The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), and the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) announced “explosive growth and demand” for their streamlined pathway to dual LEED and WELL certification. Since the groups launched the process in April, 335 projects in 38 countries, accounting for 82 million square feet, have opted in.
“It’s exciting to see how quickly the market has embraced the LEED and WELL pathway,” said Rachel Hodgdon, president and CEO of IWBI. “It shows just how much global demand there is to demonstrate leadership on both human health and planetary health.”
The joint undertaking supports streamlined review and documentation for projects that are pursuing both LEED green building and WELL healthy building certifications at the same time, or that have already earned one certification and are looking to add the other.
“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 and CEO of the USGBC and GBCI.
The streamlined pathway also includes a suite of alignment resources, including a LEED + WELL Crosswalk, Submittal Form, Streamlined Certification Process Guide, and FAQs.
A Trailblazer
TVS, an architecture and interior design firm, 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 Platinum, the highest tiers for both certifications.
The dual achievement aligns with TVS’s 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.
“We challenged ourselves to achieve both LEED and WELL certifications in a fluctuating construction climate, knowing that our budget was incredibly tight,” said TVS President and CEO Janet Simpson. “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.”
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.
More information on the LEED + WELL pathway is available here.
Notably, the USGBC recently introduced a draft of its LEED v5 Operations and Maintenance (O+M) rating system, the newest version of its certification for existing buildings. The group is seeking project teams to test out the beta version. More information is available here.
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