WASHINGTON, DC--The International WELL Building Institute and its WELL Building Standard, introduced last year, is rapidly (for a new movement) making inroads in the commercial real estate space. Or perhaps better put, it is making news more often.

Its latest public appearance is in an article in Transwestern's new edition of Insights. The article looks at WELL and its 100 performance metrics that capture how a building's air, water and light impacts people's health and productivity.

The metrics are based on science and medical research but in many cases translate into common sense design strategies. For example, according to Transwestern, medical studies had shown that giving employees the freedom to sit in different places from day to day allows them to be more creative and productive. Or, because humans are hardwired to connect to nature, another metric calls for lighting, artwork, paint and carpeting that reflect the outdoors. “WELL suggests placing artwork or an outdoor view at the end of every long hallway to capitalize on this attraction to nature,” Transwestern writes.

Transwestern likens these early days of WELL to USGBC and its launch. It writes:

WELL's start-up phase resembles that of the US Green Building Council's LEED certification, whose pilot program launched in 1998 to measure energy efficiency in buildings. LEED was an unknown concept for many years before growing into the well-respected certification it is today.

USGBC Founder Rick Fedrizzi to Head IWBI

Perhaps not surprisingly, given how similar their missions are, USGBC founder Rick Fedrizzi will become CEO of the International WELL Building Institute in November when he leaves USGBC. He has already joined the group as its chairman. Fedrizzi founded USGC twelve years ago and is perhaps its most recognizable executive. As head of IWBI, he'll bring the organization a cache it otherwise might not had.

The American Society of Interior Designers is also lending its support to the new standard with its plans to have its new headquarters space become certified to WELL.

Perkins+Will designed ASID's 8,500-square foot headquarters at 1152 15th Street, NW, basing several of the systems on the WELL standard, including a circadian lighting system that mimics the daily color temperature cycle of natural daylight and automated shades that raise or lower in response to the sun's position and current weather conditions.

The headquarters features an office environment reservation and virtual receptionist systems.

There is also a reservation system that offers employees the choice of several workplace environments based on what they are doing that day, from collaborative meetings to private work.

And Perkins+Will went one better than just having “lighting, artwork, paint and carpeting that reflect the outdoors” by creating an office herb garden that is part of a larger so-called biophilic design strategy meant to reduce stress.

ASID Participates in University Research on Building Health

ASID is also partnering with IWBI in a pre- and post- occupancy study with Cornell University on the health impact of ASID's new headquarters. As part of the initial occupancy evaluations, ASID staff members volunteered to wear monitors that measure speech patterns and body movement.

ASID will also measure how interactions may change as a result of the new office design, which has integrated a number of sensor and software applications to capture such changes in the internal environment as electrical load consumption, air quality — including particle count — sound levels, and water quality.

All of this wellness, of course, comes at a cost. As Transwestern notes in its article:

There are many factors to consider, and each company must weigh the costs and benefits to determine if early adoption is warranted.

Instant Insights /

International WELL Building Institute Continues to Get Its Props

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