Healthy Living: How Residential Projects Can Support Well-being and Drive Financial Returns
In a recent webcast, Healthy living: Lessons from WELL for residential projects in EMEA, the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) and regional EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) industry leaders revealed how the WELL for residential pilot program is reshaping homes into healthier, more resilient spaces. WELL for residential is a first-of-its-kind, evidence-based third-party verified certification program that aims to transform the way homes are designed, built and maintained to support human health and well-being. The discussion centered around how WELL for residential strategies can improve residents’ well-being while delivering tangible financial benefits for developers.
In a historic London retrofit project that dates back to 1903, Flat 2 at Albion Court was developed and built by City Sanctuary, which signed on as an early adopter of the WELL for residential pilot program in late 2023. Alex Uregian, Managing Director of City Sanctuary said at the time, “Evidence-based WELL strategies will reinforce our design principles for Albion Court, a protected historic building on the UK’s National Register of Historic Places, that will both honor the heritage of the building and reimagine the space to nurture resident health.”
City Sanctuary worked closely with consultancy Ekkist, which shared during the webcast how they sought to best apply the WELL Air, Light, and Mind elements, among others, from the pilot WELL for residential program within Albion Court’s historic building context, where the number of design solutions can be far more limited.
The results speak for themselves. William Stewart, Associate Director at Ekkist, shared positive testimonials from residents’ pre- and post-occupancy surveys as they began to experience WELL strategies and features: biophilic design that provides connection to nature; exceptional exposure to daylight and other programmable light settings to support circadian rhythm; faucets that deliver high quality water; all-electric, non-combustion appliances that support healthier indoor air quality and are easily controllable from a central app; and a tenants guide.
Not only that, recent data has shown that the WELL Residence certified spaces at Albion Court commanded a 20% rent premium over non-certified units in the same building – showcasing how investing in occupant well-being directly boosts the bottom line.
“Overall, we were absolutely delighted with the [WELL for residential pilot program],” said Stewart. “The benefit of this scheme in particular is that we were able to do it as a test case,” allowing for direct comparisons with the building’s other apartments and comparables in the immediate area.
IWBI’s recently-released second edition of its Investing in Health Pays Back Special Report, also highlights that the healthy building return is not limited to commercial properties, as the value of residential properties demonstrates a lift from third-party healthy building certification. Backed by over 250 independent research studies and informed by WELL projects that span over 6 billion square feet of real estate, the report shows how health-focused strategies drive well-being and stronger organizational performance.
- In one example from across the pond, Nava Real Estate’s WELL Certified multifamily residential property experienced a spike in sales after achieving WELL Certification.(1) A three-year research study led by the Institute for the Built Environment (IBE) at Colorado State University (CSU), assessed the impact of sustainable, healthy design strategies and wellness programming on residents at its Lakehouse project. The study found that “nearly 45% of the variables analyzed in the study significantly changed in a positive way,” including increased resident satisfaction related to natural light, views, air quality, acoustics, safety, location and fitness equipment; improved social connections, such as better relationships and more time spent socializing with neighbors; emotional health, including feeling happier and less stressed, and experiencing better concentration and memory; and physical health, with residents experiencing decreased health symptoms, spending less time sitting and feeling less tired.(2)
- The report also featured walkability as an example of how a specific healthy building strategy can enhance residential rent premiums and property values. A study of 162 U.S. urban areas found that, for each level of increase in the five-level State of Place Index (which primarily measures walkability, bikeability and quality of place), “residential rents rose $300 per unit and for-sale residential values climbed more than $81 per square foot.”(3)
Webcast speakers also shared how the WELL for residential program successfully adapts to different residential building types, from student accommodation and build-to-rent in addition to single and multifamily housing, highlighting simple yet effective strategies that have a profound effect on daily life.
Anna Lloret Papaseit, Building Department Vice-Director at Battleirog Architects, introduced their approach to student accommodation at Tulus Business School. She said, “Our challenge was not to provide rooms, but to create an environment that helps students feel like home, that encourages encounters and supports their well-being from day one.”
Battleirog aimed to develop different settings within the building – from individual spaces to small and large community environments – that support collaboration and friendship, as well as to help students find moments of rest, focus and belonging as they start a new phase in their lives in a new city. “The building doesn’t host us,” concluded Lloret Papaseit. “It has the power to shape who we are.”
The EMEA region has established itself as a leader in advancing health and well-being in the residential sector, with several of the world’s first WELL Residence certifications and precertifications. Lendlease’s Parkside Building in London was the first in Europe to achieve WELL Residence certification for all 123 units. SELLA 137, a five-story wooden-frame condominium building in Turin led by architecture firm Greenarch and R2M Solution, was the first to achieve WELL Residence certification in the European Union and Italy, demonstrating both regional and Italian leadership.
To learn how well-being is becoming a profitable asset in the residential market and see how design can create life-changing experiences, as well as help form healthy habits, take a look at the WELL for residential program and watch the full webcast on-demand in the WELL Forum. Keep this conversation going in the WELL Forum Europe regional thread.
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