What is WELL Certification? Criteria and WELL-Certified Buildings in Viet Nam

In the context where health and quality of living environments are becoming top priorities, the concept of "green buildings" is no longer simply about energy saving or protecting the natural environment. Alongside energy efficiency and environmental impact, the health and experience of users are increasingly considered in building design and operation. The WELL standard was developed to assess factors of the built environment that affect human health and comfort, from air quality and lighting to thermal comfort and mental health. This article explains what the WELL standard is and highlights pioneering WELL-certified office buildings in Viet Nam. 

TABLE OF CONTENT 1. Basic Concepts In The WELL System 1.1 What Is WELL Certification? 1.2 How Are WELL Certification And WELL Core Certification Different? 1.3 What Are WELL Ratings (WELL Assessments By Specific Objectives)? 1.4 What Is WELL At Scale? 2. 10 Core Criteria Affecting WELL Assessment 3. How Are WELL Certification Levels Determined? 4. WELL Certification Process 5. How WELL And LEED Certifications Are Different? 6. WELL-Standard Office Buildings In Viet Nam 6.1 The Nexus – HCMC 6.2 Vietcombank Tower – HCMC 6.3 Heritage West Lake – Ha Noi 6.4 Standard Chartered Bank (Viet Nam) Limited At Capital Place – Ha Noi 6.5 The Kross – HCMC 7. What Do Enterprises Gain From Leasing WELL-Standard Offices? 7.1 Improving Employee Experience And Comfort 7.2 Supporting Talent Attraction And Retention 7.3 Enhancing Brand Image With Partners And Investors 7.4 Expanding Perspective In Real Estate Strategy Conclusion Frequently Asked Questions

1. Basic Concepts in the WELL System   

1.1 What is WELL Certification? 

WELL Certified is a status awarded to projects after meeting the relevant requirements of the WELL Building Standard and completing the assessment process, including documentation review and practical performance verification. 

WELL was developed by the International WELL Building Institute – IWBI. The assessment and certification involve Green Business Certification Inc. – GBCI, an independent certification and assessment organisation.

WELL applies a human-centred approach, integrating health and wellness into the design, construction, and operation of spaces. 

Simply put, WELL poses a different question alongside building performance: Does this space create a good environment for human health and experience? 

1.2 How are WELL Certification and WELL Core Certification different? 

WELL Certification and WELL Core Certification are not two levels of WELL. They are two different certification paths designed for different building use models. The key difference lies in the relationship between the project owner and the regular users.

WELL Certification applies to projects meeting WELL system conditions, including workspace directly used by enterprises. Meanwhile, WELL Core Certification is designed for projects where the Developer or management mainly controls common areas, systems, and building infrastructure, typically offices leased to multiple enterprises. 

According to WELL v2, to register for WELL Core, at least 75% of the project area must be used by tenants and/or be common space accessible to tenants, along with other related conditions.

1.3 What are WELL Ratings (WELL assessments by specific objectives)? 

Besides comprehensive WELL certification, the system also has programmes focusing on specific objectives, collectively called WELL Ratings. 

These include programmes such as: 

• WELL Health-Safety Rating 
• WELL Equity Rating 
• WELL Performance Rating 

These programmes allow organisations to concentrate on a specific target group instead of implementing the full scope of WELL certification.

1.4 What is WELL At Scale? 

WELL At Scale is designed for enterprises with multiple offices or facilities at different locations. 

Instead of assessing each location as completely independent projects, enterprises can develop a common strategy, monitor results, and improve environmental quality across the entire real estate portfolio. 

This model suits multinational corporations or enterprises with a wide office network. 

2. 10 Core Criteria Affecting WELL Assessment  

While earlier versions concentrated on establishing basic physical health care foundations in buildings, WELL v2 has undergone comprehensive refinement with a flexible structure and much broader application.

WELL v2 includes 10 main criteria groups, covering indoor environmental quality to mental health and community. Each group contains multiple specific requirements. Depending on the type and registration scope, projects must meet mandatory requirements and may choose additional advanced criteria to increase their score. This allows each project to develop a strategic approach suitable for the building type, users and health objectives.

Source: International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), WELL Building Standard

In the WELL v2 certification system, the 10 criteria groups do not operate completely independently but are closely linked and complementary to create a comprehensive living and working environment. 

For example, light can simultaneously relate to visual ability, comfort and circadian rhythm. Air, temperature and sound together affect the indoor environmental experience.

3. How are WELL certification levels determined?

WELL certification levels reflect the success of projects after completing mandatory requirements and accumulating additional points from advanced criteria.

However, WELL Certification and WELL Core Certification have different requirements for levels and minimum points by criteria group.

4. WELL certification process        

5. WELL certification vs. LEED certification  

In the high-end real estate sector, WELL and LEED are two reputable certifications often paired, with some overlap but different evaluation focuses. 

WELL concentrates deeply on health, comfort and user experience, while LEED assesses environmental efficiency and building sustainability, including energy, water, materials and indoor environmental quality.

6. WELL-standard office buildings in Viet Nam

Viet Nam is recording an increasing number of office projects interested in international certification for green buildings and user health. 

6.1 The Nexus – HCMC 

• Address: 3A–3B Ton Duc Thang, Saigon Ward, HCMC 
• Scale: 1,250 m2 floor area, 2.7 m ceiling height and 12 passenger lifts 
• Certification: WELL Core Silver 

The Nexus is a grade A office building in HCMC that possesses indoor exercise space and health support locations. The projects also focus on the quality of the working environment and solutions to promote a healthy lifestyle. 

The Nexus is a typical example of how WELL is integrated with green building standards to create a working environment that emphasises both building efficiency and the health and experience of users. 

