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Alex Spilger
, Senior Vice President, is leading
Cushman & Wakefield’s first WELL Certified
Project for client, 23andME, a genetic testing
technology company aiming to become the one
of the first 12 projects to certify under the WELL
system.
WELL is the world’s first building standard focused
exclusively on human health and wellness and has
triggered new innovations in building practices,
design and development. WELL is administered
by the International
WELL Building Institute
(IWBI), a public benefit
corporation whose mission
is to improve human health
and wellbeing through the
built environment. It is a
framework that all projects
can use as a guide for
implementing strategies
focused on the health and
well-being of occupants.
Read a Q&A with Alex
below.
What are the costs and what are the paybacks
with creating healthier workspaces and certifying
under WELL?
WELL Certification is still in its
infancy, so we don’t have concrete data on the
costs and payback for buildings of different sizes
and uses. Costs will certainly come down as more
projects register for the system and the design &
construction community becomes more familiar
with how to implement WELL strategies and
design features into their projects. The return on
investment is more difficult to measure than with
energy efficiency upgrades, etc.; however, creating
a workplaces where employees thrive has been
proven to have a strong positive impact on a
company’s bottom line.
Where is this movement headed?
Using our
physical spaces: offices, homes, hospitals, schools,
etc., to enhance the health and well-being of the
occupants has become a huge global movement
with far-reaching implications. More and more
of our clients are recognizing that creating a
“healthy” workspace is critical for recruiting
and retaining top-talented employees. In the
near future, we may even see health insurance
companies offering lower premiums for firms that
have WELL Certified office spaces. We’re excited
to see where this
movement takes us
over the next few years
and to be on the front
lines with helping our
diverse portfolio of
clients create healthier,
more dynamic
workplaces.
Does WELL have
a professional
designation similar
to the LEED AP
credential?
Yes,
professionals can take an exam demonstrating
proficiency in the WELL Rating System. I was
fortunate to be invited to help develop the exam
so we have a unique insight as to what is required
to pass and we’ll be offering internal WELL AP
prep courses to anyone at Cushman & Wakefield
that is interested.
More and more of our clients
are recognizing that creating a
‘healthy’ workspace is critical
for recruiting and retaining
top-talented employees.
– Alex Spilger
WELL Certification Questions Answered
GOSLIGHTS
22 | THE OCCUPIER NEWS
Q3