Chartered Project Professional (ChPP)

Correct: Under the WELL Building Standard, the Innovation concept (specifically Feature I01) allows projects to propose unique strategies not currently addressed by existing features. To be successful, the project must submit a proposal that identifies a specific health and wellness problem, provides peer-reviewed evidence or a strong theoretical basis for the solution, and explains how the strategy aligns with the mission of WELL.

Incorrect: Requesting a waiver to replace a Precondition is not a valid use of the Innovation concept, as Preconditions are mandatory and cannot be traded for innovations. While WELL recognizes crosswalks with other standards, simply submitting a certificate from another system does not automatically qualify as a WELL Innovation without meeting specific health-intent criteria. Having a WELL AP on the team does earn a point under the Innovation concept (Feature I02), but it is a separate achievement and does not serve as the technical justification for other novel design strategies.

Takeaway: Innovation points are earned by proposing evidence-based health strategies not currently addressed by WELL or by exceeding existing feature requirements through a formal proposal process.

Correct: The WELL AP plays a critical role in facilitating the integrated design process. By organizing a charrette, the WELL AP ensures that all stakeholders—including architects, engineers, and owners—understand the health and wellness goals of the project. Assigning accountability for specific features ensures that technical requirements, such as MERV ratings for air filters or ventilation setpoints, are incorporated into the construction documents by the responsible parties, thereby mitigating the risk of non-compliance during performance verification.

Incorrect: Assuming direct responsibility for engineering specifications is outside the typical scope of a WELL AP and risks professional liability while bypassing the expertise of licensed engineers. Restricting communication to the project owner ignores the collaborative nature of WELL and prevents technical teams from receiving the information they need to implement features correctly. Conducting independent performance testing without the facilities management team is counterproductive, as facilities staff are essential for the long-term maintenance and operation of the systems that ensure continued compliance with WELL standards.

Takeaway: The WELL AP’s primary collaborative function is to lead the integrated design process and ensure clear accountability across all project disciplines to meet health-driven performance targets.

Correct: In the context of WELL and the circular economy, material transparency is a critical prerequisite. By utilizing tools like Health Product Declarations (HPDs) or Declare labels, project teams can identify and avoid ‘legacy toxics’—hazardous substances that were common in older products. This ensures that when materials are eventually recovered, recycled, or repurposed, they do not pose a health risk to future occupants, which is a fundamental requirement for a safe and healthy circular material loop.

Incorrect: Focusing on recycled content alone is insufficient if the materials cannot be easily disassembled or if their chemical makeup is unknown, as this can lead to the circulation of harmful substances. Waste-to-energy (incineration) is considered a ‘leakage’ in the circular economy model and does not constitute a closed-loop system, which prioritizes reuse and recycling over energy recovery. Permanent adhesive bonding is the opposite of circular design, as it prevents ‘design for disassembly,’ making it impossible to recover materials without damaging them or the substrate.

Takeaway: True circularity in healthy building design requires a combination of material transparency to eliminate toxics and design strategies that allow for the safe recovery and reuse of components.

Correct: During the registration process on WELL Online, project teams have the option to select ‘Private Project’ status. This designation ensures that the project does not appear in the public WELL project directory, and its name, location, and certification status are not shared publicly by IWBI or GBCI. This is the standard and intended method for projects with high security or privacy concerns to maintain confidentiality while still undergoing the full certification and review process.

Incorrect: Requesting a documentation waiver is incorrect because documentation is a mandatory part of the verification process; while alternative adherence paths exist, they do not waive the need for evidence of compliance. Redacting all identifying information and only submitting performance reports is insufficient because many WELL features require specific architectural or policy documentation that cannot be verified through performance testing alone. Transitioning to WELL Portfolio is a strategy for managing multiple assets and does not automatically grant privacy or confidentiality for the specific documentation of an individual building within that portfolio.

Takeaway: Projects with sensitive data or security requirements should utilize the ‘Private Project’ designation during registration to maintain confidentiality and avoid public listing in the WELL directory.

