Two of the world’s leading real-estate firms have broken new ground in the push toward healthy buildings.

In its latest announcement, the International Well Building Institute (IWBI) says Lendlease and JLL have become the first commercial building owner and occupier respectively to earn WELL Portfolio Scores for achieving the initial benchmarks toward certification of their portfolio of assets participating in the program.

(image above: Tower One Barangaroo, supplied by Lendlease)

In the case of Lendlease, the company’s commercial WELL Portfolio rating comprises three Australian funds with 14 assets totalling 569,216 square meters (6.1 million square feet) and impacting almost 60,000 people.

These funds include:

• Australian Prime Property Fund Commercial
• Lendlease One International Towers Sydney Trust (Tower One at Barangaroo – pictured above)
• Lendlease International Sydney Trust (Towers Two and Three and International House at Barangaroo).

Initiatives the company has adopted include a focus on air, natural light, water, comfort, nourishment, fitness and mind.

It has also sought to maximise wellbeing considerations in asset operations and maintenance through measures such as cleaning protocols and replacement of plant and equipment.

In JLL’s case, meanwhile, the company’s portfolio encompasses 194 properties across the Asia Pacific and North America.

All up, it has incorporated wellness strategies across a portfolio which impacts 23,000 people across eighteen countries.

Introduced in 2018, the WELL Portfolio rating programs recognises efforts to maximise health and well-being across asset portfolios.

This is achieved by applying WELL Building Standard concepts throughout the design, construction and operation of buildings across portfolios.

These concepts include good indoor air quality, clean water, availability of healthy and nourishing food, natural light, promotion of physical movement, good thermal comfort, good sound and acoustic comfort, use of non-toxic materials, promotion of positive mental health and mindset and access to community.

IWBI President Rachel Gutter applauded both companies for their achievement.

“From the outset, JLL and Lendlease have inherently understood the value of delivering better buildings that help people thrive and organizations succeed,” Gutter said.

“Through WELL Portfolio, these two market leaders are setting the tone for what it means to instil a culture of health that is embedded not only within the building itself, but throughout an organization’s operational and policy protocols.

“We believe their bold and early steps will help raise the importance and accelerate the integration of human health and well-being in buildings and workplaces worldwide.”