NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) today launched the third and final phase of the Peer Review process for the WELL Building Standard®. Phase three will consist of a comprehensive medical review by the Cleveland Clinic, which will be led by Dr. Michael Roizen, Chief Wellness Officer of the Cleveland Clinic. The full Peer Review process includes three phases – a scientific, medical and practitioner review – and will culminate with the public release of v1.0 of the WELL Building Standard this October at WELL 2014, IWBI’s first annual conference on health and wellness in real estate. The conference will take place on October 20, 2014 in New Orleans at the Roosevelt Hotel.
Physicians from the Cleveland Clinic will participate in the medical review under the direction of Dr. Roizen. They will review and assess the medical criteria of the WELL Building Standard, responding specifically to performance metrics such as the impact of established air quality levels on respiratory health and optimal lighting (including proper color and intensity) to aid in digestion, melatonin levels and serotonin regulation. Their work will further refine the Standard to ensure performance measures have been met with regard to occupants’ wellbeing in all seven categories: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind.
“A healthy and health promoting environment is an important component in helping the population be and stay healthy,” said Dr. Michael Roizen. “This is the backbone of wellness.”
“We are honored to have such a prestigious medical institution and distinguished member of the medical community lead the final phase of the peer review of the WELL Building Standard,” said IWBI and Delos Founder Paul Scialla. “The medical review marks a critical point in our evaluation of the Standard and the expert feedback from Dr. Roizen and his team of physicians will bring us one step closer to the release of v1.0 of the WELL Building Standard.”
The Peer Review process will be transparent and will include a published roster of contributing physicians, researchers and practitioners. In addition, aggregated comments from the Peer Review will be published online, together with how the WELL Building Standard evolved as a result of this input.
The WELL Building Standard is an evidence-based standard created through six years of research and development working with researchers and physicians from leading medical institutions and expert practitioners from the building industry. Currently in pilot phase, the WELL Building Standard sets performance requirements in seven categories: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind. Administered by the International WELL Building Institute and committed to third-party certification through the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), the WELL Building Standard applies to commercial and institutional projects. Potential pilot projects are encouraged to contact IWBI through http://www.WELLBuildingInstitute.com.
Current WELL pilot projects include the William Jefferson Clinton Children’s Center in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Named in honor of President Clinton, the children’s center and orphanage will be LEED Platinum certified and is pursuing WELL pilot certification. Another key pilot project includes CBRE Group, Inc.’s new Global Corporate Headquarters in downtown Los Angeles. Unveiled in November 2013, CBRE’s new headquarters is the world’s first commercial office building to be both LEED Gold and WELL pilot certified.
About the International WELL Building Institute
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a for-benefit organization (B-Corp) whose mission is to improve human health and wellbeing through the built environment. IWBI administers the WELL Building Standard, which was initially developed by Delos. B-Corps like IWBI are a new US corporate structure for organizations that are committed to harnessing the power of private capital for public benefit.
About the WELL Building Standard®
The WELL Building Standard® is a performance-based system for measuring, certifying, and monitoring features of the built environment that impact human health and wellbeing, including air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind. Pioneered by Delos, the WELL Building Standard is grounded in evidence-based medical research that demonstrates the connection between the buildings where we spend more than 90 percent of our time and the health and wellness impacts on us as occupants. The WELL Building Standard is administered by the International WELL Building Institute and committed to third-party certification through the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).