The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the organization behind the WELL healthy building certification standard, has released the second edition of its “Investing in Health Pays Back” report.
According to the group, the new report offers a singular resource that brings together the largest collection of research to date that links investments in health and well-being in buildings to measurable economic returns. It more than doubles the research and citations from the original report, integrating academic studies, industry data, and real-world case studies.
IWBI President and CEO Rachel Hodgdon said, “Whether you’re an investor, developer, architect, engineer, or advocate, by giving you the data and insights you need to make the case for healthier buildings and the value of WELL, together we’re building the foundation for a healthier future.”
Among the report’s key findings are:
- Investing in holistic employee health could generate nearly $12 trillion in global economic value and boost global GDP by up to 12%, according to a McKinsey Health Institute study.
- Improved ventilation can increase employee productivity up to $7,500 per person per year, according to a study led by Harvard researchers.
- Certified healthy buildings command rent premiums of 4% to 7%, according to two independent studies, one from MIT researchers and another from researchers at the University of Cambridge.
- WELL-certified buildings report significantly higher employee satisfaction compared to non-certified buildings, including 18% more satisfied with access to sunlight, 17% more satisfied with acoustical privacy, 16% more satisfied with connection to the outdoor environment, 12% more satisfied with lighting, 11% more satisfied with thermal comfort, and 10% more satisfied with both indoor air quality and air movement.
- Occupants in WELL-certified buildings are 39% more likely to report satisfaction with the building compared to those in green-certified buildings.
Dr. Jason Hartke, the lead author and IWBI’s executive vice president for external affairs and global advocacy, said, “The message is clear: Prioritizing health delivers measurable returns across productivity, talent retention, real estate value, and operational resilience.”
What the FMA Shorts clip below to learn how IWBI defines a healthy building:
Notably, IWBI recently celebrated a milestone, surpassing more than 6 billion square feet of WELL-certified real estate in nearly 100,000 locations across 137 countries.
The full report is available here.