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.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Oct 16, 2015
Appellate court enacts nationwide stay on controversial expansion of Clean Water Act
New EPA rule suspended until court cases settled.
Codes and Standards | Oct 9, 2015
New California law means commercial building benchmarking program will be implemented
Multifamily housing to be included, a first for a U.S. state.
Codes and Standards | Oct 2, 2015
New ASHRAE guideline for commissioning existing systems and assemblies
Focuses on optimum facility and system operation.
Codes and Standards | Sep 18, 2015
New RELi standard addresses disaster resilience
Based on LEED model, may help lower insurance rates
Building Materials | Aug 28, 2015
Structural steel buildings specification available for second public review
Next year's specification open for comments until Sept. 21
Energy Efficiency | Aug 28, 2015
North American Passive House Network e-book explains Passivhaus, net-zero techniques
Free guide includes spotlight on individual projects
Windows and Doors | Aug 28, 2015
Newly formed group challenges Florida building code
Window, door companies oppose provisions that raise costs
Codes and Standards | Aug 28, 2015
New Orleans becoming a model for climate resilience only 10 years after Katrina
The city has moved ahead with resilience strategies that may become a model for other communities
Codes and Standards | Aug 21, 2015
Illinois governor vetoes bill that would restrict condo owners’ rights
Bill would have made it harder to sue for building flaws
Codes and Standards | Aug 21, 2015
Post-Katrina roofing codes creating more resilient buildings on Gulf Coast
Ten years after storm, notable progress on stronger roofs, IBHS says