Comparing Healthy Building Certifications: WELL, FITWEL, & UL Verified Healthy Building.

What Is The WELL Building Institute?

The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public corporation spearheading the global initiative to transform our buildings, communities, and organizations in ways that foster human health and well-being. The IWBI is the administrator of the WELL Building Standard, the world's premier health-focused building standard, and the WELL Community Standard, and extends the benefits of WELL buildings to entire communities.

These performance-based systems measure, certify, and monitor features of the building environments across seven categories: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind, to enhance occupants' health and quality of life. Through its mission to improve human health and well-being in buildings and communities worldwide, the IWBI collaborates with a global network of professionals dedicated to promoting health and well-being where we live, work, and play.

What Are The WELL Building Standards & Certifications?

1. The WELL Building Standard:

The WELL Building Standard is a performance-based system that measures, certifies, and monitors aspects of the building's environment that impact human health and well-being. It covers air quality, water quality, access to nourishment, lighting, fitness, comfort, and mental wellness.

2. The WELL Community Certification:

The WELL Community Certification focuses on a larger scale than individual buildings, targeting the health and well-being of individuals throughout entire neighborhoods and communities. It considers factors such as access to healthy food, opportunities for physical activity, and social equity aspects.

3. The WELL Portfolio:

The WELL Portfolio offers a simplified route to achieve WELL Certification for a collection of new or pre-existing buildings and spaces for tenants. It is an opportunity for organizations to integrate wellness features across their properties at a larger scale.

4. WELL V2:

WELL, v2 is the latest version of the WELL Building Standard, which is more flexible and adaptable than its predecessor. It includes a set of ten concepts - Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, and Community - that can be tailored to the needs of a specific project.

5. WELL Health-Safety Rating:

The WELL Health-Safety Rating system focuses on operational policies, maintenance protocols, stakeholder engagement, and emergency plans to address a post-COVID-19 environment. It is available for all new and existing building and space types and has been third-party verified to ensure its validity. This evidence-based rating system aims to provide a safe and healthy environment for occupants both now and in the future.

6. WELL Equity Rating:

WELL Equity Rating is aligned with WELL v2 Certification; it enables organizations to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion through 43 strategies, rewarding innovative solutions and conferring a seal upon successful attainment to signify a commitment to an inclusive environment.

7. WELL Performance Rating:

WELL Performance Rating is a subset of Building Standard. It assesses verifiable building performance strategies related to air, light, water quality, and comfort using onsite testing and surveys, with successful organizations receiving a seal indicating their space exceeds industry health benchmarks.

What Is The FITWEL Building Certification Program?

FITWEL certifications are a globally recognized standard for building design and operations developed by public health professionals and real estate experts. This comprehensive system addresses many factors influencing health and well-being within building environments, including indoor air quality, access to natural light, fitness facilities, healthy food options, and the building's location relative to public transportation and essential services. Designed to be cost-effective, FITWEL provides a clear, user-friendly roadmap for impactful changes in building environments, offering benefits to occupants through healthier, more productive spaces and owners and operators through increased tenant attraction and retention. This certification system represents a significant advancement in integrating public health considerations into building design and operations.

What Are The FITWEL Standards & Certifications?

1. FITWEL For Workplace:

Fitwel for Workplace certification is designed for commercial interior spaces and focuses on creating healthier work environments. It evaluates factors such as indoor air quality, access to natural light, and availability of fitness facilities.

2. FITWEL For Commercial Sites:

Fitwel for Commercial Sites certification is designed for commercial sites and evaluates the site's location, surrounding community, and amenities to promote health and wellness.

3. FITWEL For Retail:

Fitwel for Retail certification is designed for retail spaces and focuses on creating healthier shopping environments. It evaluates factors such as indoor air quality, access to natural light, and availability of healthy food options.

4. FITWEL Community:

Fitwel Community certification is designed for community-scale projects. It evaluates the health and wellness aspects of the community design, including access to healthy food, opportunities for physical activity, and social equity considerations.

What Is The UL Verified Healthy Building Program?

