What Exactly is a WELL Building?

We’re all familiar with accreditations assessing energy efficiency, sustainable construction, and environmental impact (EPC, BREEAM, SKA to name a few). These are becoming widely adopted as industry standard. 

At TSP, we believe our workplace should not only be planet-friendly, but people-friendly too. Organisational health and wellbeing should be the beating heart.

Given we spend 90% of our time indoors – there’s a lot riding on the four walls tenants dwell in daily.

So, how can accreditations help? WELL Building Standard and Fitwel are two rating systems which consider people-focused design and are invested in company’s most valuable assets: employees. 

WELL Building

Launched in 2015, WELL Building Standard is the world’s first accreditation focused exclusively on advancing human health and wellness. Backed by latest scientific research, WELL sets pathways to support physical and mental health across 11 core concepts: 

• Air
• Water
• Nourishment
• Light
• Movement
• Thermal Comfort
• Sound
• Materials
• Mind
• Community
• Innovation

Operational protocols, company-wide practices, and design interventions are rigorously assessed and verified by a third party. 

Fitwel

Launched in September 2020, Fitwel has already positively impacted health across more than 100 million sq ft of real estate, in more than 40 countries. They have identified 63 evidence backed strategies proven to enhance the health and wellbeing of building occupants. The rating system is to be used as a roadmap and professional framework to aid new office design. 

WELL Building Standard and Fitwel are more than just credentials or ‘stamps of approval’. They offer substantive value, reconstructing and enriching lives daily. 

And this in turn increases occupancy, lease retention, and sales price. On average, WELL accredited buildings increase rents by 10%. In their recent study, they identified that 73% of early adopters of WELL buildings saw faster lease-up rates and 62% saw increases in building values. 

Moreover, a sustainability review published in 2020 by MDPI concludes commercial properties with green certification have on average a 6% increased occupancy and 15% higher sales prices.

Nowadays, it’s not enough to say how good you are. You must prove it. Accreditation is a good way to have third-party validation that what you say about your building is legitimate. They provide a differentiated experience and competitive edge in today’s challenging market.