WELL vs Fitwel vs LEED: ¿cuál certificación elegir?

Three Certifications, Three Philosophies

If you are evaluating certifying your development, this guide saves you months of research. We break down WELL, Fitwel, and LEED so you can make the right decision.

WELL Building Standard

Focus: Human health exclusively

Cost: $15,000 - $150,000+ USD

Timeline: 12-18 months

Levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum

WELL is the most rigorous standard. It evaluates 10 concepts: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, and Community. It requires third-party verification and post-certification monitoring.

Ideal for: Premium projects that want to be benchmarks. High-value residential, world-class corporate developments.

Fitwel

Focus: Active design and community health

Cost: $3,000 - $15,000 USD

Timeline: 3-6 months

Levels: 1, 2, or 3 Stars

Developed by the U.S. CDC and GSA. More accessible in cost and time. Does not require continuous monitoring. Based on a scorecard of 55+ criteria.

Ideal for: First approach to wellness certification. Tight budgets. Projects that need to certify quickly.

LEED (Wellness Credits)

Focus: Environmental sustainability (with wellness credits)

Cost: $25,000 - $100,000+ USD

Timeline: 12-24 months

Levels: Certified, Silver, Gold, Platinum

LEED is not a wellness certification per se, but its Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) credits cover: air quality, natural lighting, acoustic and thermal comfort.

Ideal for: Projects already pursuing environmental certification that want to cover wellness in the same process.

Comparison Table

Our Recommendation

Sources: IWBI, CfAD, USGBC. Approximate costs for mid-size projects in Mexico.