The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), has launched a new global certificate to recognise and award industry best practices to create healthier and more resilient homes.

Called WELL for residential, the evidence-based, third-party verified certification programme has been conceived to transform the way homes are designed, built and maintained to support human health and wellbeing.

The certification – informed by the WELL Building Standard (WELL) and its 10 WELL concepts – offers more than 100 strategies to create homes that prioritise resident health, comfort and wellbeing.

Designed to empower builders and developers, operators, architects, designers and homeowners, the framework applies to both single-family homes and residences within multifamily buildings.

The programme has launched with 25 global pilot participants that have enrolled almost 30,000 homes and residences. The projects have a diverse global footprint across 10 countries, including the US, Canada, China, Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, the UK, Spain, Montenegro and the Netherlands.

One of the programme's earliest adopters included Velvaere – a family-friendly Utah wellness community by Magleby Development – read more here.

“We’re excited to work side-by-side with our pilot participants, as well as hundreds of stakeholders along the residential sector value chain, to introduce this transformational roadmap that will help market leaders adopt health-first strategies into how we design, operate and maintain our homes," said Rachel Hodgdon, IWBI president and CEO.

The WELL for residential programme seeks to provide a solution to help transform the global residential market and ensure that everyone, no matter their background, has access to a home that enhances their health and enables them to make healthier decisions.

The programme drew upon two years of industry input, market insight and expert recommendations from IWBI’s WELL for residential Advisory comprised of more than 100 globally renowned specialists including leading builders and developers, architects and engineers, public health and building scientists, government officials and academics, as well as other real estate professionals.

The process

Projects can earn the WELL Residence seal for residences upon completion of third-party review and verification of selected strategies.

To attain a WELL Residence certification, a home must achieve at least 40 points.

Projects also have an opportunity to earn a pre-certified WELL Residence status upon preliminary design review, an incremental milestone that allows participants to communicate achievement before construction is completed.