Ambassador of the Year Spotlight: Chip Andrews of Cousins Properties

Best in Building HealthFitwel AmbassadorsFitwel Champions
Written By Marcos Reynaga
 

As part of our ongoing Q&A series featuring this year’s Top 20 Ambassadors, we’re celebrating Chip Andrews of Fitwel Champion Cousins Properties!

AT A GLANCE

Chip Andrews, Senior Vice President, Cousins Properties

Name: Chip Andrews

Role: Senior Vice President, Cousins Properties (NYSE: CUZ)

Location: Atlanta, GA

Ambassador Since: February 2022

Cousins Properties develops, owns, and manages a 20 million-square-foot office portfolio across high-growth Sunbelt markets in the U.S. including Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Dallas, Nashville, Phoenix, and Tampa. In 2022 alone, they certified 25% of their entire portfolio, exceeding the original commitment of 20%. Their efforts aren’t slowing down, particularly as many companies undergo their back-to-office strategies in the wake of COVID-19. Cousins will continue to register and pursue Fitwel Certifications with a target of certifying 50% of all eligible buildings by 2027.

We caught up with Chip to discuss Cousins Properties’ achievements and future aspirations when it comes to healthy buildings.

Why did you choose to become a Fitwel Ambassador?
CA: I heard about Fitwel and the Ambassador program through my participation in LEED accreditation projects. In my role, I evaluate and prioritize capital planning opportunities that emphasize health and wellness initiatives; becoming a Fitwel Ambassador helped me learn the ins and outs of the strategies and continues to offer ongoing guidance and resources as we expand.

Who made this year’s Best in Building Health Top 20 Ambassadors list? Find out here.

How does Fitwel fit into Cousins’ sustainability initiatives?
CA: Our strategy and philosophy align with Fitwel's focus on improving, enhancing, and safeguarding the health and well-being of occupants, customers, and employees in office buildings. Cousins has always prioritized building health, safety, and customer wellness, but COVID-19 magnified the importance. This led to certifying the majority of our portfolio with Fitwel’s Viral Response Module, and that dovetailed nicely into certifying buildings with Fitwel’s multi-tenant base building product. v2.1. While we had long pursued environmental certifications including LEED and Energy Star, Fitwel helps us round out the ‘three-legged-stool’ that enhances our sustainability strategy. With LEED and Energy Star, we’re covered from an energy and efficiency standpoint. With Fitwel, we have social health and well-being covered, too.

Click image to enlarge. Cousins Properties Key Achievements | 2022 Corporate Responsibility Report

Fitwel Ambassador Course

Take the Next Step: Become a Fitwel Ambassador
Ambassadors are meeting the demand for healthy buildings and taking their careers to the next level. Learn more and enroll today at fitwel.org/amabassadors.

What is the value Cousins sees in healthy building certification?
CA: We focus on the value it gives to our customers. This entails designing and operating resilient, healthy buildings in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. As a REIT, we focus on attracting tenants and ensuring they feel comfortable, healthy, and safe in our office buildings, which is critical post-pandemic. We understand the importance of providing our customers with green and healthy environments, both in our customers’ offices and throughout our company. We’re committed to earning our customers’ trust and retaining it over time. And we believe it will pay off on several levels.

Click image to enlarge. Cousins Properties Healthy Buildings Certifications | 2022 Corporate Responsibility Report

About Cousins Properties
Cousins Properties (NYSE:CUZ) is a fully integrated, self-administered, and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company, based in Atlanta, Georgia, and acting through its operating partnership, Cousins Properties LP, primarily invests in Class A office buildings located in high-growth Sun Belt markets of Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Phoenix, Tampa, Dallas, and Nashville. Founded in 1958 by Tom Cousins, the Company creates shareholder value through its extensive expertise as a leader in the development, acquisition, leasing, and property management of high-quality real estate assets. The health and wellness of our employees and customers has always been a top priority for Cousins. We are committed to designing and operating buildings that enrich the health and well-being of our customers, employees, and the communities in which we operate. Our strategies focus on providing clean environments that are safe and offer amenities that support and encourage healthy living, and we consider healthy building certifications to be complementary to these strategies.

About Fitwel’s Top 20 Ambassadors Initiative
This initiative shines a spotlight on industry-leading professionals from across the globe who have demonstrated exemplary engagement, leadership, and achievements as Fitwel Ambassadors. The honorees were selected out of a competitive group of nearly 4,000 professionals across 50+ countries worldwide for their success in project registrations and Fitwel certifications, and the number of people impacted through those efforts. Learn More

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Marcos Reynaga
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