The WELL Building Standard is a set of guidelines for designing and certifying facilities that promote human health and happiness. WELL was developed over ten years and is based on the most recent scientific research. It establishes pathways for achieving health-first factors that support our physical and mental wellbeing, allowing us to do our best job and be our best selves. A third party verifies stringent performance requirements for design interventions, operational protocols, and company-wide policies. Furthermore, WELL is effective at all scales, from a single interior space to an entire company. We will learn more about the cost, levels, and fit of the WELL certification building process.
A WELL Certification is excellent for businesses who want to apply to WELL in just one building or asset. The tool also enables businesses to track ongoing building performance and get employee input, allowing them to take a data-driven approach to their health and well-being initiatives. Furthermore, WELL Certification can help organizations improve their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting efforts by providing quantitative measures.
Within the ten WELL ideas, including Air, Water, Thermal Comfort, Light, Movement, Nourishment, Sound, Mind, Community, and Materials, projects must seek a specific subset of features or tactics. Projects must produce documentation that is assessed and tested by a third party to establish compliance with program requirements.
WELL Certification Building
The Well certification building is a performance-based method for measuring, certifying, and monitoring built-environment qualities that benefit human health and wellbeing across seven main areas: air, water, sustenance, light, fitness, comfort, and mind. Also, the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), a public benefit organization whose aim is to improve human health and wellbeing via the built environment, manages and administers WELL.
It’s based on a body of medical study that looks into the link between the buildings we spend more than 90% of our time in and the health and wellness of the people who live there. WELL Certified spaces and WELL Compliant core and shell developments can help to create a constructed environment that promotes healthy eating, exercise, mood, and sleeping habits.
The Green Business Certification Incorporation (GBCI), which also runs the LEED certification program and the LEED professional credentialing program, has third-party certified the Well certification building.
WELL is changing the way people think about architecture. It looks at how to improve the design, operations, and behaviors of the places where we live, work, learn, and play to improve human health and well-being. A WELL certification is a flexible building that reflects the future of architecture, covering the seven basic ideas of health described above and hundreds of elements.
WELL Certification Process
The five steps of the WELL certification process are as follows:
- Registration
- Obtaining the necessary documentation
- Verification of performance
- Certification
- Recertification
WELL AP Certification
WELL Accredited Professional (WELL AP) certification denotes expertise in human health and wellness in the built environment. After deciding to become a WELL AP, the first step is to create a free WELL online account at wellonline.wellcertified.com. Do you want to also get a WELL Credential? GBRI is currently providing scholarships for free exam prep for WELL AP, LEED Green Associate, LEED AP BD+C, and LEED AP O+M.
How Can I Sign Up for the Well AP Exam?
You can register for the WELL AP exam after registering for a free WELL online account. At the top of the page, click “Become a WELL AP,” then scroll down and select your nation, and lastly click the “Register Now” option. You will pay and register for your exam, then receive a code that you will enter into www.prometric.com to select your exam date and time.
Fit WELL Certification
Fit well is a commercial building rating system that outlines best practices for designing and operating healthier structures. SIG, as green building consultants, is always listening in on the industry to see what’s new, and we’ve heard a lot of excitement about this new grading system for two reasons:
- One of the next key trends in green building is health and wellbeing, which is becoming increasingly essential to people. According to McKinsey & Company, “health” will be the next trillion-dollar sector.
- Fit well certification is less expensive and faster than the WELL Building Standard.
Fit Well is a cooperative program headed by the CDC and the General Services Administration (GSA) that provides standards for planning, constructing, and maintaining healthier buildings. Furthermore, Fit Well is operated by the Center for Active Design (CfAD), which is also in charge of third-party certification verification.
Fit WELL Certification Cost
Fit well is a very cost-effective building certification to obtain, and it is one of the most economical. Furthermore, fit well is related to two primary costs (notice that additional capital charges and/or other soft costs may be involved):
- The registration fee is $500
- The certification fee ranges from $5,500 to $10,000. (depending on the square feet of the building)
WELL Certification Cost
Well is an investment, as you are aware. However, the cost of good certification is lower now than when it was first introduced. IWBI released WELL v2TM in 2018 in response to market feedback. This version has fewer criteria and a new cost structure than the previous one.
So how much does the WELL certification cost? How much does a WELL Health Safety Seal cost? That is an excellent question. It’s not always easy to determine specific expenses without knowing more about the project, because costs can vary significantly.
The cost of applying for a Well certification varies on the type of area, organization, and size. WELL v2 certification fees, as well as support-related expenditures, are additional costs. These, too, are dependent on the project kind.
There will be charges for payments, features, and so on. These differ from one project to the next. You can use this easy WELL price calculator.
