The Crown Estate’s head office at St James’s Market in London has become the first office in Europe to achieve WELL platinum certification, granted by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI).
There are only 11 platinum projects globally, including schemes in the US, Australia and China. The UK currently boasts five WELL certified projects, three of which are gold and one of which is silver.
WELL is the global building standard designed to enhance people’s health and wellness through the built environment. The Crown Estate’s head office, located on the first and seventh floors of No 1 St James’s Market, took several steps to secure accreditation. For example, the office layout maximises access to natural daylight for all desks to support circadian rhythms, and the majority of the desks are ergonomic, allowing people to sit or stand.
'With its platinum level WELL Certification, The Crown Estate headquarters at St. James’s Market joins a select group of industry leaders worldwide committed to delivering the very best in buildings that advance human health,' said Rick Fedrizzi, chairman and CEO of the IWBI.
WELL is grounded in a body of evidence-based research that explores the connection between the buildings where individuals spend approximately 90% of their time, and the health and wellness impacts on the occupants of these buildings. To be awarded WELL Certification by IWBI, The Crown Estate office in St James’s Market underwent rigorous testing and a final evaluation carried out by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), which is the third-party certification body.
