Client Overview

A nationally recognized, publicly traded Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) was focused on strategic customer relationships and specialized, demanding tenants in approximately 200 buildings, with over 16,000,000 square feet. They recognized the need for environmentally sensitive and sustainable buildings. The REIT advocates that a healthy office environment is one in which the building interior contributes to enhanced staff productivity and a sense of comfort, health and well-being for occupants.

The REIT embraced the belief that a healthy indoor environment fosters business success and well-being. With prior IEAQ concerns and increasing tenant awareness, they turned to BHS to implement a company-wide, proactive IEAQ culture.

BHS Solution: A Proactive Approach

BHS partnered to create and deliver a comprehensive indoor environmental and air quality (IEAQ) program, endorsed by the Board of Directors. Program Elements Included:

• A detailed IEAQ Operations Manual
• Training modules for executives, property managers, and building engineers
• Incident response protocol, including a real-time hotline staffed by BHS physicians and building scientists

Example Issues Addressed via Hotline Collaboration:

• Air quality, particulate matter, and comfort complaints
• Odor, Formaldehyde, and VOC health concerns and source determination
• Water intrusion and moisture events – sanitary sewer / potable / storm
• Mold investigation, remediation, and clearance
• Waterborne pathogens – Legionella
• COVID-19 and Norovirus disinfection

Lessons Learned

In commercial real estate, tenant trust and credibility are everything — especially in full-building tenant scenarios.

• This REIT’s proactive investment in IEAQ protected its Class A brand reputation
• The inclusion of both medical and building science expertise (white coats + hard hats) ensured every situation was handled with authority
• Tenants consistently reported high satisfaction — not only with the outcomes, but with how issues were managed and communicated