The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) today released the second edition of its landmark report, Investing in Health Pays Back: The Business Case for Healthy Buildings and Healthy Organizations, offering a singular resource that brings together the largest collection of research to date that links investments in health and well-being to measurable economic returns.
The new report, released as the second edition, more than doubles the research and citations from the original, integrating academic studies, industry data and real-world case studies.
This report offers a clear answer to a pressing question facing practitioners today: how should future projects be shaped to elevate human health while unlocking significant economic value? Collectively, it also makes a powerful case to policymakers, real estate leaders and institutional investors that investing in people is not just the right thing to do—it’s one of the smartest economic strategies organizations can pursue.
“We’ve gathered and distilled into one indispensable resource the strongest global evidence to date linking healthy buildings with human well-being and performance,” said IWBI President and CEO Rachel Hodgdon. “Whether you’re an investor, developer, architect, engineer or advocate, by giving you the data and insights you need to make the case for healthier buildings and the value of WELL, together we’re building the foundation for a healthier future.”
Among the report’s key findings:
- Investing in holistic employee health could generate nearly $12 trillion in global economic value and boost global GDP by up to 12%, according to a McKinsey Health Institute study.
- Improved ventilation can increase employee productivity up to $7,500 per person per year, according to a study led by Harvard researchers.
Certified healthy buildings command rent premiums of 4% to7%, according to two independent studies, one from MIT researchers and another from researchers at the University of Cambridge. - WELL Certified buildings report significantly higher employee satisfaction compared to non-certified buildings, including 18% more satisfied with access to sunlight, 17% more satisfied with acoustical privacy, 16% more satisfied with connection to the outdoor environment, 12% more satisfied with lighting, 11% more satisfied with thermal comfort and 10% more satisfied with both indoor air quality and air movement.
- Occupants in WELL Certified buildings are 39% more likely to report satisfaction with the building compared to those in green-certified buildings.
“With this report, we’re equipping everyone across IWBI’s global community with the data they need to drive faster adoption of healthy building practices,” said Dr. Jason Hartke, the lead author and IWBI’s Executive Vice President for External Affairs and Global Advocacy. “The message is clear: prioritizing health delivers measurable returns across productivity, talent retention, real estate value and operational resilience.”
The report also explores the rising importance of social sustainability, showing how health-related metrics are being embedded into sustainable finance vehicles—including green, social and sustainability-linked bonds—and reshaping investment decisions at scale. To date, WELL has been incorporated in 13 different types of financial instruments—including green bonds, social bonds and sustainability-linked bonds and loans—and featured in sustainable finance frameworks, regulatory guides, reports and case studies in 29 countries, spanning five continents.
Read the full report at: https://www.wellcertified.com/health-pays-back/
