Seneca Joins IWBI’s WELL for Residential Program

NEW YORK and LAS VEGAS, January 5, 2024 /3BL/ - The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the global authority for driving market transformation through healthy buildings, organizations and communities, and Seneca, a Division of Christopher Homes, announced that the Henderson Nevada developer committed to redefining luxury living through purposeful, tech-driven, and sustainable residential communities became an early adopter of IWBI’s WELL for residential program, which is now open for enrollments. The first-of-its-kind, WELL for residential is an evidence-based, third-party verified certification program designed to transform the way homes are designed, built, and maintained to support human health and well-being. This collaboration will allow Seneca to build Seneca at Southern Highlands using WELL strategies designed to positively impact resident health.

Grounded in the science-backed principles of the WELL Building Standard (WELL) and its 10 WELL concepts, the WELL for residential program consists of more than 100 health strategies that support new and existing residences and are applicable to both single-family homes and multifamily buildings. During the launch phase of the program, IWBI is partnering with leading architects, builders, developers, operators and owners - such as Seneca - to transform the global residential market to make healthier and more resilient homes more accessible to more people in more places.

“Seneca is excited to announce its participation in IWBI’s WELL for residential program,” said Michael Stuhmer, Principal of Seneca. “As a developer dedicated to transforming luxury living, this collaboration is pivotal for Seneca. Seneca at Southern Highlands marks our inaugural development, and our commitment to purposeful, tech-driven, and sustainable communities aligns seamlessly with the mission of establishing healthier and more resilient homes. Joining IWBI’s new residential program empowers us to pioneer the integration of WELL strategies, fostering resident well-being and shaping the future of healthier living environments.”

“Healthier and more resilient homes are better positioned to respond to climate impacts, and the WELL for residential program provides an actionable framework to design and build such communities,” said Liz Miles, vice president for stakeholder relations at IWBI “Congratulations to Seneca for becoming an early adopter of these new WELL strategies and integrating them into its sustainable design approach.”

The development of the WELL for residential program drew upon two years of industry input, market insight and expert recommendations from IWBI’s WELL Residential Advisory, a working group of over 100 globally renowned subject matter experts including leading builders and developers, architects and engineers, public health and building scientists, government officials and academics, as well as other real estate professionals. Companies can earn the WELL Residence seal for residences upon completion of third-party review and verification of selected strategies. To be certified as a WELL Residence, a home must achieve at least 40 points. Projects also have an opportunity to earn precertified WELL Residence status for participating units upon preliminary design review, a milestone step forward that allows participants to communicate achievement before construction is completed.

Today, in the U.S. alone, the residential sector spans more than 120 million homes totaling roughly 224 billion square feet of real estate. The importance of creating healthier environments in the residential sector has become a top priority among homeowners.

The WELL for residential program adds to the WELL ecosystem and provides a new pathway for creating people-first residences. This program builds upon the work IWBI has already done within the multifamily sector through its WELL Certification and WELL ratings. IWBI applauds the leadership demonstrated by the multifamily residential developers and owners who have pursued WELL Certification. Their experiences have helped inform and inspire the development of the new WELL for residential program.

While numerous studies show healthy homes are increasingly in demand, regulations and standards focused on resident health in homes are largely lacking. The WELL for residential program seeks to provide a solution that helps transform the global residential market and ensure that everyone, no matter their backgrounds, has access to a home that enhances their health and enables them to make healthier decisions.

The WELL ecosystem comprises WELL Certification under the WELL Building Standard, a library of building and organizational strategies focused on health, the WELL Health-Safety Rating, WELL Performance Rating, WELL Equity Rating and certification under the WELL Community Standard. WELL’s holistic, evidence-based approach has provided a roadmap for organizations to promote human and social capital performance and enhance their ESG strategy. As a result, thousands of organizations including nearly 30% of Fortune 500 companies across nearly 130 countries have adopted WELL strategies in more than 40,000 locations totaling almost five billion square feet of space.

About Seneca
Seneca is a pioneering developer committed to redefining luxury living through purposeful, tech-driven, and sustainable residential communities. Focused on intentional living, award-winning design, and sustainability, Seneca integrates Tesla solar panels, achieves near net-zero carbon emissions, and offers upscale, modern furnishings. Merging architecture, wellness, and technology, Seneca creates maintenance-free homes that prioritize intentional living within the flexibility of a lease, providing an environmentally conscious approach to elevated living experiences. Seneca is: Elevated Living. Simplified

About the International WELL Building Institute
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the world’s leading organization focused on deploying people-first places to advance a global culture of health. IWBI mobilizes its community through the administration of the WELL Building Standard (WELL) and WELL ratings and certifications, management of the WELL AP credential, the pursuit of applicable research, the development of educational resources and advocacy for policies that promote health and well-being everywhere. More information on WELL can be found here.

International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL Enterprise Provider, WELL Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rating, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Equity, WELL Equity Rated, WELL Performance Rating, WELL Performance Rated, Works with WELL, WELL and others, and their related logos are trademarks or certification marks of International WELL Building Institute pbc in the United States and other countries.

Media Contact:
leslie@senecaliving.com
media@wellcertified.com

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