The UL Verified Healthy Building Program, by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), is a comprehensive initiative assisting building owners and managers in creating spaces that balance occupant health and environmental sustainability. The program assesses vital environmental factors like indoor air, water quality, lighting, and acoustics. Achieving the Verified Healthy Building Mark indicates alignment with science-centric standards from respected organizations such as ASHRAE, CDC, EPA, LEEDv4.1, NIOSH, and WHO, showcasing the program's commitment to indoor environmental health and safety.

What Is The UL Verification Process?

The verification process under the UL Verified Healthy Building Program begins with an initial assessment where UL experts evaluate the building's current state, including testing indoor air and water quality, assessing lighting and acoustics, and considering other factors contributing to a healthy indoor environment. Following this, UL provides a detailed report outlining areas of strength and improvement. Building owners and managers can then implement changes based on these recommendations. After the upgrades, a second assessment is conducted to verify that the changes have effectively improved the building's indoor environmental quality. If the facility meets UL's stringent standards, it is awarded the UL Verified mark.

How Does WELL Compare To FITWEL?

WELL and FITWEL are both leading standards in healthy building certifications, but they have differing focuses and methodologies:

1. Origin & Administration: 

WELL is administered by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), aiming to transform buildings, communities, and organizations to foster human health and well-being. On the other hand, FITWEL was developed by public health professionals and real estate experts, focusing on integrating public health considerations into building design and operations.

2. Certification Scope:

WELL offers a broader range of standards and certifications, from individual buildings to entire communities, focusing on seven categories: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind. FITWEL, while comprehensive, primarily addresses factors influencing health within building environments, such as indoor air quality, natural light, fitness facilities, and proximity to essential services.

3. Flexibility: 

WELL's latest version, WELL v2, is adaptable and can be tailored to specific project needs. FITWEL provides a clear, user-friendly roadmap for impactful changes in building environments.

4. Certification Types: 

WELL has diverse certifications, from the WELL Building Standard to the WELL Equity Rating. FITWEL, meanwhile, offers certifications tailored to specific spaces like workplaces, commercial sites, retail spaces, and communities.

How Does WELL Compare to UL Verified Healthy Buildings?

While both WELL and UL Verified Healthy Building Program prioritizes the health and well-being of building occupants, their approaches and areas of emphasis differ:

1. Certification Focus: 

WELL's holistic approach encompasses seven categories that impact human health and well-being. UL Verified Healthy Building Program, administered by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), emphasizes balancing occupant health with environmental sustainability.

2. Standards Alignment: 

UL's program aligns with standards from respected organizations like ASHRAE, CDC, EPA, and WHO, showcasing its commitment to indoor environmental health and safety.

3. Verification Process:

UL's program involves a two-step verification process, starting with an initial assessment followed by a second assessment after recommended improvements are made. WELL's certification process is performance-based, measuring, certifying, and monitoring features of the building's environment.

Why Healthy Building Standards & Certifications Are Important?

Healthy building standards and certifications, like WELL, FITWEL, and UL Verified, are crucial for several reasons:

1. Occupant Health: 

These standards prioritize the health and well-being of building occupants, ensuring that they are in environments that promote physical and mental wellness.

2. Environmental Sustainability: 

Beyond human health, some standards, especially UL Verified, emphasize balancing health with environmental sustainability, ensuring that buildings are safe for occupants and eco-friendly.

4. Economic Benefits: 

Healthy buildings can increase tenant attraction and retention, offering building owners and operators economic advantages.

5. Future Preparedness: 

Certifications like the WELL Health-Safety Rating focus on preparing buildings for post-COVID-19 environments, ensuring that spaces are equipped to handle future health challenges.

Finding Your Path to Healthier Buildings

The importance of healthy buildings cannot be overstated in today's world. As we've explored, certifications like WELL, FITWEL, and UL Verified Healthy Building offer comprehensive frameworks to ensure building occupants' well-being while addressing broader indoor environmental concerns. Each certification program has its unique strengths and methodologies. Still, all share a common goal: to create spaces conducive to human health and indoor environmental conditions that are prepared for future challenges. Understanding and leveraging these certifications can bring numerous benefits for building owners, operators, and facility managers, from improved occupant health and satisfaction to economic advantages. As we progress, the emphasis on healthy buildings will only grow, making these certifications beneficial and essential for those managing facilities across all sectors.