What is WELL Heath-safety rating? Firstly, WELL is the leading Health-Safety certification system designed for building to help owners provide the required guidance and third-party verification process for adapting to the aftermath of the Coronavirus pandemic. The WELL Building Standards include features that aid in preventing, not only the spread of COVID-19, but also are effective against most of the common germs, bacteria and fungi. However, getting the full certification can a time-consuming task considering the preventive measures against Coronavirus are of utmost importance and urgent.
The Rating is based on the WELL Building Standard but doesn’t necessarily need all the requirements to be met for a full certification. This helps building owners to implement features that can be deployed quickly without the need for major investments. Thus, building owners will be able to efficiently respond to the urgent need of preventive measures demanded by the ongoing emergency.
The rating was developed by (International WELL Building Institute) IWBI Task Force on COVID-19. The WELL Health-Rating System has been reviewed and verified by the Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI).
How Does the WELL Health-Safety Rating Work?
The WELL rating system is based on WELL v2, which is a second version of WELL Building Standard. It allows building owners the freedom to choose from the mandatory preconditions and is more flexible as cost efficient than WELL v1.
The main differences of the Health-Safety Rating with respect to the complete building certification are:
It consists of 21 design features, and building owners must choose any combination of at least 15.
No scores & certification levels, other than meeting at least 15 features.
The rating is available for new constructions and existing buildings.
The certification must be renewed once per year, to ensure the building stays compliant.
Building owners can put forward their own features with documented proofs while ensuring WELL Health-Safety Rating goals are achieved. These features are termed as Alternative Adherence Path (AAP). Building owners are able to propose up to 3 features per project.
WELL Health-Safety Rating: Five Performance Areas
The rating system focuses on 5 performance areas which included all the 21 design features. The performance areas along with their features are:
Cleaning & Sanitization Procedures
Support handwash
Reduce surface contact
Improve cleaning practices
Select recommended cleaning products
Emergency Preparedness Programs
Develop emergency preparedness
Create business continuity plan
Plan for health re-entry
Provide emergency resources
Reinforce emergency resilience
Health Service Resources
Provide sick leave
Provide health benefits
Support mental health recovery
Promote flu vaccines
Promote smoke free environment
Air & Water Quality Management
Assess ventilation
Asses & maintain air treatment systems
Develop legionella management plan
Monitor air & water quality
Manage mold & moisture
Stakeholder Engagement & Communication
Promote health & wellness
Share food inspection information
Building owners must agree to list their projects in the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) public directory in order to display the rating logo and plaque. Drawing, schematics and related design documents will not be published unless the building owner gives direct permission.
The WELL Building Standard has ben applied in over 4300 projects across 62 countries covering over 590 million sq. ft. as of July 2020. The rating system applies for facilities like restaurants, offices, academic institution, sports venue, movie theaters and manufacturing plants.
