What It Is

WELL Building Standard v2 is a performance-based certification framework administered by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). It focuses on designing, operating, and verifying buildings to advance human health and well-being through evidence-based strategies across indoor environments and organizational policies. Its people-first approach uses preconditions for minimum requirements and optimizations for points.

Key Components

• **10 core conceptsAir, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, Community (plus Innovation).
• 24 Preconditions (mandatory) and 102 Optimizations (point-earning).
• Built on public health research; certification via Bronze (40 pts), Silver (50), Gold (60), Platinum (80) with concept minimums.
• Requires on-site performance verification and documentation review.

Why Organizations Use It

Enhances occupant health, productivity, and ESG reporting; reduces absenteeism and boosts rents/values. Voluntary but differentiates in leasing/HR; manages IEQ risks complementing LEED.

Implementation Overview

Phased: enrollment, scorecard, documentation, third-party review/testing, certification (new/existing buildings). Cross-functional teams; 12-18 months typical; recertify every 3 years with monitoring.

What It Is

ISO/IEC 17025:2017 is the international standard titled General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. It is an accreditation framework specifying requirements for technical competence, impartiality, and consistent operation. Its risk-based approach integrates management and technical controls to ensure valid results.

Key Components

• Eight main elements: general, structural, resource, process, and management system requirements.
• Focus on impartiality/confidentiality (Clause 4), personnel competence, metrological traceability, method validation, uncertainty evaluation, and proficiency testing.
• Built on risk-based thinking; Option A/B for management systems (standalone or ISO 9001-aligned).
• Accreditation model via ILAC-recognized bodies assessing scope-specific competence.

Why Organizations Use It

• Enables global acceptance of results, market access, and regulatory compliance.
• Mitigates risks from invalid data, enhances trust with customers/regulators.
• Provides competitive edge through demonstrated credibility and efficiency.

Implementation Overview

• Phased PDCA: gap analysis, documentation, training, validation, audits.
• Applies to labs of all sizes in testing/calibration; requires witnessed assessments. (178 words)