Well Certification Levels
The LEED certification is well-known around the world, but the WELL certification has grown in popularity in recent years. The LEED and WELL rating systems assess building performance across numerous categories, and the certification levels are determined by the score obtained. While LEED emphasizes energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, WELL emphasizes human well-being, as the name implies.
WELL typically has three certification levels, each with a name and score that corresponds to the top three LEED levels. Furthermore, the key distinction is in the performance requirements and the method of awarding points.
- Silver necessitates a total of 50 points.
- Gold requires a total of 60 points.
- Platinum requires a total of 80 points.
The certification bronze level, which is below a silver and requires a minimum score of 40, is also available to core and shell projects. This approach is only viable if tenant spaces and communal areas account for at least 75% of the floor space.
How Does WELL Work?
The WELL Building Standard examines seven aspects, or Core Concepts, that influence occupant health in buildings.
Air
Polluted air is the leading cause of death from natural causes around the world. Poor air quality caused approximately 100,000 premature deaths in the United States in 2016 and over 6 million premature deaths worldwide. Some pollution indicators have concentrations that are 2-5 times higher indoors than outdoors. WELL v1 provides requirements in buildings that promote clean air and limit or minimize indoor pollution sources.
Water
Women should drink at least 2.7 liters (11 cups) and men should drink at least 3.7 liters (16 cups) of water per day, according to the Institute of Medicine. A person’s cognitive performance can be harmed if he or she is dehydrated by merely 2%. WELL v1 advocates the use of correct filtration techniques and regular testing to ensure safe and clean water.
Nourishment
More than half the world’s adults are overweight or obese today as a result of poor eating habits. Poor nutrition is also, a major factor in chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity, which are all preventable. Also, WELL v1 necessitates the availability of fresh, whole foods, restricts the use of highly processed components, and encourages mindful eating.
Light
Studies have discovered a link between proximity to windows and productivity, particularly when windows provide a view of the outdoors. The body’s circadian rhythm is influenced by poor ventilation and lighting, which can contribute to chronic disorders such as obesity, diabetes, and depression. WELL v1 provides lighting standards that reduce disruption to the body’s circadian system, increase productivity, and promote decent sleep quality.
Fitness
Physical inactivity is widespread over the world, with 23% of individuals failing to achieve the World Health Organization’s international exercise and physical activity guidelines (WHO). Insufficiently active individuals also have a 20-30% higher risk of mortality; than those who follow international guidelines according to WHO. WELL v1 encourages people to be more active in their daily lives by giving opportunities and support for an active lifestyle while discouraging sedentary behaviors.
Comfort
Over $2.5 billion is spent on medical and other expenditures connected to work-related musculoskeletal problems, including lost productivity. The physical stress of work-related musculoskeletal problems can be reduced by designing for ergonomic safety. Furthermore, WELL v1 optimizes indoor working conditions by taking into account thermal, acoustic, ergonomic, and olfactory comfort.
Mind
Housing, crowding, noise, indoor air quality, and light, among other factors, can have a direct impact on mental health and well-being. So, mental, neurological, and substance use disorders account for 14% of the global illness burden; with depression being the main cause of disability globally. Furthermore, WELL v1 uses design, technology, and therapeutic practices to improve cognitive and emotional health.
What Are the Advantages of Well Certification?
The following are some of the advantages that buildings with this certification enjoy:
- A better working, shopping, and visiting environment for employees, consumers, and visitors.
- Increased productivity and employee satisfaction, resulting in higher staff retention.
- A cutting-edge corporate image that attracts and retains clients and collaborators by instilling happiness, identity, and culture in them.
- Quality assurance as a means of company leadership.
- Set yourself apart from the competition.
- Marketing additional value is priceless.
- Affordable rate of return on investment.
Conclusion
There you have it. Now that you know what goes into the Well certification building process, as well as the costs, levels, and fit well certification, you can see the advantages of WELL certification. After all, you’ll want both a short-term and a long-term return on your building, and WELL provides both.
Frequently Asked Question
What does it mean to be well accredited?
WELL Accredited Professional (WELL AP) is a health and wellness credential that signifies knowledge of the WELL Building Standard.
What are the well Ratings?
The WELL rating is a performance-based system developed by the USGBC for assessing, certifying, and monitoring aspects of the built environment that have an impact on human health and well-being. Also, its residents’ nutrition, exercise, mood, sleep patterns, and performance are all aimed toward preventing chronic diseases.
How does one become well certified?
Before the final certification assessment, WELL Certification needs documentation as well as a set of onsite performance tests known as Performance Verification. Annotated project documents and drawings, as well as letters of assurance from the project team, are all documentation.
When did well certification start?
The WELL Building Standard was founded by Paul Scialla, founder of design firm Delos, in 2013 to improve people’s lives by creating environments that promote occupant health and quality of life by spreading WELL globally.
