Taking care of the environment and having it take care of us: Synergies between LEED AP and WELL AP

Like most who choose to enter the environmental sustainability industry, I’ve always loved being outside. Whether it was winter, spring, summer or fall – the outdoors was my playground. It was no surprise to my family and friends that I decided to go the biology route in college and eventually receive my PhD in insect biology and environmental conservation. How much more of a green thumb and science nerd can you get?

In graduate school, I was introduced to the impact of urbanization on the environment, specifically biodiversity, water quality and energy use. I was instantly connected with this aspect of ecology, research that was tangible and had a direct anthropogenic impact. In an effort to learn more about sustainable development, I decided to study LEED.

I couldn’t help but ask myself, why do we only focus on how buildings impact outdoor environments, and why are we neglecting the well-being of the individuals who spend 90% of their time in these spaces? Believe me, I am the first person in a room to stand up for environmental sustainability initiatives, but I also think that we have an opportunity to shape our indoor spaces to benefit both humans and the environment.

As I dug deeper into WELL, I was blown away by the science behind the standard. Just like LEED, the features and guidelines in the WELL Building Standard are evidence-based. LEED accredited professionals act on research and encourage others to engage with it. I urge you to do the same for human health. Become a WELL AP and power up the LEED AP certification to tackle the second wave of sustainability! By using the expertise found in both the WELL AP and LEED AP certifications, we can further encourage sustainable development practices while creating a healthier and more productive global community.

Concerned about overlap between LEED APs and WELL APs?

Crosswalks are a great tool to identify where WELL requirements are aligned with other green building standards. Learn more about WELL and LEED, Green Star and BREEAM crosswalks here.

Hear from your peers. Check out these thoughts from LEED APs and WELL APs:

See how industry professionals have found their passion with the WELL AP.

Here are my top 5 reasons for LEED APs to embrace WELL:

1. The WELL AP credential will put you at the forefront of the sustainable development industry.
2. You join an interdisciplinary network of professionals.
3. It is possible to work on projects that simultaneously achieve WELL and other green building standard certifications.
4. The WELL Building Standard is scientifically accredited and third-party verified.
5. You will contribute to the health and well-being of others and elevating your role to become a public health advocate.

As you can see, the WELL AP credential is positioned to take the knowledge and passion of current LEED APs to the next level. By uniting a focus on sustainability with an emphasis on advancing human health, the professional communities for both LEED and WELL can ensure we're creating communities and neighborhood built for the health of our people and our planet.

Learn more about the WELL AP credential today