How to Approach Design with Public Health in Mind: Build for Impact

The International WELL Building Institute has released its newly-developed WELL Health-Safety Rating building certification. Build for Impact host, LEED fellow, and WELL faculty member, Daniel Huard, addressed this hot topic in the Build for Impact podcast.

Huard posed the questions, “Why is this rating important?  Why does it matter now?” and took a deeper dive into this IWBI release to address these questions and provide more details around the recently developed health-safety rating.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has created the need for improving the safety of buildings, where interpersonal interactions are concentrated and the potential for the spread of infectious diseases is elevated.  The WELL Health-Safety Rating addresses the emergent need to  respond to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as prepare building management procedures and best practices for future health and safety concerns.

A collaboration of public health experts, virologists, government officials, academics, business leaders, real estate professionals, and many others came together to form the IWBI Task Force to understand what causes the spread of pathogens within buildings, how to best mitigate the health and safety risk to people, and formulate recommended practices for an effective response to pandemic situations as well as the prevention of future outbreaks.  The IWBI Health-Safety Rating addresses 5 key themes.

  1. Cleaning and sanitation procedures
  2. Emergency preparedness programs
  3. Health services resources
  4. Air and water quality management
  5. Stakeholder engagement and communication

Listen To Previous Episodes of Build for Impact Right Here!

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

future-ready workforce
Building a Future-Ready Workforce: Disrupting Outdated Education with Employer-Driven, Community-Powered, Practical Skills Training
July 28, 2025

Workforce training is undergoing a radical transformation as industries face critical talent shortages and rapid technological change. Building a future-ready workforce requires rethinking traditional higher education models. These models emphasize broad academic development over targeted skill-building and struggle to keep pace with employer demands. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report…

Read More
The Silent Health Crisis: Indoor Air Quality in Long-Term Care
July 28, 2025

The Silent Health Crisis: Indoor Air Quality in Long-Term Care Most nursing homes have infection control down to a science. They’ve got medication protocols that would make a hospital jealous. Fall prevention? They track every risk factor. But ask them about their air quality and you’ll likely get a puzzled look. That’s a problem, because…

Read More
educators
JUST THINKING… About Bringing out the Best in Educators and Learners with Ross Kimball
July 25, 2025

As the educational landscape rapidly evolves—shaped by advances in communication technology, growing mental health awareness, and post-pandemic classroom dynamics—one key question persists: How can we better connect with and empower both educators and students in the classroom? The stakes are high: studies show that teacher-student relationships directly impact student motivation, academic success, and long-term…

Read More
community
Bringing Community into the Transformation of K-12 Schools: The Impact of Mentors, Local Voices, and Student Entrepreneurs
July 24, 2025

As K-12 schools across the U.S. struggle to recover from the learning loss and emotional fallout of the pandemic, a deeper reckoning is underway—one that challenges the very foundation of who’s responsible for educating our children. Despite billions in federal relief, a third of U.S. students are not even reading at a basic level…

Read More