Now that the first group of office fitouts to receive WELL certification has been completed, the business case can be analyzed.
A few of the early adopters completed fitouts for less than $1 per square foot in additional costs. For the others, the cost to achieve WELL certification ranged from $1 to $4 per square foot, according to a report by the Urban Land Institute.
The costliest items for most tenant fitout projects were noise reduction in an open office environment, enhanced HVAC filtration and zone control, and increased employee access to healthy food by replacing vending machines with cafés and kitchens.
The WELL standard focuses on seven key elements of a healthy building—air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind. Other initiatives by early adopters included subsidies for a bike-share program, discounted fitness facility memberships, and new sit/stand desks and tables.
Early adopters will now track the potential benefits of WELL—improved productivity, reduced absenteeism, and reduced turnover.
Related Stories
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Nov 14, 2016
Soccer stadium from Zaha Hadid Architects will be constructed almost entirely of wood
The architects say the project will be the greenest soccer stadium in the world once completed.
![Applying modern energy codes to building envelope retrofits [AIA course]](/sites/default/files/styles/list_big/public/OPENERHoffmann9.jpg?itok=uE70VdED "Applying modern energy codes to building envelope retrofits [AIA course]")
Green | Oct 27, 2016
Applying modern energy codes to building envelope retrofits [AIA course]
When applying current energy codes to existing buildings, a number of issues arise, particularly where the building exterior is concerned, writes Hoffmann Architects' Bradley Carmichael. This AIA CES Discovery course is worth 1.0 AIA CES HSW learning unit.
Green | Oct 12, 2016
Acting as a giant air purifier, this tower could help solve China’s pollution problem
The 23-ft tall tower operates almost entirely on wind energy.
Codes and Standards | Oct 10, 2016
New sustainable landscape development and management credential launched
GBCI offered the first testing opportunity Oct. 3 at Greenbuild
Codes and Standards | Oct 6, 2016
Obama administration will spend $80 million for smart cities initiatives
The technology is targeted for climate, transportation, resiliency.
Lighting | Oct 6, 2016
Healthcare systems lighting their way to savings
There has been a rapid improvement and availability of LED products as primary light sources in most healthcare facility applications.
Green | Oct 6, 2016
AIA Report: Mixed results in design projects meeting 2030 Commitment targets
More buildings are meeting certain goals, but energy intensity reduction results have flat lined
Green | Oct 6, 2016
GBCI announces arc, a new technology organization to measure and compare green building performance
Arc is a platform that will allow any building to participate and immediately start measuring performance, make improvements, and benchmark against itself.
Green | Oct 4, 2016
The Clear Orb is one of the shortlisted projects for 2016 Land Art Generator Initiative
Designed by Heerim Architects & Planners, The Clear Orb would produce just under 600 million gallons of clean water annually.