Correct: In the WELL Building Standard, source control is the most effective strategy for managing indoor air quality. By identifying and removing the source of emissions (such as high-VOC furniture or adhesives) and replacing them with materials that meet rigorous third-party emission standards like the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Standard Method, the pollutants are eliminated at the root rather than just managed after they enter the breathing zone.

Incorrect: Increasing ventilation (option b) is a secondary strategy that can dilute pollutants but does not address the underlying source and may lead to excessive energy consumption. Standard HEPA filters (option c) are designed to capture particulate matter, not gaseous VOCs, which require specialized media like activated carbon. Relying on a single air quality test (option d) is insufficient because VOC concentrations can fluctuate based on temperature, humidity, and time, and a ‘passing’ TVOC level does not guarantee the absence of specific hazardous chemicals.

Takeaway: Source control through the selection of low-emitting materials is the primary and most effective method for ensuring healthy indoor air quality in a WELL-certified environment.

Correct: In the WELL Building Standard, building envelope design and air leakage control are fundamental to maintaining indoor air quality by preventing ‘uncontrolled’ air infiltration. While mechanical filtration (Feature A05) cleans air entering through the HVAC system, a compromised envelope allows pollutants like PM2.5 and humid air to enter the building directly. This infiltration can lead to poor indoor air quality and moisture accumulation within wall assemblies, potentially causing mold growth, which contradicts the health goals of the Air and Materials concepts.

Incorrect: Air change effectiveness (ACE) refers to the efficiency of air distribution within a room, not the seal of the building envelope. The building envelope is intended to be a barrier, not a passive filter for removing indoor VOCs; VOCs are typically managed through source control and ventilation. Furthermore, WELL encourages intentional, controlled ventilation (either mechanical or natural) rather than relying on accidental infiltration through the building skin to meet outdoor air requirements, as infiltration is unpredictable and unfiltered.

Takeaway: Air leakage control is a passive source-control strategy that protects indoor air quality by preventing unfiltered pollutants and moisture from bypassing the building’s mechanical systems.

Correct: In the WELL Building Standard v2, Preconditions are mandatory features that must be met by all projects regardless of the certification level sought. They represent the core foundation of the standard. To achieve Silver, Gold, or Platinum certification, a project must first satisfy 100% of the Preconditions across all ten concepts (Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, and Community) and then earn a specific number of points through Optimizations. The scorecard is designed so that no amount of Optimization points can compensate for a failed Precondition.

Incorrect: The suggestion that high performance in certain concepts can compensate for missed Preconditions is incorrect because Preconditions are mandatory for all certification levels. Focusing only on high-point concepts to bypass Preconditions in others violates the fundamental structure of the WELL v2 framework, which requires all Preconditions to be met across all concepts. Innovation points are intended to reward strategies not currently addressed in WELL or for achieving exemplary performance, but they can never be used as a substitute for a mandatory Precondition.

Takeaway: WELL certification is impossible without meeting every single Precondition across all ten concepts, regardless of how many Optimization points are earned.

Correct: The WELL Building Standard was officially launched in October 2014. It was the result of seven years of research and development pioneered by Delos Living LLC. Today, the standard is managed and administered by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), which is a public benefit corporation. To ensure rigorous and independent oversight, third-party certification for WELL projects is provided through GBCI (Green Business Certification Inc.), the same organization that administers LEED certification.

Incorrect: The suggestion that USGBC developed WELL as an extension of LEED is incorrect; while they are collaborative partners and share a certification body (GBCI), WELL was pioneered by Delos. The claim that it originated with the WHO in 2018 is historically inaccurate, as the standard launched in 2014 and the 2018 date refers to the launch of the WELL v2 Pilot. The idea that it was established by an HVAC consortium or managed by ASHRAE is incorrect; although WELL utilizes ASHRAE standards for technical benchmarks, ASHRAE does not govern the WELL Building Standard.

Takeaway: The WELL Building Standard was launched in 2014 by Delos and is currently administered by IWBI with third-party certification handled by GBCI.