By HFT Staff

The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), in partnership with Georgetown University’s Global Cities Initiative, will host its second annual Healthy Building Policy Summit in Washington, D.C., on September 29. This landmark, full-day event is dedicated to exploring the critical role of policy at all levels of government in transforming workplaces, buildings and cities to improve health, build resilience and foster thriving communities. 

“Building on our momentum from last year’s inaugural event, this year’s Healthy Building Policy Summit dives deeper into critical areas — from indoor air quality to innovation and private sector leadership — showing how we are doubling down on the policies and partnerships that can turn every building into a force for well-being for everyone, everywhere,” says IWBI president and CEO Rachel Hodgdon. 

By convening a dynamic cross-section of policymakers, public health experts, private sector innovators, and government leaders, the Summit aims to accelerate bold ideas and actionable policies that advance health through the built environment.  

“We’re excited to host this policy summit at a moment when decisions on human health are being treated as a core performance metric for public and private places across the built environment,” says Uwe S. Brandes, professor and director of the Georgetown Global Cities Initiative, which is hosting the event at the McCourt School of Public Policy on its Capitol Campus. “We’ll be exploring how policy, planning, and investment decisions at all jurisdictional levels enhance and protect human health in our buildings and cities." 

The Summit will focus on critical topics and timely issues impacting the built environment including indoor air quality, the evidence-based return on investment (ROI) of healthy buildings, as well as the influence of legislation on market transformation. Other key topics include access to healthy environments, the leadership role of cities and states and the contribution of professional organizations and technical standards in advancing healthy building initiatives. 

A lineup of nearly 30 speakers are confirmed, including: 

• Dr. Richard Carmona, M.D., MPH, FACS. 17th Surgeon General of the United States 
• Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO, IWBI 
• Congressman Paul D. Tonko. D-NY 20th District, U.S. House of Representatives 
• Christopher King, Dean, School of Health, Georgetown University 
• Holly Paeper, President of Commercial HVAC Americas, Trane Technologies 
• William McQuade, President, ASHRAE 
• Erin Billups, National Health Reporter, Spectrum News 
• Chris Pyke, Chief Innovation Officer, GRESB 
• Tanya Eagle, Director of Sustainable Buildings, JLL 
• Georgia Lagoudas, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, Brown University School of Public Health 
• Kazukiyo (Kazu) Kumagai, Chief of the Air Quality Section, California Department of Public Health 
• Erika Heet, Editor-In-Chief, BuildingGreen 
• Elizabeth Beardsley, Senior Policy Counsel, U.S. Green Building Council 
• Uwe Brandes, Professor, Director of the Urban & Regional Planning Program and Director of the Georgetown Global Cities Initiative, Georgetown University 
• Seydina Fall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Planetary Health, Johns Hopkins University 
  Wendy Feldman Block, Executive Managing Director, Savills, Inc. 
• Denise Hauck, President, Department of Defense (DOD) Division, Corvias 
• Sean McCrady, Vice President, Software and Advisory, UL Solutions 
• Dr. Serene Almomen, CEO, Co-Founder, Attune 
• Rachel Kohli, Director of Campus Planning, Georgetown University 
• Trisha Miller, Vice President, Policy and Market Development, Aeroseal 
• Whitney Austin Gray, SVP, Research, IWBI 
• Susan Chung, Associate Director, Enterprise Research, Vice President, HKS 
• Jonathan Gritz, SVP, Energy Solutions, WellStat 
• Jason Hartke, EVP, External Affairs and Global Advocacy, IWBI 

This year’s Summit is supported by leading companies committed to advancing health in buildings. Principal sponsors include Trane Technologies, Aeroseal, UL Solutions and Attune, whose leadership and commitment help make the event possible. The event is also supported by Associate sponsors SafeTraces and Vogel Group, with Daikin serving as host for the Summit’s evening reception. Lutron and WellStat are joining as WELL Summit Series Gold sponsors. 

“We now know unequivocally that our buildings are foundational to our health, shaping how we live, work and connect. By positioning them to actively promote well-being, we can unlock a healthier future for everyone,” says Dr. Richard Carmona, 17th surgeon general of the United States. “The Healthy Building Policy Summit is a signature gathering where we can come together to explore the accelerants that will take these strategies to scale in communities across the country.” 

“We have a chance to get ahead — to shape the future of our workplaces, buildings and communities through smart policy, effective programs and more strategic use of the vast public funds being directed into our buildings over the next decade,” says Jason Hartke, executive vice president, external affairs and global advocacy, IWBI. “The Healthy Building Policy Summit is the only national gathering dedicated to charting that future and shaping policies and priorities that will deliver on our ambitious healthy building agenda. I’m honored to be partnering with Georgetown and an extraordinary coalition of supporting organizations, industry leaders and media partners, showing that the strongest leadership comes through partnership.” 

“Research is the bridge between what we know works for health and how we put it into practice,” says Whitney Austin Gray, senior vice president, research, IWBI. “We know that investing in health in the built environment delivers returns far beyond well-being, from stronger business performance to greater community resilience. The Policy Summit is a unique opportunity to showcase the evidence that makes the business case, equipping policymakers to shape the future of healthy building policy." 

The event also includes several Supporting Organizations, including American Industrial Hygiene Association, ASHRAE, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, BOMA International, Global Green, Green Seal, International Codes Council, International Facilities Management Association, ISSA - Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association, National Electrical Manufacturers Association, National Institute of Building Sciences, and U.S. Green Building Council. In addition, the Summit’s Media Partners include BuildingGreen, FacilitiesNet and Buildings Magazine.