International WELL Building Institute - IWBI

02/25/2026

Why are leading brands like CBRE investing in health and expanding their commitment with WELL? They know there's a steep cost from inaction.

Melissa Berardi, Senior Director at CBRE, shares some examples, “You have your reputation at risk–your attraction and retention numbers go crazy if you can’t attract people to stay with your firm.”

That’s why CBRE is leveraging strategic health and well-being investments to deliver superior global real estate performance and unparalleled value for clients and the people inside their buildings.

Research in our special report, Investing in Health Pays back, shows that employee turnover rate fell by almost a third at CBRE’s Toronto and Vancouver offices after achieving WELL Certification.

Learn more about investing in healthier buildings for better business: https://www.wellcertified.com/health-pays-back/

Research shows companies that invest in health strategies can benefit from enhanced performance and increased financial returns.

02/20/2026

As a leader in the healthy building space, Brendan Owens knows how well-being can power him to become the best leader he can be. His daily habit? Bike riding.

Join us on Wednesday, March 4, for the next installment of our WELL Executive series,. Our own Rachel Hodgdon sits down with Owens, her longtime friend, to discuss his career evolution and the leadership lessons he’s learned from stints in the non-profit sector, consulting, at the Pentagon and in the private sector.

Register now: https://ow.ly/7hNz50Yj4bJ

And tell us your own habit in the comments below! ⬇️

02/20/2026

: We’re proud to congratulate BGO on B6, its flagship Vancouver office tower, for achieving WELL Core Certification at the Platinum level. This achievement marks the largest WELL Core Certified building at the Platinum level in British Columbia.

Located in the heart of Vancouver’s central business district, the 534,000 square feet B6 tower exemplifies how thoughtful design, performance-driven features and a commitment to health can come together to elevate the modern workplace. Developed with sustainability, occupant well-being and innovation at its core, B6 supports people where they live, work, and connect — reaffirming that health-first buildings are essential to thriving communities and resilient cities.

Olesy Alekseev, IWBI Vice President and Canada Country Lead points out that this milestone underscores the growing leadership we’re seeing across Canada in delivering buildings that put health first.

Read more: https://ow.ly/NQxt50YhCIo

02/19/2026

“By uniting science with executive leadership, we are recognizing a fundamental truth: you cannot have resilient cities without healthy people and healthy buildings. Our mission is to move this dialogue into action, accelerating market transformation and lasting change.”
- IWBI President & CEO Rachel Hodgdon

We're pleased to team up with Global Green and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) to convene an invite-only Executive Leadership Forum at EarthX this April. Together, we'll explore how resilient, people-centered buildings and organizational strategies can improve human health, strengthen communities and bolster resilience in the face of growing climate and societal risks.

Read our announcement and stay tuned for more details! https://ow.ly/MqW550YibzP

02/17/2026

Why the world’s leading firms are betting on “the things you cannot see.”

At our recent WELL Summit in NYC, our own President and CEO Rachel Hodgdon sat down with Dr. Joseph Allen, Director of Harvard’s Healthy Buildings Program, for an inspiring look at the future of public health.

From the legacy of industrial toxicology pioneer Alice Hamilton to the groundbreaking COGfx study—which proved that cleaner air can nearly double cognitive scores—the data is clear: healthy buildings aren’t just a "nice-to-have," they are a business imperative.

Read our recap: https://ow.ly/hmG150YhlzA

Harvard Healthy Buildings Program

02/12/2026

Visionaries are proving that investing in human health delivers unparalleled ROI:

🔹 Liam Bates, Kaiterra, reminded us that air quality is a "design decision," not an accident. With only 0.001% of the world breathing clean air, the technology to fix it is the easy part--sensors take minutes to install and can drive a 3:1 ROI, as seen in SFO’s WELL Platinum Terminal.

🔹 Melissa Berardi, CBRE, emphasized that in 2026, workplace experience is the primary driver of real estate decisions. By leveraging WELL at scale, CBRE is meeting the surging tenant demand for healthier, sustainable spaces that align with organizational ESG goals.

🔹 Hrisa Gatzoulis, Rudin, highlighted WELL as a "common language" that connects HR, design and operations. From adding wellness days to creating healthy material databases, Rudin is proving that prevention is more powerful than remediation for long-term brand equity.

Read more from our Flagship New York Summit:

02/11/2026

Join us on Wednesday, March 4, for the next installation of our WELL Executive Webcast series, where IWBI President & CEO Rachel Hodgdon will sit down with her longtime friend, Chief Sustainability Officer at HKS, Inc. and member of the IWBI Governance Council, Brendan Owens.

They will discuss his career evolution and the leadership lessons he’s learned from stints in the non-profit sector, consulting, at the Pentagon and in the private sector.

Learn more and register: https://ow.ly/tRpG50Ye4GN

The WELL Executive webcast series is proudly sponsored by Daikin, leading innovation in heating, air conditioning and ventilation technology for over 100 years, whose generous support makes this interview possible.

Find out more about Daikin here: https://ow.ly/g7E350Ye4GM

02/11/2026

How do you revolutionize global building health in 2026? You start with a vision that refuses to quit.

Meet three of the minds steering the ship this year, and check out the team's full insights: https://ow.ly/VHSi50Ye1qw

02/10/2026

We are excited and honored to congratulate our 2025 IWBI Award honorees!

🏅This year, we are proud to recognize more than 200 IWBI Award recipients that are at the heart of the WELL movement, turning buildings into people-first spaces that actively optimize health, accelerate productivity and inspire human thriving.

As IWBI President and CEO Rachel Hodgdon notes, the growth of the WELL movement is personal and community-powered: "The healthy building movement’s evolution is a direct result of their tireless dedication and resolve. These leaders aren’t just making an impact; they are fundamentally redefining their industries and forging the future of WELL."

Read the news: https://ow.ly/Q9bU50YcqH7

02/06/2026

: We’re thrilled to celebrate Cadillac Fairview for achieving seven Platinum level WELL Core Certifications — including all six towers at Toronto-Dominion (TD) Centre. This achievement makes Cadillac Fairview the largest portfolio of WELL Core Platinum in Canada!

In addition, TD Centre becomes the commercial complex with the largest number of WELL Core Certified buildings at the Platinum level.

These dual achievements mark a decade-long commitment to human-centric design and operational excellence that supports tenant health and well-being. Achieving WELL Core Certified Platinum — the highest level of WELL Certification — reflects an exceptional focus on core health drivers such as air and water quality, movement, nourishment, comfort and community. WELL certifications are built on rigorous third-party verification and evidence-based building strategies that help people thrive where they live, work, and gather.

Congratulations to Cadillac Fairview and its partners for championing healthier, more resilient built environments and for continuing to push the industry forward. We’re proud to support and celebrate this shared vision of people-first spaces.

https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/cadillac-fairview-sets-new-industry-benchmark-with-well-core-certified-tm-platinum-portfolio-897591916.html

02/05/2026

“The best way to predict your future is to create it.”

At IWBI, we’re doing exactly that. With 2026 in full swing, our global team is focused on our evergreen mission: transforming buildings into people-first places, with innovation and integrity.

See our vision: https://ow.ly/imZH50Y9pZK

02/04/2026

In our upcoming webcast on February 25, policymakers, academics and other industry experts will dive into the 2025 State of Our Schools report to analyze the data and identify where needs are most urgent.

🗓️ Be sure to join us to learn what investments are needed to meet modern standards for healthy, safe educational environments.

Register now: https://ow.ly/ccJb50Y8U8h