Buildings That Make a Difference: Oshkosh Corporate Headquarters

  • Beck Technology client Miron Construction receives the first 3-star Fitwel rating in Wisconsin

Our mission? Revolutionize the industry. Create the future.

Our values: Passion, innovation, and caring.

Though our values and missions are as varied as the people we serve, we applaud our DESTINI Estimator users who align with the same passion for innovation and making a difference as we do when taking on projects that improve the lives of those who live and work in them.

DESTINI Estimator construction estimating software client, Miron Construction, was awarded the building of Oshkosh Corporation’s new headquarters located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Designed by Performa, Inc., the vision for the new corporate building was to not only build an environmentally sustainable building but build one that makes a difference in the 650 lives of those who work there.

The 191,000 square foot, 4-story building was completed in the fall of 2019 and was awarded a 3-star Fitwel Rating in November 2020. The Oshkosh global headquarters is the first building to receive a 3-star Fitwell rating in Wisconsin.

What is Fitwel?

Founded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CD) and the U.S. General Services Administration, Fitwel is a global certification program “committed to building health for all®.” It is now operated by The Center for Active Design—a nonprofit organization bringing the build environment and health together. (Fitwel)

To receive certification from Fitwel, a team reviews the project based on seven health impacts designed by public health professionals to improve health, lead sustainability, and use science to optimize the design most healthily. The seven health impacts Fitwel evaluates are:

  1. Impacts surrounding community health
  2. Reduces morbidity and absenteeism
  3. Supports social equity for vulnerable populations
  4. Instills feelings of well being
  5. Enhances access to healthy foods
  6. Promotes occupant safety
  7. Increases physical activity

Buildings are graded on a point system in 12 categories: location, outdoor spaces, stairwells, workspaces, water supply, vending machines, building access, entrances and ground floors, indoor environments, shared spaces, food services, and emergency procedures.

The Oshkosh Corporation building scored 127 out of 144 points on the review and received the highest rating.

Research has shown that buildings based on the Fitwel model increase employee productivity and help to attract and retain talent.

Oshkosh Corporation—Making a Difference

Oshkosh Corporation headquarters Beck Technology client Miron Construction receives the first 3-star Fitwel rating in Wisconsin for Oshkosh Corporation headquarters.

Oshkosh Corporation makes “innovative, mission-critical equipment to help everyday heroes advance communities around the world” like military vehicles and firetrucks. It is their purpose “to make a difference in people’s lives.” Before the new headquarters building, Oshkosh had 39 buildings around Oshkosh, Wisconsin, disjointing teams and creating an environment that wasn’t as healthy as it could be. With a people-first culture, this new headquarters meant that Oshkosh Corporation could create holistic spaces for better collaboration, training facilities, and areas where employees could work out and rejuvenate.

The building sits on 32 acres of an old city-owned golf course on the Fox River. The office’s design integrates the landscape, kept the mature trees, shields the parking lot of harsh winter winds, incorporates a lot of natural light, and maximizes the views of the river. Inside there are conference rooms, training classrooms, parents’ room, mediation, and quiet rooms, a company store, a patio, indoor/outdoor dining areas, a museum, a fitness center, and a four-story open concept atrium. A trail along the river provides space for exercise.

Miron Construction’s Director of Sustainable Services, Theresa Lehman, says, “The people-first culture was placed at the heart of the distinctive approach to create a healthy, high-performing, functional environmental space that demonstrates Oshkosh’s core purpose of making a difference in people’s lives. The 3-Star Fitwel award is a clear testament to their commitment to prioritizing employee’s health and well-being as well as overall sustainable excellence, by implementing health-conscious design, construction, and operational programs and policies.”

Miron Construction ranks on the Engineering News Record (ENR)’s Top 100 Green Building Contractors list and was presented with the Top Safety Award from ENR for their work on the Oshkosh building.

Construction can and does change lives. When those who work in structures like the Oshkosh Corporation’s headquarters, healthier spaces keep employees happy, engaged, and more productive. In turn, they can help improve their customers’ lives and their communities. Bridging the gap between design, construction, and health is an up-and-coming innovation in construction that requires owners, architects, and general contractors to collaborate on creating the best spaces for us all.

Would you like your work to be featured in our blog? Tell us about one of your most exciting projects in the comments below and we will reach out to you. Or email us at hermanafework@beck-technology.com.

 

 

 

 

 

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