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WorldGBC launches practical tools to support the creation of a healthy, sustainable built environment

Guidance in implementing WorldGBC’s flagship Health and Wellbeing Framework.

After a multi-year global consultation, the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) developed a revolutionary Health and Wellbeing Framework, which outlines six key principles for the building and construction industry to develop a healthy, equitable built environment for everyone, everywhere. Now, WorldGBC has released an Implementation Guide – a step by step educational tool which will show the sector how to embed the principles of Health, Wellbeing and Social Value throughout the entire lifecycle of the built environment.

Why health, wellbeing and social value matters

Social value, which means considering the impact of the built environment upon the people, communities and human rights of the workers involved, is no longer a ‘nice to have’. It has grown substantially in recent years into a business driver for developers and investors, with people being put at the heart of the business case. WorldGBC delved deeper into this issue through our Beyond the Business Case report, launched at COP26, where we predict the growing trend of quantifying social value will soon be reflected in financial terms for built assets. Health and wellbeing, at building occupant, community or global level, are all captured within the scope of the social value.

Through the Beyond the Business Case report, seven irrefutable co-benefits for investing in a sustainable built environment are identified. Spanning both the financial and social value case and supported by evidence-based research through innovative case studies, the report bolsters both the current, and future, business case for a sustainable built environment. The business benefits outlined in the report range from lower costs, risk mitigation to higher asset values and investment resilience. Read the report to find out more.

The evidence demonstrates that both sustainable building and occupant welfare have become inextricably linked.

What is the Health and Wellbeing Framework, and who is it for?

The Framework is a high-level educational resource, structured across six core principles for health and wellbeing in the built environment. Collectively developed by an expansive industry and GBC Taskforce, the aim of the Framework is to expand the scope and meaning of health and wellbeing for the industry and mobilise action-oriented solutions to the health and wellbeing challenges directly impacted by the building and construction sector.

The principles are conceptual, allowing them to be universally applicable for an international audience and diverse range of stakeholders. It can be used by actors across the value chain, from designers to occupiers, construction firms to policymakers.

The full, digital version of the Framework is available at worldgbc.org/health-framework.

Starting the journey – how to implement Health and Wellbeing

With the support of our global network, WorldGBC has developed a Health and Wellbeing Framework Implementation Guide, which outlines step by step on how an organisation can address both health and social value within their practises:

Implementation Guide

Framework Alignment Checklist

Health and Wellbeing Framework full edition

You can also watch a quick summary video on what each of the Principles here.

Catriona Brady, Director of Strategy and Development, WorldGBC:

“The COP26 summit resulted in a landmark Glasgow Climate Pact, which is helping to keep alive hopes of tackling the climate crisis on an international scale. It provides a crucial focus on our vulnerable communities around the world, which are most impacted by climate change, and provides a call to create healthy, resilient settlements for people.

“We are proud to launch the new Implementation Guide, which contains a detailed breakdown of the aspects we must address throughout the lifecycle of a building if we are to develop buildings which provide healthy homes for both people and the planet.”

Find out how we’re creating #BetterPlacesForPeople.

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