The WELL Performance Rating: An Onramp to More?

The International WELL Building Institute, owner of the WELL Building Standard, recently launched the WELL Performance Rating, a considerably narrower take on building wellness that requires verified data. Elements measured are:

• Indoor air quality—particulate matter, VOCs, CO, ozone, NO₂, CO₂, radon
• Water quality management—turbidity, coliforms, organic chemicals, inorganic chemicals, pollutants affecting smell or taste of the water
• Lighting measurements—illuminance, equivalent melanopic lux
• Thermal conditions—dry-bulb temperature, relative humidity
• Acoustic performance—background noise, sound isolation, reverberation time, impact noise, speech intelligibility
• Environmental monitoring—ongoing measurement of air-pollutant levels, ongoing display of air quality metrics, continuous monitoring of dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity, ongoing display of thermal comfort metrics, ongoing measurement of air pollutants and thermal comfort metrics in spaces with operable windows, ongoing measurement of drinking-water pollutants
• Occupant experience—annual occupant satisfaction surveys; comparison of pre- and post-occupancy surveys; use of interviews, focus groups, observation; twice-yearly thermal comfort survey

Derived from the broader WELL Building Standard, the WELL Performance Rating can be a gateway to more: all data will be applied to the scorecard if the project pursues full certification.

To achieve the WELL Performance Rating, the project must meet the requirements of 21 features (including up to three innovation features). There are no prerequisites—or, as IWBI calls them, preconditions. Annual or ongoing reporting is required to maintain the rating.

More on wellness rating systems

LEED and WELL Product Labels: A Guide and Analysis

A Review of Healthy Building Rating Systems

WELL v2 Brings Big Changes, Aims for Greater Equity

Fitwel 2.1 Adds New Construction Pathway

For more information:

International WELL Building Institute
v2.wellcertified.com