Occupier_News_Q32016_Global

GOSLIGHTS

WELL Certification Questions Answered

Where is this movement headed? Using our physical spaces: offices, homes, hospitals, schools, etc., to enhance the health and well-being of the occupants has become a huge global movement with far-reaching implications. More and more of our clients are recognizing that creating a “healthy” workspace is critical for recruiting and retaining top-talented employees. In the near future, we may even see health insurance companies offering lower premiums for firms that have WELL Certified office spaces. We’re excited to see where this movement takes us

Alex Spilger , Senior Vice President, is leading Cushman & Wakefield’s first WELL Certified Project for client, 23andME, a genetic testing technology company aiming to become the one of the first 12 projects to certify under the WELL system. WELL is the world’s first building standard focused exclusively on human health and wellness and has triggered new innovations in building practices, design and development. WELL is administered by the International

WELL Building Institute (IWBI), a public benefit corporation whose mission is to improve human health and wellbeing through the built environment. It is a framework that all projects can use as a guide for implementing strategies focused on the health and well-being of occupants.

over the next few years and to be on the front lines with helping our diverse portfolio of clients create healthier, more dynamic workplaces. Does WELL have a professional designation similar

Read a Q&A with Alex below.

to the LEED AP credential? Yes,

professionals can take an exam demonstrating proficiency in the WELL Rating System. I was fortunate to be invited to help develop the exam so we have a unique insight as to what is required to pass and we’ll be offering internal WELL AP prep courses to anyone at Cushman & Wakefield that is interested.

What are the costs and what are the paybacks with creating healthier workspaces and certifying under WELL? WELL Certification is still in its infancy, so we don’t have concrete data on the costs and payback for buildings of different sizes and uses. Costs will certainly come down as more projects register for the system and the design & construction community becomes more familiar with how to implement WELL strategies and design features into their projects. The return on investment is more difficult to measure than with energy efficiency upgrades, etc.; however, creating a workplaces where employees thrive has been proven to have a strong positive impact on a company’s bottom line.

More and more of our clients are recognizing that creating a ‘healthy’ workspace is critical for recruiting and retaining top-talented employees.

– Alex Spilger

22 | THE OCCUPIER NEWS Q3

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