6.2 Vietcombank Tower – HCMC 

• Address: No. 5 Me Linh Square, Saigon Ward, HCMC 
• Certification: WELL Core Gold 

Vietcombank Tower is located in the Ben Bach Dang location, right in the HCMC cbd, with four street frontages and views of the Saigon River and Thu Thiem urban area. 

On 8 January 2025, Vietcombank Tower was officially announced as achieving WELL Core Gold, simultaneously becoming the first project in Viet Nam to reach WELL Core Gold level. 

Notably, the building also achieved LEED Platinum in August 2024. The combination of WELL Core Gold and LEED Platinum demonstrates a direction to simultaneously enhance the quality of the working environment and the building's sustainability performance.

6.3 Heritage West Lake – Ha Noi 

• Address: D7 Area, Lac Long Quan Street, Phu Thuong Ward, Tay Ho District, Ha Noi 
• Owner: CapitaLand Development 
• Certification: WELL Core Silver 

Heritage West Lake is a multifunctional development complex in the Tay Ho location, comprising residential, office and commercial components. The office block is developed to meet the demand for high quality working space in the western Ha Noi area. 

6.4 Standard Chartered Bank (Viet Nam) Limited at Capital Place – Ha Noi 

• Address: Level 3, Tower 1 and Tower 2, Capital Place, No. 29 Lieu Giai, Ha Noi 
• Certification: WELL Gold 

This example clearly shows the difference between WELL Certification for spaces directly operated and used by enterprises and WELL Core Certification, which concentrates on the building's common structure managed by the Developer. 

The case of projects such as Capital Place proves that WELL can fully become a core strategic part of enterprise workspaces and real estate, rather than simply a certification plaque on the building wall. 

6.5 The Kross – HCMC 

• Address: 3A–3B Ton Duc Thang, Saigon Ward, HCMC 
• Scale: 36 above-ground levels and five basements, providing more than 34,000 m2 of office space; typical floor area around 967–1,028 m2 
• Certification: pursuing WELL certification 

The Kross aims for a health-focused working environment with solutions on low-emission materials, natural light, ventilation and air quality. These factors align with the trend of enterprises increasingly prioritising workplace quality alongside location and leased area. The project is located in the shopping mall area, about a one-minute walk from Ba Son Metro Station, close to financial areas, hotels and major enterprise headquarters 

7. What do enterprises gain from leasing WELL-standard offices?  

7.1 Improving employee experience and comfort

WELL-oriented offices consider many factors employees encounter throughout the workday, from air quality, lighting and temperature to sound and physical activity ability.

A study in Building and Environment, based on more than 1,300 pre- and post-occupancy responses from six enterprises in North America, showed that moving to WELL-certified offices was associated with significant improvements in workplace satisfaction, perceived health and user wellness.

7.2 Supporting talent attraction and retention

Today, the working environment has become a core part of the employee experience. A health- and comfort-focused workspace can contribute to improving employee experience and help enterprises build a more attractive workplace.

However, it is practical to recognise that WELL certification is only one piece of the talent attraction and retention puzzle. Enterprise appeal still depends on many other decisive factors such as internal culture and leadership style, competitive remuneration and benefits, opportunities for learning and career development...

Therefore, WELL-standard space will be most effective when combined with a solid human resource administration platform.

7.3 Enhancing brand image with partners and investors

Possessing an internationally certified office such as WELL can help enterprises realise messages about social responsibility, care for people and sustainable development goals. This often creates goodwill with partners, clients or investors who value ESG standards.

7.4 Expanding perspective in real estate strategy

WELL provides enterprises with a new frame of reference when searching for and evaluating offices. Instead of focusing only on traditional factors such as area, location or rent, enterprises can also consider internal environmental aspects such as:

• Air quality and ventilation system
• Lighting level and noise control
• Thermal comfort and spaces supporting physical activity

This is especially suitable for enterprises developing corporate real estate and workplace strategies.

CONCLUSION 

WELL adds a perspective in assessing office quality, placing user health and experience alongside traditional factors such as location, area and rental cost. 

However, WELL certification is only one of many factors enterprises need to consider. The choice of office also depends on operational demand, budget, connectivity and long-term development plans.

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Frequently Asked Questions  

1. Is WELL certification a mandatory building standard?

No. WELL is a voluntary system. Developers or enterprises are free to choose its application as a reference framework to improve the quality of the working environment. The phrase "WELL building standard" only refers to technical requirements and is not a mandatory legal standard.  

2. What core factors does WELL concentrate on?

WELL is oriented towards a human-centred model, directly integrating health and wellness factors into the design, construction and operation processes of the space. Instead of only assessing appearance or technological equipment, WELL considers practical questions: 

• How is indoor air quality controlled? 
• Do users have access to clean, standard water? 
• Does the lighting and temperature system provide optimal comfort? 
• Is the space designed to encourage physical activity? 
• Are noise and sound managed effectively? 
• Are building materials safe and do they maintain good environmental quality? 
• Does the building support mental health care and community connectivity? 

3. How are WELL Gold and WELL Platinum different?

The core difference between these levels lies in the total points that projects accumulate from advanced criteria (after fulfilling all mandatory requirements): 

WELL Gold: Achieves 60 points or more. 

WELL Platinum: Achieves 80 points or more.

4. Does WELL certification have a validity period?

Yes. According to current IWBI regulations, projects with WELL certification must undergo recertification every three years. This rule ensures the certification always accurately reflects the quality of the space and practical operation at the current time, rather than only recording achievements at the initial stage. 

5. Can a project have both WELL and LEED certifications? 

Absolutely. These two systems do not exclude each other but excellently complement each other in high-end projects: 

LEED: Concentrates on optimising the ecological and environmental efficiency of the building. 

WELL: Concentrates on directly caring for the health, comfort and experience of people inside that building.