What is the WELL Building Standard?

Erecting a building requires careful planning and engineering. Standards have been set to ensure the
quality and integrity of an erected building. Aside from national standards, construction companies
often try to follow third-party standards to increase customer confidence in their finished work. The
WELL Building Standard™ is one such standard.

Designed to push groups to build buildings that put human health in mind, the WELL Building Standard™
follows seven concepts for human well-building: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and
mind. These concepts also serve as the main categories of the standard’s scoreboard. The standard was
developed in 2013 by US-based Delos Living LLC. The standard follows principles that aim to improve
human health by designating well-researched performance standards, protocols, and policies to ensure
the good health of the building users. The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) currently
manages the standard. In 2016, following the trend of green and sustainable design, the WELL Building
Standard™ has aligned itself with the UK-based Building Research Establishment. This alignment
resulted in the merging of the Building Research Establishment (BRE) Environmental Assessment,
meaning that each organization will recognize the other’s standards. Talk about working together for the
greater good!

People-oriented engineering firms believe that companies should also invest in the well-being of their
asset: people. In fact, it is known that having a good environment nurtures a person’s full potential. This
is one reason why the WELL Building Standard™ emphasizes designing space fostering a healthy and
productive environment which in turn makes people happier.

The standard has many features each aiming to address an issue that could potentially affect the well-
being of people. These features are mainly divided into two: Performance-based standards and
descriptive standards. The former has more leeway while the latter requires some specific tangible
strategies to be implemented.

Because of its good results, the standard itself is certified by another group, the Green Business
Certification Incorporation (GBCI). The GBCI is the group behind the Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED), the number one green building rating system worldwide.