’s gone into making sure The Mercian is the healthiest place to live in Birmingham.”
The Fitwel accreditation was secured by representatives from Moda Living, investors Harrison Street and Apache Capital, and consultancy DLC Europe.
Moda Living has had two of its neighbourhoods previously recognised with Fitwel scoring. In June 2021, The McEwan in Edinburgh became the first residential building in Europe to achieve three-star Fitwel certification.
Joanna Frank, President and CEO of the Center for Active Design, which operates the Fitwel healthy building certification program, said: “Moda continues to lead by example by prioritizing the health of their residents through Fitwel. We commend their commitment to protect building occupant health as they implement research-based strategies to promote the mental, physical, and emotional well-being of their residents.”
Reservations for Moda, The Mercian will go live in the coming weeks, with the neighbourhood due to open its doors in May.
