WELL Building Standard UK:
Shaping Healthier Spaces
The WELL Building Standard UK is reshaping the future of our built environment by placing health, well-being and sustainable performance at the heart of the real estate market. With the increasing interest in a healthy indoor environment, commercial and residential developers are using WELL certification to enhance quality of life, occupant satisfaction and long-term value.
How About the WELL Building Standard?
The WELL Building Standard, created by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), is a performance-based system of evaluating, measuring and monitoring features that affect human health. It targets air, water, food, light, fitness, comfort and mind health.
WELL is particularly pertinent for developers seeking to address Europe’s sustainability requirements such as the Future Homes Standard, BREEAM certifications, and carbon-neutral objectives, which affect property development in the UK.
Why WELL Certification is relevant in the UK
After the pandemic forced people to confront their own health, there has been a surge in interest regarding wellness-focused real estate among developers, landlords and tenants. WELL-certified spaces will not only draw better tenants, but keep them longer and make their employees more productive.
Key Benefits of WELL Buildings:
- Improved quality and ventilation of your indoor air
- Natural Lighting and Circadian lighting systems best specifier for the project.
- Availability of clean drinking water and healthy food choices
- Physical activity promoting active design components
- Haven for Destressing " Mental Well-being Enhancing Spaces
These benefits support UK legislation such as the Healthy Homes Bill and help meet net zero targets through the application of energy efficient solutions.
The UK property sector and WELL
What's the scope of WELL Building Standard UK? WELL Building Standard UK can be used on:
Grade A office buildings
Co-living and Build-to-Rent developments
Student accommodations and educational institutions
Healthcare facilities and wellness clinics
WELL intersects with green building certifications including LEED and BREEAM, and it results in both environmental and human-focused benefits. In London, many smart buildings are now looking to add dual certification to enhance their ESG credentials.
WELL and the Upward Trajectory of Smart, Healthy Buildings
The core of WELL lies in tech integrations. Spaces fitted with smart HVAC systems, hands-free fixtures and real-time environmental monitoring can more easily pick up WELL points. IoT devices to keep the air quality in check, monitor noise, and provide a level of comfort in common areas.
This feeds into the wider PropTech movement in the UK to digitalising the inventory of property assets and promoting good building performance. REinifinite has been involved in focusing on smart and sustainable developments towards WELL and carbon-free targets.
Getting WELL Certified: What Developers Need to Do
Those UK developers looking to achieve WELL certification are required to also follow a strict set of pathways and assessments. Here’s a simplified overview:
Certification Process:
Pre-Assessment – Assess design against WELL Criteria (Jump to Heal)
Document Review – Design features and performance specs if provided.
Performance Testing – In-plant monitoring of air, water and light quality
Certification Get a score and help to stay in shape
WELL, which also includes core and shell, tenant and community certification combinations based on development type and use.
Final Thoughts: Future-Proofing with WELL
The WELL Building Standard UK is more than a fad – it represents a fundamental shift in building design and use. As London and other UK cities strive for greener, more human-centric built environment solutions, WELL will have played a pivotal role in real estate evolution.
