WELL Certification

WELL Certification is an international standard that focuses on the health and wellbeing of the people who occupy a building. Developed by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), it assesses how a building affects the physical, mental and emotional health of its users, and is used across offices, hospitals, schools and other developments worldwide.

What does WELL assess?

Unlike certifications focused mainly on energy efficiency, WELL centres on the human experience of the built environment. The current version, WELL v2, is organised around ten concepts:

• Air: indoor air quality through ventilation and filtration.
• Water: access to safe, good-quality drinking water.
• Nourishment: support for healthier eating in workplaces and other settings.
• Light: natural and artificial lighting that respects circadian rhythms.
• Movement: design that encourages physical activity.
• Thermal comfort: control and quality of indoor temperature.
• Sound: reducing noise and improving acoustic comfort.
• Materials: minimising hazardous substances in finishes and furnishings.
• Mind: support for mental and emotional wellbeing.
• Community: inclusion, equity and engagement.

Certification levels

Projects must meet a set of preconditions and can then gain points through optional optimisations, leading to one of four levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum. Certification is performance-based and is typically valid for three years, with annual reporting and full recertification at the end of each cycle.

Benefits of WELL

• Improves occupant productivity, comfort and satisfaction.
• Helps attract and retain talent.
• Strengthens corporate responsibility and brand reputation.
• Works alongside other certifications such as LEED and EDGE, creating synergies in sustainable design.

How to obtain WELL Certification

1. Register the project on the WELL Online platform.
2. Assess the design and operational policies against the relevant concepts.
3. Verification by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), including on-site performance testing.
4. Ongoing monitoring, since WELL is based on real performance, not design alone.

WELL Certification represents a way of approaching sustainability that starts from the human experience, complementing the environmental focus of other green building schemes. It suits companies and developers that want to create healthy, productive spaces as part of their wider sustainability strategy. At Manglai we help organisations connect healthy buildings with their carbon footprint and sustainability reporting. Discover how Manglai can help you.