BREEAM and Well partner to achieve sustainable buildings that are healthy
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) and BRE have set up an agreement between them to seek alignments between the WELL Building Standard and BREEAM that will make it easier for projects pursuing both standards. The organisations will mutually identify specific credits whereby submitted documentation will be recognised by both organisations, saving project teams time and the costs associated with submitting documentation twice.
The announcement comes at a time when corporations and the real-estate industry are increasingly looking at how the built environment affects human health as well as sustainability. The crosstalk identifying the applicable credits between the two standards is being done by WELL’s certifying body Green Business Certification Inc. and BRE; it is expected to be completed in January 2017.
BREEAM and WELL are both evidence-based systems that have best practice, continual improvement and the interests of both the environment and people at their heart. Certification in both systems is achieved through the submission of project documentation and on-site post-occupancy performance testing.
Gavin Dunn, director of the building performance group at BRE, said, ‘We’re excited about the opportunity to join forces in a way that will advance the inclusion of health and well-being considerations in Europe’s built environment.’
Rick Fedrizzi, chairman and CEO of the International WELL Being Institute (IWBI), said, ‘Since the beginning, IWBI has worked to find ways that WELL can work harmoniously with the world’s leading sustainable-building standards, because we believe sustainability and health are synonymous. We look forward to partnering with BRE to advance this important concept by helping project teams who are using both BREEAM and WELL deliver a more sustainable and healthier built environment as efficiently as possible.’
