Elevating the Threshold of Healthier Homes for All

Leverage Innovative solutions to help scale health outcomes in the residential sector

With the recent launch of the WELL for residential pilot program, the world’s first holistic framework for designing, operating and maintaining healthy homes, the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) delivered the first roadmap for creating residential spaces that promote health and well-being. The strong market response underscores the surging demand for WELL’s people-first approach for delivering healthier, more resilient spaces for everyone…

“We’ve already seen strong adoption by projects of all sizes and price points in over a dozen countries during the pilot phase,” said Liz Miles, IWBI’s Vice President of Residential. “To create healthy homes for as many people as possible, we need scalable and innovative solutions that advance health impact from design to construction and maintenance.”

Miles also emphasized the two core principles driving this movement: health and affordability. “The industry is stepping up with solutions that make homes healthier, more sustainable and affordable while reducing energy costs and carbon footprints,” she added.

Innovation as a key driver

Today, technologies and concept-changing designs are redefining what it means to live in a healthy home where indoor environmental quality, comfort and well-being are integrated from the ground up. With the help of today’s cutting-edge solutions, innovative early adopters of the WELL for residential framework set a new benchmark for healthy living. With occupant health, energy efficiency and climate resilience top of mind, today’s home innovations are creating safer, healthier spaces for people everywhere.

Caplow Manzano: combating climate challenge by proactively addressing humidity in Miami

CM1, a future-proof single-family home in Miami’s Silver Bluff neighborhood, the first-ever certified WELL Residence. Designed by Caplow Manzano, the elevated home addresses flood risks and persistent humidity, both common challenges in Miami’s climate. The design includes removable wall panels for easy plumbing access, supporting better mold prevention. Its forward-thinking design strategies received media attention from The Miami Herald and The Architect’s Newspaper.

Assembly OSM: modular solutions at scale

New York-based Assembly OSM, a tech-driven prefabrication company, recently achieved the WELL Residence certification for its 147 Saint Felix Street project in Brookly, New York, making it the first modular building globally and the first project in New York State to achieve this designation. By building offsite in a modular format, the company integrates sustainability and health-focused design while minimizing carbon emissions. The project serves as a prototype of modular homes that prioritize sustainability and occupant health - offering a new approach to delivering healthier and more resilient homes at scale.

Corvias: health is in the air, water, and the light

Corvias, a major housing operator for the U.S. Army and Department of Defense, recently earned WELL Residence designations for projects at Fort Meade and Fort Liberty. Corvias’ strategies focus on improving indoor air and water quality, and installed circadian lighting systems that align with the human body’s natural day-night cycles, enhancing sleep, mood and overall well-being for service members and their families. “Corvias’ achievement of WELL Residence certification stands as a testament to our dedicated approach to partnership and innovation,” said Chris Wilson, Corvias Chief Executive Officer when pointing out Corvias’ steadfast commitment to ensuring healthy housing for military families. “We are encouraged by the scalability of this program to achieve third party indoor health certification and the prospects of broad adoption of these strategies across our peer companies in privatized military housing."

Aeroseal: Collaborative approach to seal air leaks for vulnerable families

Ohio-based Aeroseal offers a technology-driven air sealing solution that improves indoor air quality, enhances comfort and boosts energy efficiency. Its technology seals leaks in HVAC ducts and building envelopes, cutting energy costs and improving indoor air quality for better health. In 2022, Aeroseal was selected for Illinois’s Healthy Homes program, a collaboration between Nicor Gas, Blue Cross Blue Shield and a local asthma advocacy group. The initiative helps low-income families dealing with pediatric asthma by sealing ducts to reduce harmful pollutants. Joe St. Pierre, a contractor integrating Aeroseal’s solutions in a clean-and-seal blended process, described the work as “emotionally empowering,” sharing how proactive sealing directly improved health outcomes for families in these communities.

Nicor Gas’s white paper highlighted the benefits: cleaner indoor air, safer living conditions and reduced energy burdens. “Tech solutions like ours act as force multipliers,” said Maggie McCarey, Aeroseal’s Vice President of Policy and Market Development. “They help create healthier, people-first spaces while fighting climate change.”

Creating Opportunity through innovation

As a tech-savvy and health-conscious generation enters the home market and starts driving demand for better living environments, it’s essential to guide this momentum with affordable, accessible design. Innovations will be key, helping to not only elevate health, but create greater opportunities to reach everyone.

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