The WELL Health-Safety Rating it is a seal launched by the International WELL Building Institute, after a group of nearly 600 civil servants public health officials, virologists, government officials, academics, business leaders, architects, designers, building scientists and real estate professionals met for the purpose of help to guide a concrete and effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Therefore, this is a seal that draws upon both the knowledge extracted from this working group and the guidance on the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections provided by various competent bodies and institutions around the world.
What is the WELL Health-Safety Rating?
The WELL Health-Safety Rating it is a stamp created by International WELL Building Institute for which all types of buildings are eligible. It is a third-party validated seal based on scientific evidence that focuses on operational policies, maintenance protocols, and design strategies that enable a safe return to post-COVID-19 spaces. The stamp has has been designed to empower owners and CEOs of large and small businesses in taking the necessary measures for the health and safety of everyone involved.
Therefore, the WELL Health-Safety Rating can help reduce the risk of transmission of different viruses and respiratory illnesses, as the implemented strategies are far-reaching and apply to a variety of health and safety issues. Therefore, the WELL Health-Safety Rating can help users, occupants and the wider community can trust that they will be able to return to their workspaces in a post-COVID-19 scenario with confidence and peace of mind. Usually, the implementation of this certification requires the involvement of a specialised WELL consultant to guide the certification process.
Who is the WELL Health-Safety Rating for?
The unprecedented impact of recent months on the places where we live, work, learn and play is well known. Therefore, The WELL Health-Safety Rating aims to support not only offices, but also restaurants, shops, retail spaces, schools, industrial facilities, residential common areas, places of worship and all kinds of spaces. From large, busy sports centres to small workspaces they can begin to reopen in conditions where people feel confident, safe and reassured.
¿Why was the WELL Health-Safety Rating created?
The WELL Health-Safety Rating it is created out of the need to provide a centralised source and an institutional body to validate the efforts made by building owners and company CEOs in the face of the urgent COVID-19 scenario.
While the WELL Certification includes features that help prevent a range of respiratory diseases, including the spread of COVID-19, and although these measures are effective against most common germs, bacteria and fungi, obtaining full certification can be a task that requires a considerable outlay of time and effort. This way the WELL Health-Safety Rating was created as a quick and efficient tool, which with the help of a specialised WELL consultant, focuses on the different actions that make it possible to guide, validate, recognise and scale efforts addressing current health and safety issues.
“The WELL Health-Safety Rating seal has certified more than 6,750 spaces and over 65 million square metres. In addition, sports centres, theatres, hotels, restaurants, offices, schools, retail outlets, residential buildings and more have been certified.”
What are the WELL Health-Safety Rating strategies?
The stamp focuses on six main health and safety themes and includes more than 20 strategies, of which a minimum of 15 must be met:
Cleaning and disinfection procedures
- Support with handwashing
- Reduction of surface contact
- Improvement in cleaning practices
- Selection of cleaning products
- Reduction of airborne particulate exposure
Emergency preparedness programmes
- Development of an emergency preparedness plan
- Business continuity plan creation
- Healthy reintegration planning
- Provide emergency resources
- Strengthen emergency resilience
Health service resources
- Provide sick leave
- Provide health benefits
- Support mental health recovery
- Promote flu jabs
- Promote a smoke-free environment
Air and water quality management
- Assess the ventilation
- Assess and maintain air handling systems
- Develop a Legionella management plan
- Monitor the air quality and the water
- Managing mould and dampness
Stakeholder engagement and communication
- Promoting health and wellbeing
- Share information about food inspection
Innovation
The strategies of the WELL Health-Safety Rating have been based on the features of the WELL Building Standard, the IWBI Task Force on COVID-19 and the guidance of the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as recognised standard-setting bodies such as ASTM International and ASHRAE, and academic institutions and research leaders in the United States.
¿What are the advantages of obtaining the WELL Health-Safety Rating?
- Trust It is essential to restore confidence and peace of mind that the maintenance of spaces is carried out in accordance with the world's best practices and health and safety guidelines.
- Flexibility It is applicable to both large and small organisations across all facility types. Users, guided by a specialist WELL consultant, can follow the strategies that reflect their specific needs and goals.
- VerificationThe WELL Health-Safety Rating is based on third-party document review and the annual verification of policies, protocols and strategies through Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), instilling confidence in all parts of an organisation.
- ScalabilityIt provides a framework for organisations to efficiently develop, implement and validate health and safety protocols and plans across multiple properties.
- AccessibilityPricing for accessibility, with a focus on interventions that require little to no capital expenditure.
“The WELL Health-Safety Rating seal is a guarantee that the building's health and safety efforts are supported and validated by competent bodies”
¿What is the process for obtaining the WELL Health-Safety Rating?
The seal can be obtained very simply through 7 steps, which are carried out with the support of a specialised WELL consultant.
- ResearchDownload and review the criteria to achieve the WELL Health-Safety Rating seal.
- RegistrationRegister and share the commitment to obtain the seal.
- Personalised approachSelect the features that are relevant and apply to the particular building or space.
- Sending of information: Provide documentation of the strategies using the digital platform to demonstrate that the building or space meets the requirements of the label.
- ReviewSubmit the documentation for GBCI review in order to confirm that the specific requirements for each role have been met.
- ObtainmentAchieve the WELL Health-Safety Rating seal and promote the achievements.
- RenovationApply for the annual stamp to demonstrate ongoing commitment to complying with operational policies, maintenance protocols and emergency plans.
¿How much does it cost to implement the WELL Health-Safety Rating?
Among the costs of the WELL Health-Safety Rating are the consultancy costs, the implementation costs and the certification costs. In the consulting process, Evalore will take care of making a personalised proposal to each client. The implementation cost will depend on a feasibility analysis carried out by Evalore. Lastly, the WELL Health-Safety Rating certification cost, which is based on a scalable pricing model that varies according to the size of the premises. In this way, the needs of any organisation or facility can be met, regardless of size or type.
Certification costs
- Small businesses: $2,730. In small businesses with fewer than 50 employees and an annual turnover of less than $ 10 million.
- Standard: $4.200. In individual spaces or buildings that are not yet registered for WELL certification or subscribed to the WELL Portfolio programme.
- High-volume, multi-purpose: $12.600. In locations that can accommodate more than 10,000 people a day and provide four or different uses, such as retail, restaurants, accommodation, offices, etc.
- Various locations: from $400. In multiple locations with a single owner. This route requires all locations to apply the documentation in a simplified, consolidated and joint manner.
What is the role of the WELL AP in the WELL Health-Safety Rating?
Normally the implementation of the The WELL Health-Safety Rating requires the involvement of a specialised WELL consultant that supports you throughout the entire process of obtaining the certification. That is why at Evalore we help our clients identify the most relevant strategies, integrate them into the project, implement them through specialist suppliers and validate them, ultimately submitting all the necessary documentation to the international body.
In addition to acting as a specialist adviser for the WELL Health-Safety Rating, at Evalore we also specialise in implementing various international certifications such as the WELL Certification, Passivhaus, BREEAM, LEED, among others. To this list we must add the Spanish certification Airfirst, seal with the same intention and purpose as the WELL Health-Safety Rating.
En Evalore Spaces we are pioneers in the development of measures wellness tailored and we have extensive experience in obtaining various certifications. If you are interested in the WELL Health-Safety Rating or in making your company a healthy workplace, please do not hesitate to contact Contact us and we'll give you a diagnosis at no cost.
Israel Leal Vegas
Architect, Evalore Spaces
