AREP Achieves Portfolio-Wide WELL Health-Safety Rating

Certification of 33 properties affirms dedication to make health and wellness a central feature of AREP buildings and office communities.

MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In another affirmation of its commitment to keeping health and wellness as a central feature of its buildings and office communities, American Real Estate Partners (AREP) has achieved the WELL Health-Safety Rating for 33 properties encompassing nearly 10 million of square feet throughout the Mid-Atlantic. With this achievement AREP buildings can display the WELL seal signifying leadership and dedication to the health and wellbeing of tenants, their guests, and employees.

The WELL certification follows AREP’s success in becoming the first company in the U.S. to achieve the UL Verified Healthy Building Mark for its entire portfolio. The program offers UL’s verification that AREP buildings demonstrate excellence in interior air quality.

“Health and wellness are foundational to everything we do, and the WELL Health-Safety Rating is one more confirmation of our efforts to make every AREP property a place where people can feel comfortable returning to work and be at their best. We’ll continue to go beyond the expected so our tenants, their employees, and guests experience a safer and more comfortable setting that is also rich in amenities and ripe for productivity and success,” said Paul Schulman, Principal and COO at AREP.

“AREP has long demonstrated their commitment to people first places by making health and well-being a portfolio-wide priority and a hallmark of their business,” said Rachel Hodgdon, president and CEO of the International WELL Building Institute. “By achieving the WELL Health-Safety Rating across nearly 10 million square feet and 33 locations, they are not only elevating the experience of tenants and visitors, but they are also leading the efforts to help people get back to business with confidence. We applaud this leadership achievement and look forward to celebrating their continued success."

The WELL certification is an evidence-based rating for all new and existing building and facility types focusing on operational policies, maintenance protocols, stakeholder engagement and emergency plans. The third-party, verified review process, which ensures integrity and consistency, was influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic but has broader applicability for supporting long-term health and safety needs.

The WELL seal underscores an acknowledgement that health and safety are directly linked to design and maintenance of the ‘great indoors,’ in full alignment with AREP’s commitment to healthful and comfortable environments that instill confidence in the people who experience them. In an unprecedented rapid response to the early days of the pandemic, AREP has also cemented advanced cleaning protocols and enhanced air quality systems and ventilation that typically exceeds guidelines set by public health authorities.

Because AREP’s commitment to wellness extends beyond physical health to data infrastructure and security, a number of buildings in the AREP portfolio also have achieved WiredScore certification for future-ready, best-in-class, secure internet connectivity and infrastructure. The WiredScore accomplishment followed an examination of resiliency, redundancy, and the capability for expansion as technology evolves.

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ABOUT AMERICAN REAL ESTATE PARTNERS

Headquartered in the Greater Washington metropolitan area, American Real Estate Partners (AREP) is an institutional fund manager, and operating partner focused on office and mixed-use repositioning and development throughout the Greater Mid-Atlantic Region.

Since the company’s founding in 2003, AREP has deployed over $4 billion across targeted geographies, acquired more than 17 million square feet of class-A real estate, and currently oversees over 10 million square feet of assets. AREP's vertically integrated real estate platform provides best-in-class expertise in all ownership disciplines, from property management and building operations to investment strategy, market research, and acquisitions. By leveraging this expertise AREP remains at the leading edge of real estate innovation maximizing building performance to provide real value. For more, please visit: americanrepartners.com.