The Impact Edit: You Got Your WELL Certification—Now What?
So, the team’s done the work.
You’ve submitted the documentation, upgraded the lighting, cleaned up the air, tackled thermal comfort. The certification is on the wall. The data’s in the dashboard.
But here's what I've seen: even after all of that, something can still feel... incomplete. Like when your team gives tours but glosses over the air quality system you invested so heavily in. Or when new employees don't even notice the circadian lighting that took weeks to calibrate.
Because certification validates your building's performance. But it doesn't automatically translate to people's experience.
That part takes a different kind of language. The language that transforms compliance into connection. That turns metrics into meaning.
That gap between certification and connection? That's where the real magic happens.
WELL Is Just the Beginning
When I was working at the International WELL Building Institute, co-authoring the WELL Building Standard, we weren't just focused on ventilation rates or nutrition policies. We were thinking about behavior.
The idea was never just make the building healthy. It was how do we help people live differently—inside this building, and maybe even outside it, too?
The goal was to start with the ripple effects in mind. The stairwell that encourages movement. The biophilia that quietly calms the nervous system. The light that helps someone sleep better at home. The parent who starts asking new questions about their kid's school after noticing the difference in their office.
That was always the goal: not just performance, but permission. To expect more. To feel better. To normalize health, not hustle.
But most people don't get that from a checklist or a plaque. And most teams don't know how to tell that story.
And It's Not Just WELL
It’s most certifications- RESET, health-related LEED credits, even internal frameworks—they're all pointing in the same direction.
They're important. They give structure, they set the bar. But they still speak in acronyms, thresholds, and performance targets that don't mean much to the people actually using the space.
If someone's only takeaway is that the building has MERV-13 filters... we've missed the point.
That's where the opportunity is. Not in the certification itself—but in how it's communicated. Not in what the space has—but in how it's felt.
What's Actually Going On
We're in the middle of a shift. From checklists to lived experience. From compliance to culture. From "Did we get the point?" to "Do people know what that point means?"
Because if your staff, tenants, or clients can't name what's different about your building—or why it matters—it's not doing what it could be doing.
Let's Break It Down
The data is solid. But the story is what sticks. You might have beautiful air quality dashboards and circadian lighting controls. But those don't inspire behavior. Language does.
Certifications aren't self-explanatory. Translate them. Most people don't know what WELL or LEED mean. But they know what it feels like to walk into a space that supports them.
Example: A team we supported created an "Everyday Wellness Guide" that turned technical specs into zones people could relate to:
Circadian lighting → Natural Energy Zones
Acoustic tuning → Focus-Ready Spaces
Thermal comfort → Climate Choice Areas
One story doesn't work for everyone.
HR? Talk about retention and culture.
CFO? Focus on productivity and reduced absenteeism.
Tenants and staff? Show them how to engage with their environment. And how it supports their well-being
Investors? Frame it as risk reduction and long-term value.
Common Pitfalls (Still Worth Avoiding)
The Overpromise: Say "designed to support health," not "guarantees wellness."
The Spec Dump: Nobody's inspired by filtration numbers. Usually.
Ignoring the Basics: If the HVAC is noisy or the lighting is harsh, people will feel it—no matter what your report says.
Try This: The Translation Exercise
Pick three wellness features in your building. For each, ask:
What's the technical spec?
What's the human experience?
What's the business outcome it supports?
Then ask your marketing and engineering teams the same questions. Compare notes. That gap? That's your starting point..
So... Now What?
If you're a:
Developer justifying premium rents
Workplace strategist designing for belonging
ESG lead tying health to performance
Here's where to start:
Don't assume the building speaks for itself
Translate features into benefits people care about
Make the invisible visible
Tell stories that feel real
Because a healthy building only matters if people know what it's doing for them—and why it matters.
How Liveable Can Help
We work with teams to:
Build messaging platforms that speak across functions and audiences
Design visual tools and signage that make health features visible and usable
Train teams to speak fluently about healthy spaces—without sounding like robots
You did the hard part. You created a space that supports people. Now it's time to help people actually feel that.
Curious where to begin? You know where to find me.
Until next time,
—Gayathri
The Conversation Continues...
This post is part of our ongoing exploration into how healthy buildings—beyond certifications—can make or break the real impact of your social sustainability strategy. As problem-solvers, we believe the best insights emerge when diverse perspectives meet. Have you encountered similar challenges or discovered different approaches? Share your story.
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We acknowledge that social sustainability is always a work in progress. These insights represent our current understanding, shaped by our partners, communities, and continuous learning.