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. Scope covers new and existing structures across sectors like offices, residential, and hospitality. Key approach: evidence-based preconditions (mandatory) and optimizations (points-based) across 10 concepts.

Key Components

• **10 core conceptsAir, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, Community (plus Innovation).
• 24 Preconditions, 102 Optimizations totaling up to 110 points.
• Built on public health research and building science.
• Certification model: tiers (Bronze 40pts, Silver 50pts, Gold 60pts, Platinum 80pts) with concept minimums; requires documentation review and on-site performance verification.

Why Organizations Use It

Drives occupant productivity, retention, ESG reporting, and premium rents (up to 7.7% higher). Mitigates health risks, enhances reputation. Complements LEED for holistic sustainability. Builds stakeholder trust via verified metrics.

Implementation Overview

Phased: gap analysis, scorecard, design integration, verification, operations. Cross-functional teams (facilities, HR, design). Applies globally to all building types/sizes. Needs WELL APs, testing agents; recertifies every 3 years with monitoring.

What It Is

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a voluntary green building certification framework developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). It provides a performance-based system for sustainable design, construction, operations, and maintenance across all building types and phases. The primary scope encompasses energy efficiency, water use, site impacts, materials, and indoor quality, using a points-based methodology to verify outcomes.

Key Components

LEED organizes requirements into core categories like Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere (highest weighted), Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, Innovation, and Regional Priority. Total points reach up to 110, with mandatory prerequisites establishing baselines and elective credits earning points. Certification levels—Certified (40-49), Silver (50-59), Gold (60-79), Platinum (80+)—are awarded via GBCI third-party review.

Why Organizations Use It

Organizations pursue LEED for cost savings (energy/water reductions), ESG alignment, risk mitigation (resilience/climate), and market premiums (higher rents/values). It builds stakeholder trust through credible verification, though not legally required.

Implementation Overview

Implementation follows phases: initiation (scorecard), design (modeling), construction (documentation), operations (O+M). Applicable globally to any size/industry; requires registration (Arc/LEED Online), rigorous documentation, and audits for certification/recertification.