Health Safety and Environment

The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), a certification body for healthy buildings, announced in a press release the launch of the WELL Health-Safety Rating for Facility Operations and Management, an evidence-based, third-party verified rating focusing on operational policies, cleaning protocols and design strategies to address a post COVID-19 environment.

An advisory of industry leaders from sports and entertainment will advance the completion of the WELL Health-Safety Rating specific to these venues. The new WELL Health-Safety Rating also will apply to a range of other facility types and market sectors, including offices, hotels, retail, grocery stores, warehouses, manufacturing, theaters, recreation, restaurants, schools, among others.

The WELL Health-Safety Rating is designed to help owners and operators provide the necessary guidance and third-party verification process to adapt to considerations for health and well-being in a post COVID-19 world. Leveraging guidance on the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory disease developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Department of Health and Human Services pursuant to the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), leading academic and research institutions, insights drawn from the IWBI COVID-19 Task Force, and core principles already established by the IWBI’s WELL Building Standard, the program provides a centralized source and governing body to validate efforts made by owners and operators.

Participation in the program will require submission of policies, protocols and strategies for third-party document review and annual compliance verification. The WELL Health-Safety Rating will launch in June, leveraging extensive input gathered from the newly constituted WELL Advisory on Sports and Entertainment Venues, a diverse group of industry leaders at the forefront of ownership, operations and design. Current WELL-registered projects and WELL Portfolio participants can earn the WELL Health-Safety Rating as part of their already established certification efforts.

"Restoring the sports and entertainment sectors is among the most complicated challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has engendered, socially and biologically. And doing so is also among the most desired goals with the public, said Dr. Allen Hershkowitz, Chairman Sport and Sustainability International and Environmental Science Advisor New York Yankees. “IWBI’s effort to help provide confidence to all stakeholders – from fans, audiences, players and performers to staff and the medical community at large – that a sports or entertainment venue is taking proper, verifiable precautions is of the utmost importance."