The WELL Building Standard is coming to Canada, thanks to a new partnership between Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), the certifying organization behind LEED and the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC). The newly launched WELL certification program works similarly to LEED with a focus on the implementation of built environment features that can support occupant wellbeing in seven concept areas: access to fresh air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind.
With the expansion of the program, the GBCI and CaGBC hope that many of the 5,300 LEED-certified projects in Canada will move to support the complementary standard, with Canada continuing its role as the second-leading producer of LEED projects outside of the U.S.
Noting the body of research showing that workplace environments have a measurable effect on occupant health, the WELL standard assesses building features based on the seven concept areas and scores facilities on their use of over 100 features related to behavior, design, and operations. The WELL standard is applicable to all building types and optimized specifically for commercial and industrial spaces. It helps facility managers ensure that their spaces are doing everything possible to support occupant wellbeing.
