Article updated for the WELL v2 certification: April 2021.
Did you know that we spend 90% of our lives indoors? Did you know that the air in these spaces is 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air? Every day, dozens of articles are published that include compelling data about our relationship with the spaces that host our daily activities. It is evident that the quality of our built environment has a direct impact on our physical, mental and emotional well-being and on our ability to give of our best. Therefore, the WELL Building Standard has taken on the task of providing a series of scientific strategies that make it possible to improve the impact of buildings on us.
A healthy environment not only extends and increases our quality of life, but it also makes us more productive. This evidence has been proven in the business world, and there is currently a growing tendency that leads more companies to want to be a healthy business, which invariably involves achieving a healthy office.
These improvements can also be achieved in residential, hospital and commercial buildings, and in interior space renovations. Furthermore, architectural health criteria are becoming increasingly relevant in the development of projects, especially in the current context of COVID-19. In this article we explain why the WELL Certification is the most suitable for achieving these benefits in your building.
How to achieve a healthy building? The WELL Building Standard
There are countless options for certifying your business, home, shop or building. However there is only one that holistically encompasses both the physical factors of the environment and the policies that will make your space or building a healthy building: the WELL Certification, or as it is known in the United States, the WELL Building Standard. Furthermore, it should be mentioned that the latest version of the WELL Certification allows this process be much more inclusive and flexible by presenting more optional credits and the opportunity to certify various types of spaces and buildings.
What is the relationship between WELL Certification and LEED Certification?
The WELL Certification, managed by the International WELL Building Institute, is similar to the LEED Certification (managed by the USGBC), in its conception, in fact, much like LEED, it is certified by the Green Business Council Inc. (GBCI). If LEED Certification ensures compliance with sustainability and energy efficiency standards, the WELL Building Standard guarantees that the certified space works for the health and wellbeing of its occupants.. Both certifications are perfectly complementary and applicable both to entire buildings and to business spaces within them. When WELL and LEED are implemented in the same project, the building's performance is optimised for the benefit of the environment and the health of the occupants.
The WELL Certification is the only one that holistically encompasses both the physical factors of the environment and the policies that will make your building a healthy one.
What does the WELL Certification involve?
The new version of the WELL Certification consists of 10 areas of action, each of which includes a series of measures. Some of these measures are compulsory and others optional for achieving certification. Compared to the previous version, this one is more inclusive and flexible as it features fewer mandatory measures and more optional ones. These are the 10 areas of the WELL Building Standard and the objectives of each of them:
Air
Removal of air pollutants, pollution prevention and air purification
Water
Filtration, treatment and strategic location of water points
Food
Establishment of healthy food options and promotion of healthy eating
Lighting
Access to natural light, and improvement of the quality of artificial light
Movement
Promotion and incorporation of activities that enable an active lifestyle
Thermal comfort
Adaptation of the space to maximise thermal comfort and prevent energy losses
Acoustic comfort
Space adaptation to maximise sound insulation and absorption and mitigate the harmful effects of noise
Materials
Analysis of material components to ensure they are non-emissive and reduce exposure to environmental pollutants
Mind
Improvement of spatial perception through biophilia and the incorporation of corporate wellbeing policies
Community
A culture of health and an inclusive community committed to these values
What are the benefits of the WELL Certification?
Return on investment
When referring to residential buildings, WELL Certification ensures economic benefits in the sale and rental of properties. Residential buildings certified under the WELL scheme see an increase in their market value and are let and sold 60% faster.
When referring to a company, we know that human capital accounts for 90% of the total costs involved in keeping it running, including the management and maintenance of the premises, energy costs, rent, etc. The medical and scientific evidence gathered over 10 years by the International Well Building Institute demonstrate that with the implementation of WELL Certification measures, benefits are obtained such as:
- Cost reduction through the reduction of stress and employee absenteeism
- Increase in productivity
- It contributes to talent retention
- Boosting employee morale
Marketing
A WELL building is a powerful marketing tool to showcase the your company's social and environmental commitment. Show that your company, business or residential building is making real and tangible efforts towards the well-being of its occupants. Furthermore, demonstrate that it has been recognised by the most prestigious organisation for well-being implementation worldwide, the International WELL Building Institute.
Quality standard
With the WELL Certification, the project ensures that the built environment meets strict criteria for sustainability, health and wellbeing detailed in the WELL Building Standard. Beyond the complexities of each project, the application of a WELL Certification process is the guarantee that all the objectives defined at the beginning of the project are maintained, as well as the truthfulness and quality of the proposals.
Who can obtain WELL Certification?
There are currently almost 6,000 registered projects aiming for WELL Certification across more than 65 countries. Although the majority are for office spaces, The WELL Building Standard is also applicable to residential projects, educational facilities, retail premises and restaurants.. Furthermore, WELL Certification is applicable both to buildings and their envelope and to independent spaces within the same. An example is the case of corporate headquarters located in an office building.
How much does the WELL Certification cost?
WELL Certification costs are divided into project customisation costs, certification costs and advisory costs. The project adaptation and consultancy costs of the WELL Certification are very similar to those of the LEED or BREEAM Certification. However, the certification cost is higher than that of the other certifications. This is because the achievement of some of its credits is contingent upon obtaining tangible results during the measurement process, which requires the existence of a Well Assessor. This Well Assessor, assigned by the GBCI, in addition to having an advisory role during the certification process, will be responsible for carrying out the final visit that will determine the achievement of WELL Certification.
Implementation
The cost overrun value for the project adaptation, consultancy and the payment of the certification to the organisation WELL does not exceed the PEM’s 2%. In fact, depending on the project, the cost overrun may be less than 1% of the PEM.
Savings
When referring to residential buildings, a US study has shown that WELL-certified homes have seen their value rise by 20%. Similarly, they see their operating costs reduced due to a series of measures that allow better use of environmental conditions.
In the case of offices, the most appropriate way to evaluate the cost of implementing the WELL Building Standard is by contrasting it with the savings achieved through staff costs. These savings are due to increase in employee health, wellbeing and motivation levels. We must emphasise that, in 2019, absenteeism from work due to stressful working environments alone cost Spanish companies more than 7,000 million euros in losses. To this, it must be added that, under COVID-19 conditions, These losses increased to 8 billion in 2020.
En Evalore Spaces we are specialists in implementing various certifications such as Passivhaus, WELL Health-Safety Rating, Biosphere, Airfirst, among others. TWe have an international presence and we are a pioneering company in the implementation of health and wellbeing measures in major projects in Spain. Additionally, we have developed our own method for implementing measures wellness tailored to each client that enables the WELL Certification to be obtained in a scalable and personalised way. If you are interested in WELL Certification or in making your company a healthy business, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us and we will give you a free diagnosis.
Pablo Muñoz, CPHD, LEED GA, BPI MFBA
Co-founder and CEO of Espacios Evalore SLP
