The International WELL Building Institute has named US green building Council CEO and founding chair Rick Fedrizzi as CEO and chair of its board of directors. IWBI administers the WELL Building Standard, an evidence-based system for measuring, certifying and monitoring the performance of building features that impact health and wellbeing.

“As we continue to grow and expand the adoption of both the WELL Building Standard and the WELL Accredited Professional (WELL AP) programme globally, we enthusiastically welcome Rick Fedrizzi into this leadership role to help lead IWBI to new heights,” said IWBI founder Paul Scialla. “I can’t think of a person better suited to lead this process than Rick. His management experience and global vision will be huge assets to IWBI, and we couldn’t be more excited to have him.”

Fedrizzi will assume the position of chair immediately and assume the CEO role on November 4, 2016, when he will add his executive leadership to the IWBI team full-time after he steps back from USGBC.

“I’m very excited about the opportunity to take on a leadership role with IWBI and build upon the work we’ve been doing at USGBC,” said Fedrizzi, who announced last summer his plans to leave the organisation that he co-founded in 1993.

“Our buildings and communities should help humans thrive. Sustainability plus health is a powerful lens through which to view the world, and WELL has approached this goal in a similar way to how we developed the LEED green building programme.”

WELL works with LEED in order to promote both environmental sustainability and human health.

“Leveraging the strengths of both USGBC and IWBI will advance a much needed change in the improvement of the wellness and quality of life of our families, friends and colleagues through a healthier, more sustainable built environment,” added Fedrizzi.

Fedrizzi co-founded USGBC while he was environmental marketing director at United Technologies Corporation. He has served as USGBC’s CEO since 2004, and during the past decade, has led USGBC’s efforts to establish green building as a global mainstream movement. During his 12 years as CEO, he has championed the idea of improving the world’s building stock in ways that support the health, safety and wellbeing of the people who occupy them, and has been a force for driving collaboration across the built environment continuum.

Fedrizzi serves on numerous boards and advisory committees dedicated to the intersection of health and the built environment, including the Center for Health and the Global Environment at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, whose mission is focused on the design and development of leading-edge research on how to improve human health and wellbeing through the built environment. He is also the author of "Greenthink: How Profit Can Save the Planet," which recently received the IPPY Gold Medal in the Public Affairs Category.