New Crosswalk eases path for WELL and LEED v5 certifications

Canadian clients continue to be interested in the WELL Building Standard, provided by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI)™. The WELL standard is a certification system designed for measuring and monitoring improved built environments that consider human health and wellbeing through the elements of air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind. Two years ago, a LEED v4 to WELL v4 crosswalk was developed to streamline the process for client teams pursuing both LEED certification and WELL. It simplified documentation for projects either pursuing both certifications at the same time or that had already earned one and was looking to add the other. 

With the launch of LEED v5 comes a revised crosswalk for both BD+C and ID+C. This tool outlines achievement options between credits and features, allowing project teams to use actions taken for one certification program to serve as documentation to satisfy requirements for both. 

In LEED v5, the health and well-being of occupants and the surrounding communities is addressed through the quality-of-life impact area. Representing an integrated approach, these credits are distributed across the rating system and largely correspond to the synergies mapped in the crosswalk. 

Examples of highlighted synergies include: 

• Multiple new pathways for projects to achieve credits in the Indoor Environmental Quality category, including options within the Occupant Experience credit, like adaptable environments and acoustic environments. 
• A new compliance option to use the Sustainable Sites credit Heat Island Reduction to meet WELL’s Outdoor Thermal Comfort credit Manage Outdoor Heat. 
• Updated compliance options in the Location and Transportation category, including equivalency pathways for projects using Bike or Walk Score. 
• Additional paths provide options within the Materials and Resources category. 
• In the coming months, the certification pathway and functionality will be updated as well. 

Review the updated LEED + WELL crosswalk available on the U.S. Green Building Council website.