WELL Certification: how to improve well-being and health in buildings

The WELL standard is transforming the way we design, build, and use the spaces in which we live and work. This measurement and improvement tool focuses on people's well-being and health in a holistic way, promoting healthy, inclusive environments that improve quality of life.

What is WELL Certification and why is it important?

WELL Certification is managed by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) and issued by the American Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI). Since 2014, it has been the first system to define the parameters by which buildings can improve the lives of the people who occupy them. It promotes people's comfort and introduces a holistic approach that takes a comprehensive and innovative look at how a building can positively impact health and well-being.

Based on medical and scientific research, the protocol proposes actions and policies that strategically address health and well-being through design, management, and cultural dissemination standards. The 10 concepts or categories of the WELL protocol address the following topics:

• Air: indoor air quality levels;
• Water: water quality, distribution, and control in the building;
• Nourishment: availability of healthy food and nutritional transparency;
• Light: visual, mental, and biological health related to available light;
• Movement: policies and programs to ensure opportunities for movement;
• Thermal comfort: maximum level of thermal comfort for all users;
• Sound: acoustic comfort parameters that affect well-being;
• Materials: reduction of exposure to chemicals that may have an impact on health;
• Mind: mental health and cognitive and emotional well-being;
• Community: support for the diverse needs of occupants and the surrounding community;

Each category of the WELL protocol is designed to be analyzed from different technical and qualitative points of view, taking into account both structural aspects such as internal architectural choices, the harmonization of spaces, the achievement of quality standards for people's well-being, and the adoption of policies that encourage the company to adopt and maintain this cultural change dedicated to the happiness of the people who live in the space.

Once the building has been registered on the standard's website, the certification process takes place in two main stages. The first is the verification of the design “features,” i.e., the strategies selected and implemented by the company, by GBCI (Green Business Certification Inc.), a third-party certifying body that plays a central role in ensuring compliance with the requirements. Next, WELL Performance Verification is carried out, a fundamental step that distinguishes WELL certification. This phase involves an on-site verification performed by a WELL Performance Testing Agent, an independent professional tasked with directly evaluating the building's performance through specific tests. These verifications are carried out on behalf of a WELL Performance Testing Organization, ensuring an impartial and rigorous approach.

The certification expires and must be renewed every three years. In addition, to ensure that the quality and performance of the building are maintained over time, documentation must be uploaded annually to the WELL Online platform to demonstrate the continuity of the activities that led to certification, such as occupant satisfaction, maintenance activities carried out, and the results of ongoing monitoring and testing.

WELL certification adapts to the type of space, requiring different requirements, for example, in the case of spaces used solely as offices, or in the case of spaces that also include eating areas, such as a canteen. Depending on the score obtained through the Optimisations selected in the strategy, there are 4 levels of certification:

Bronze: between 40 and 49 points (minimum certification level)

• Silver: between 50 and 59 points
• Gold: between 60 and 79 points
• Platinum: 80 points and above (maximum level, with a total of 100 points available)

The benefits of WELL Certification

WELL Certification offers companies the opportunity to improve people's well-being and gain strategic advantages. By integrating evidence-based strategies, WELL not only promotes health, but also generates tangible benefits in terms of productivity, talent attraction, and real estate value, making it a highly profitable investment.

WELL Certification offers companies the opportunity to improve people's well-being and gain strategic advantages. By integrating evidence-based strategies, WELL not only promotes health, but also generates tangible benefits in terms of productivity, talent attraction, and real estate value, making it a highly profitable investment.

Improved health and well-being

Environments designed according to the WELL standard reduce exposure to pollutants and promote healthy habits, with a direct impact on employee health. For example, studies show that better air quality increases employee performance by 8% (International Journal of Environmental Research).

Increased productivity

Healthy spaces and corporate policies aimed at work-life balance promote concentration and emotional well-being, increasing business productivity by up to 30% (Knoll Workplace Research "What's Good for People? Moving From Wellness to Well-Being).

Attracting and retaining talent

Investing in well-being in the workplace makes companies more attractive to top talent, helping to retain their people. Certified buildings communicate the company's commitment to health and well-being, strengthening its reputation and employee engagement (International WELL Building Institute "Competing for top talent? Here's what staff want“; ”Workplace, meet WELL: Enhancing the employee experience through healthy buildings").

Added value to real estate

WELL-certified buildings achieve a higher ranking in the real estate market. Data shows a 7.7% increase in rent per square meter for certified properties (MIT Center for Real Estate Research). In addition, the 10-year net present value (NPV) for healthy, high-performance buildings is $115 per square meter (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory).

WELL certification: who is it suitable for?

WELL certification is designed to suit any type of building project—from residential complexes to workplaces, restaurants, schools, or healthcare facilities—with a flexible approach that can respond to different needs.

The certification structure combines mandatory features (Preconditions), which ensure a minimum level of quality, with additional options (Optimisations), which allow specific strategies to be adopted to achieve customised objectives. This approach allows for certification at different levels and a path of continuous improvement.

WELL also offers targeted paths through certifications focused on specific aspects of well-being, designed for particular needs or as a first step towards full certification. These include:

• WELL Health-Safety Rating: focus on health, safety, and hygiene;
• WELL Performance Rating: focus on monitoring and improving performance, such as air quality, acoustic comfort, and employee satisfaction;
• WELL Equity Rating: focus on initiatives related to diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.

NATIVA accompanied Chiesi Farmaceutici's Parma headquarters in obtaining WELL Platinum certification in October 2024. The sustainability journey of this building began with its construction, when it obtained LEED Platinum (New Construction) certification in 2020. In 2022, Chiesi decided to explore the benefits of the WELL standard for its people, and after years of improvement, it obtained the highest recognition of this certification.

Today, there are 1,690 WELL-certified buildings worldwide, including 581 WELL Platinum buildings, and in Italy there are only 39 WELL-certified buildings, with 14 Platinum buildings. The number of certifications is growing exponentially, with a total of around 500 buildings in 2021, which is more than triple the number to date.

Thanks to the implementation of WELL strategies, the Chiesi headquarters in Parma has numerous positive features, some of which are highly distinctive, aimed at the well-being of its employees. For example, it has been designed with different “acoustic zones” to ensure spaces that are suitable for different work needs: these zones comply with specific noise levels, guaranteed by acoustic tests, and use materials that improve insulation, reverberation, and absorption. The company canteen follows WELL guidelines, avoiding foods with artificial ingredients that are harmful to health and promoting healthy foods. The company has created specific procedures related to the provision of stress management services, psychological support, and physical activity.

The WELL protocol represents an opportunity to evaluate and improve spaces, both work and non-work, through standards of excellence in design and management that focus on people's well-being and therefore on the future of organizations. Considering that we spend an average of 90% of our time indoors, investing in the ability of buildings to ensure and promote well-being, whether in offices, residences, or public spaces, is of fundamental importance.

NATIVA supports you in learning about and exploring the standard, measuring your current performance, and planning improvements based on the strategy best suited to your specific needs, right through to assessment and support in obtaining certification.

If you are interested in finding out how to apply the WELL standard to your building, contact us today at info@nativalab.com.