St. Catherine's British School in Athens becomes the world’s first IMMUNE™ certified educational institution
3 August 2022, Athens. The IMMUNE Building Standard™, developed to attenuate the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, continues to extend its global reach that started in 2020. After offices, industrial and residential assets, the certification launched at the initiative of Genesis Property, a leading member of the European Property Federation, now also covers educational institutions buildings.
St. Catherine's British School, an international school located in northern Athens, Greece, obtained the highest certification level of the IMMUNE Building Standard™, becoming the first certified educational institution in the world.
The school achieved the label IMMUNE™ - Resilient, scoring 5 stars out of 5, following the successful implementation of a large majority of measures included in the IMMUNE™ Assessment Scoring Index, an evaluation tool developed by Genesis Property. The building now has enhanced air filtration systems and benefits from strengthened sanitation in essential areas such as the main entrance, lifts, stairwells, door touch plates and handles. Moreover, automatic hand sanitizers were installed in the main entrance and lobbies on each floor.
“We are proud to receive this certification which emphasizes a key priority to enabling a healthy environment for our whole community, especially our staff and students. It is our responsibility to create a greener setting and future for our future generations and this certification validates our vision and mission in action”, stated Stuart Smith, the CEO and Headteacher of St. Catherine’s British School.
Established in 1956 on the grounds of the British Embassy in Athens, St. Catherine's teaches over 1,300 students, aged 3 to 18 years, from 54 nationalities. The school is a COBIS Executive Member (Council of British International Schools), an HMC School (Head) and an IBO World School (International Baccalaureate). St. Catherine's British School has outstanding teaching and recreational facilities, including a 350-seat theater, state-of the art science laboratories, a design technology Fablab and much more. Moreover, the classrooms are equipped with interactive smart board technology and Wi-Fi is available throughout the entire school.
”This new milestone for IMMUNE Building Standard™ reflects a strong commitment in creating healthier built environments for the future and proves the versatility and adaptability of the standard. We support safe education and believe that it is our responsibility to engage and unlock the potential of future generations. Achieving the highest level, 5 stars out of 5, St. Catherine’s demonstrates the commitment to transform the educational institution into the best place for children to nurture their innovative spirit and creativity”, said Liviu Tudor, founder of Genesis Property and president of the European Property Federation.
IMMUNE™ is based on a practical investment in a Healthy by Design System (HbDS), which empowers building operators to verify and adjust the condition of the building to a healthy performance level, and thus providing occupants with the space and confidence for a healthy experience.
Every IMMUNE™ certified building incorporates advanced technologies, specialized equipment, and dedicated personnel such as an IMMUNE™ Steward, to manage the building’s operations and health parameters, as recommended. The standard is based on an IMMUNE™ Assessment Scoring Index comprising 130+ measures recommended for implementation in buildings that include technical solutions for architectural engineering, technology, and design.
An independent authorized building assessor performs the evaluation and recommends a property to become IMMUNE™ - certified by the Healthy by Design Building Institute with one of the three labels: Strong (3 stars), Powerful (4 stars) or Resilient (5 stars).