CBRE Madrid Office Awarded the First WELL Building Standard Certification in Spain
This certificate singles out offices where the design and development is centred around the well-being and health of its employees
Awarded by the International WELL Building Institute, the standard assesses issues such as air quality, water and lighting; nutrition and policies that champion healthy habits and exercise
CBRE, an expert at designing innovative workspaces, was the mastermind behind the creation of this ‘healthy office’
London, 21 June 2017 – CBRE, the world’s leading real estate consultant, has been awarded Spain’s first WELL certification. CBRE's Madrid office has been given the accolade and is the first office to achieve WELL New and Existing Interiors certification in continental Europe.
The WELL Building Standard is a performance-based system that singles out buildings where the design and development is centered on the health and wellness of its users and is awarded by the independent international body, the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). The WELL Building Standard is focussed on seven categories of building performance – air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind. The assessment demonstrates the connection between the buildings and the health and wellness impacts on those who use them.
The CBRE office integrates various wellness features and design elements, including natural settings and planted walls, height adjustable work stations and desks, relaxation spaces and active workstations, as well as healthy food with nutritional information in vending machines. CBRE also subsidises yoga and pilates classes and has a running club.
While the majority of occupiers are well aware of sustainability policies and certifications such as LEED and BREEAM, which acknowledge sustainable and efficient properties, World Class companies are now focusing on the well-being of their employees as a key factor in their strategies. CBRE has a global team of WELL Accredited Professionals who are assisting clients to obtain the internationally recognised WELL certificate. In the UK, CBRE are advising Landid Brockton Capital JV on the WELL Core and Shell certification of the Porter Building, putting the 120,000 sq ft development in Slough in line to be one of the first office buildings in the UK to attain the global rating when it completes later this year.
Rebecca Pearce, Head of EMEA Sustainability, CBRE, commented: “Adopting wellness strategies, and achieving WELL certification, in our own premises gives us the opportunity to fully understand the benefits to individuals and ongoing management activities for optimal organisational performance. As well as enhancing work life for our own people this allows us to help occupiers and owners get the best value for their wellness investment.”
Adolfo Ramírez-Escudero, CEO of CBRE Spain, “The global trend of adopting healthy lifestyles has now clearly reached the corporate world, and employees are now requesting that companies provide improved well-being policies. These measures have not just helped to improve employee satisfaction and productivity, but have also improved results in terms of attracting and retaining talent. In fact, according to CBRE's report, 85% of young employees now see wellbeing in the workplace as a key factor”.
Implementing these measures has allowed the company to make considerable savings in terms of energy (12%), water consumption (40%) and printing (25%), and has increased productivity by 30% and employee satisfaction by 76%. Having innovative and healthy offices has also helped CBRE enter into the top 50 companies to work at in Spain in the Best Place to Work Spain 2017 ranking.
In 2016 CBRE entered into a strategic partnership with Delos, the pioneers of the WELL Building Standard, to advance health and wellbeing in the built environment.