WELL standard offers multiple benefits for owners, says real estate executive

Building design elements devised to meet the WELL standard are attractive to most tenants, so WELL buildings can be expected to command higher rents, Kat West, WELL certified project manager at Jones Lang LaSalle, told GlobeSt.com.

WELL-certified buildings are designed to benefit specific bodily systems such as the respiratory, cardiovascular, muscular, and skeletal systems, West pointed out. In a WELL-certified space, the water, air, and food in the space are designed to optimize human health.

WELL is a new rating system so the achievement of WELL certification is still extremely prestigious. By investing in WELL-certified buildings, companies can show a strong message that they care about employee well-being and will be able to use real estate as a recruiting tool, West said.

Optional features such as sleep pods may give companies in WELL-certified buildings a competitive advantage when working on deadline-driven projects she added. Offering healthy foods and exercise equipment could improve employee health and lower healthcare costs by combating chronic, lifestyle-related diseases.