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IWBI and BRE announce alignments between WELL and BREEAM

IWBI and BRE announce alignments between WELL and BREEAM

The International WELL Building Institute™ (IWBI™) and BRE today announced an agreement between the two organisations to pursue alignments between the WELL Building Standard™ (WELL) and BREEAM that will make it easier for projects pursuing both standards. Under the agreement, the organisations will mutually identify specific credits whereby submitted documentation will be recognized by both organizations, saving project teams the time and costs associated with submitting the documentation twice. BREEAM and WELL are both evidence-based systems that have best practice, continual improvement and the interest 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. '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,' said Gavin Dunn, Director of Building Performance Group at BRE. '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,' said Rick Fedrizzi, chairman and CEO, IWBI.  '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.' The announcement comes at a time when corporations as well as the real estate industry are increasingly looking at how the built environment impacts human health as well as sustainability. The crosswalk identifying the applicable credits between the two standards, is being done by WELL’s certifying body, Green Business Certification Inc., and BRE, and is expected to be completed in January 2017. For further information please contact Linda McKeown, BRE, email pressoffice@bregroup.com NOTES TO EDITOR About BREEAM BREEAM is the internationally recognised measure of sustainability for master planning, infrastructure, buildings and communities, covering all stages of an asset’s life, including new construction, in-use and refurbishment. Used in more than 70 countries, more than 551,000 buildings have been certified and 2,252,823 registered for assessment over a 25-year period. BREEAM is administered by BRE, an independent and impartial, research-based advisory, testing and training organisation, offering expertise in every aspect of the built environment and associated industries. For more information please visit: www.breeam.com About the WELL Building Standard The WELL Building Standard (WELL) is a performance-based system for measuring, certifying and monitoring features of the built environment that impact human health and well-being. Launched in 2014, more than 300 projects encompassing 60 million square feet are now registered or certified under the WELL Building Standard in 27 countries. WELL is administered by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), a public benefit corporation committed to improving human health and well-being through the built environment. IWBI has committed to direct 51 per cent of net profits, after taxes, generated by registration, certification and recertification fees received from real estate projects applying for WELL Certification toward charitable contributions and impact investment focused on health, wellness and the built environment. www.wellcertified.com