Zeller announced today it has earned the WELL Health-Safety Rating for its nationwide portfolio, consisting of 9.8 million square feet, through the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). Properties in the Zeller commercial office portfolio that have earned this rating include 100 Peachtree, Premier Plaza, and Resurgens Plaza in Georgia; 311 S. Wacker Drive, 401 N. Michigan Avenue, Commerce Plaza, Old Orchard Towers, The Wrigley Building and Woodfield Preserve Office Center in Illinois; Capital Center, Castle Creek Corporate Center, Meridian Mark I & II, and Two Concourse in Indiana; Fifth Street Towers and LaSalle Plaza in Minnesota; Umpqua Bank Plaza in Oregon; and Deer Creek Corporate Center and Riverwood Corporate Center I & III in Wisconsin. The WELL Health-Safety Rating is an evidence-based, third-party verified rating for all new and existing building and space types focusing on operational policies, maintenance protocols, stakeholder engagement and emergency plans to address a post-COVID-19 environment now and into the future.
Designed to empower owners and operators across large and small businesses alike to take the necessary steps in order to prioritize the health and safety of their staff, visitors and stakeholders, the WELL Health-Safety Rating has informed and reinforced the already robust policies and procedures Zeller had in place to keep tenants and visitors healthy and happy in our properties, further instilling confidence in those who come through the building as well as the broader community.
“The WELL Health & Safety Rating offered a comprehensive program for Zeller to develop and employ fundamentally sound practices today to create a healthier building supporting the physical, psychological, social well being of all people working and visiting the building not just now but well beyond the pandemic,” said Steve Herron, Principal at Zeller. “The effort has inspired our teams to continue identifying enhancements that ultimately will improve the overall tenant experience at our properties that proudly display the WELL HSR certification.”
In order to achieve WELL Health-Safety Rating, Zeller is implementing features portfolio-wide such as a robust Water Quality Management Plan including regular water testing, moving towards all fragrance free hand soap; introducing permanent strategies to reduce the amount of contact that people have with high-touch surfaces; conducting a risk assessment detailing the resources, education, training and management plans necessary to respond to diverse emergency situations;and cultivating a culture of health by reinforcing programs, amenities and policies available to support health and safety, including regular communications and occupant education.
The WELL Health-Safety Rating provides a centralized source and governing body to validate efforts made by owners and operators. It leverages insights drawn from the IWBI Task Force on COVID-19, in addition to guidance on the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), global disease control and prevention centers and emergency management agencies, as well as recognized standard-making associations such as ASTM International and ASHRAE, and leading academic and research institutions, as well as core principles already established by IWBI’s WELL Building Standard, the premier framework for advancing health in buildings and spaces of all kinds.
Zeller’s nationwide portfolio was awarded the WELL Health-Safety Rating following the successful completion of third-party documentation review by GBCI to confirm it has met the feature specific intents and requirements.