The WELL Building Standard™ is the first building standard to focus on the health and wellness of building occupants. Developed by Delos and managed by the International WELL Building Institute, WELL was designed using evidence-based medical and scientific research to create a built environment that supports human health and well-being.
Concepts: Categories of Impact - Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, Community
Features: Points in each impact category
Preconditions: Mandatory requirements for certification (prerequisites)
Optimizations: Optional enhancements
The performance requirements in each Concept are called “Features.” Over 100 Features are included in WELL and each seeks to address factors that can influence the well-being of occupants. Features are divided into “Preconditions,” mandatory achievements for certification; and “Optimizations,” which are optional enhancements. Preconditions and Optimizations were developed using performance-based and descriptive standards. Performance-based standards allow project teams flexibility in how the solution is designed; descriptive standards require that a specific approach be used.