Streamlined Certification Pathway for LEED and WELL Sees Explosive Growth and Demand
Over 300 projects representing more than 80 million square feet have opted into process for dual LEED and WELL Certification
WASHINGTON, D.C. and NEW YORK, September 28, 2023 /3BL/ - The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) and the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) today announced extensive interest and adoption of the streamlined pathway to LEED and WELL Certification. Since the launch of the streamlined certification pathway, 335 projects in 38 countries, accounting for 82 million square feet, have opted-in to the process.
“It’s exciting to see how quickly the market has embraced the LEED and WELL pathway,” said Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO, IWBI. “It shows just how much global demand there is to demonstrate leadership on both human health and planetary health."
Announced in April of this year, the joint undertaking between IWBI and USGBC supports streamlined review and documentation for projects that are pursuing both certifications at the same time, or that have already earned one certification and are looking to add the other. “This new pathway strengthens synergies between LEED and WELL, supporting projects pursuing both gold standard certifications. This strategic partnership underscores that human health and planetary health are inextricably linked,” said Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO, IWBI, when the new pathway was first introduced.
“The collaboration between USGBC and IWBI is imperative to confront today's challenges and shape a future that will benefit generations to come,” said Peter Templeton, president & CEO, USGBC and GBCI.
The LEED and WELL pathway also includes a suite of alignment resources, including a LEED + WELL Crosswalk, Submittal Form, Streamlined Certification Process Guide and FAQs.
TVS became the first organization to achieve both LEED and WELL Certification through the streamlined pathway. Its 33,000 square-foot office in Atlanta achieved LEED Platinum and WELL Certification at the Platinum level, the highest tiers for both certifications.
The dual achievement aligns with TVS’ belief that long-term gains in human health and a sustainable world rely on high performance design, as well as policies that drive thoughtful day-to-day strategies to support the health and well-being of the people inside the space. LEED and WELL, in combination, demonstrate leadership in both. As the design progressed, TVS prioritized actions that had the best long-term impact for its people and the planet.
“We challenged ourselves to achieve both LEED and WELL certifications in a fluctuating construction climate knowing that our budget was incredibly tight. We wanted to demonstrate to ourselves and to our clients that unwavering commitment and innovative thinking would lead to lasting positive impact for our people and the planet. We are enormously proud of the results and are re-inspired to carry this message to our clients,” said Janet Simpson, President and CEO, TVS.
Connection was of the utmost importance to the team at TVS, as the office provided the opportunity for all staff to meet in a single space. However, with the benefit of in-person interaction came concerns over sound and volume control – with the Sound concept of WELL becoming an area of special focus. According to the TVS team, WELL’s Movement, Nourishment and Water concepts also resonated, helping increase awareness and inspire new behaviors.
“What is healthy for people, is healthy for our planet. That’s why we were excited to leverage the new LEED + WELL streamlined pathway that enabled us to work between the systems with greater ease resulting in achievement of dual certification at the highest level for our client, TVS,” said Allison Cunningham, Managing Director, Sustainability Consulting.
For more information on the LEED and WELL certification pathway, please visit this link.
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 pbc is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delos Living LLC. International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL Portfolio, WELL Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rating, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Equity, WELL Performance Rated, WELL Performance Rating, 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.
About USGBC
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. USGBC works toward its mission of market transformation through its LEED green building program, robust educational offerings, an international network of local community leaders, the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the Center for Green Schools and advocacy in support of public policy that encourages and enables green buildings and communities. For more information, visit usgbc.org and connect on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
About Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI)
GBCI is the world’s leading sustainability and health certification and credentialing body. Established in 2008, GBCI exclusively administers project certifications and professional credentials and certificates within the framework of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating systems, as well as the PEER standard for power systems, the WELL Building Standard, the Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES), EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies), TRUE certification for zero waste and Investor Confidence Project (ICP) for energy efficiency retrofits. Visit gbci.org.
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