Colorado Real Estate Journal - September 2, 2015
We have a variety of rating systems available for commercial buildings that address energy and sustainability. Unlike some rating systems that focus on the building, the recently launched WELL Building Standard focuses entirely on the health and wellness of building occupants. WELL is based on a body of scientific and medical research that explores the connection between the buildings where we spend more than 90 percent of our time, and the associated health and wellness impacts. In the broader real estate industry, owners, designers and builders alike can expect health and wellness to play a bigger role in design and construction decisions over the next several years. WELL is a performance-based rating system for measuring, certifying and monitoring features of a building based on seven attributes: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and the mind. WELL was pioneered by Delos and is managed and administered by the International WELL Building Institute. This system is third-party certified through Green Business Certification Inc., the same certification body used for the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system. Officially released in 2014, WELL focuses on the environment in which we live, work, play and learn, and how those places affect both our minds and bodies. WELL certification is based largely on performance metrics and requires a passing score in each category. The certification process includes comprehensive project documentation and an onsite audit. WELL Certification is awarded at the following levels: Silver, Gold and Platinum. Comprised of over 100 features applied to each project, each feature is designed to address various issues that impact the health, comfort, wellness and education of building occupants. Similar to the USGBC LEED program, there are obligatory preconditions (“prerequisites” in LEED) and elective optimizations (“credits”). Although there are inherent similarities to LEED, the majority of the preconditions and optimizations pursue different concerns. For example, take the precondition in the nourishment category - Mindful Eating. This requires that there are a certain number of tables and chairs available for meal times, that the eating area is in close proximity to all and that the dedicated area includes necessities for people to prepare, store and clean up their meals. There are three typologies available to pursue – New and Existing Buildings, New and Existing Interiors and Core and Shell. WELL Certification is available for new and existing typologies, whereas the Core and Shell typology is only eligible for WELL Compliance. The current standard focuses on industrial and commercial office spaces only. However, there are five pilot programs in progress including retail, multifamily residential, education, restaurant, and commercial kitchen projects. Also like the USGBC LEED program, there is an opportunity to pursue an accreditation credential based on WELL. The WELL Accredited Professional credential will be available in November 2015 with the debut of the WELL AP exam. For those who want to learn more about WELL, the following educational and training opportunities are available for project teams: USGBC will host its annual Greenbuild International Conference and Expo Nov. 18-20 in Washington, D.C., featuring a number of health and wellness opportunities, which includes a preconference WELL workshop and specialty workshops on circadian lighting and the business case for the program. Three webinars are available on the WELL Building Standard at http://www.wellcertified.com/learn. To provide an overview of the WELL Building Standard covering benefits, structure, and the certification process, a free, one-hour GBCI CE approved course, Introduction to the WELL Building Standard, is available. Full-day intensive WELL workshops are available at various locations around the country and abroad to support professionals as they prepare for the WELL AP exam. Tools and resources include the WELL Certification Guidebook, available at http://www.wellcertified.com/certification, with others in development. As the WELL Building Standard continues to gain recognition and is disseminated across various industries, owners and developers can pursue this standard in an effort to stand out among competition and attract prospective employees to a healthy workspace. WELL will enable sustainability consultants, architects, commissioning agents and lighting consultants alike to offer new opportunities for their clients to pursue better buildings. New professional services associated with this standard may include WELL documentation assistance by an accredited WELL AP, consultation on circadian lighting design, assessment of WELL projects during Performance Verification and the creation of testing mechanisms during the onsite testing of air and water quality. The health and wellness industry is considered by many to be the next trillion-dollar industry. With the rise of this industry, now is an opportune time to consider implementing the WELL Building Standard on your next project.