What is the WELL Building Standard about?
The WELL Building Standard (WELL) focuses on the people in the building. The standard places human health and comfort to the forefront of building practices and reinvents buildings that are not only better for the planet, but also for people. This is the first standard of its kind that focuses solely on the health and wellness of building occupants.
How is it related to the LEED rating system?
Other than being administered by the GBCI, WELL and LEED are both independent building rating systems. LEED focuses on sustainability as it pertains to the built environment along with occupant comfort. On the other hand, WELL focuses solely on the health and wellness of building occupants. WELL complements LEED and other rating systems geared towards environmental sustainability.
Who is a WELL AP?
A WELL AP is a professional who possesses the knowledge and skills necessary to support the WELL certification process.
What are the eligibility requirements to become a WELL AP?
One must take and successfully pass the WELL AP exam. Candidates must be 18 years or older. WELL project experience is recommended, however it is not a requirement! Candidates take the WELL Exams at Prometric Centers around the world (just like the LEED exams)
Is this right for me?
Do you consider yourself a leader in your industry? Are you committed to placing health and wellness at the center of building design and performance? Then the WELL AP credential may be right for you!
Is there an exam prep for WELL AP?
Yes. GBRI WELL AP Exam Prep Package offers everything you need to pass the exam.
1. On-demand Audio/Video Modules for each Knowledge Domain/ WELL Concept
2. Standalone Study Guide
3. Practice Quizzes for each Knowledge Domain/WELL Concept
4. Five (5) Mock Exams
5. Memorization Tools (FREE)
How much does GBRI WELL exam prep cost?
Depending on your preference, GBRI has several options available:
1. All inclusive WELL AP Package (This includes everything) – $149
2. WELL AP Study Guide, Quizzes and Mock Exams (Everything minus On-Demand Modules) – $99
3. WELL AP On-demand modules, Quizzes and Mock Exams (Everything minus Study Guide) – $99
4. Quizzes and Mock Exams (Everything minus Study Guide & On-Demand Modules) – $69
Not sure if WELL is right for you? Join us for a FREE session on WELL building standard
Should I choose the study guide or on-demand modules?
GBRI’s Study Guide and On-demand Modules are both stand-alone exam prep resources. Depending on your preference or learning style, you may choose one over the other. You don’t need both the study guide and on-demand modules; however, if you prefer, you may use the study guide to complement the on-demand modules. For example, you could start with the on-demand modules and use the guide to review what you learned or vice versa. While reviewing, pay close attention to underlined text in your study guide. Take the practice exams after completing each module/knowledge domain/concept and review answer choices to identify topics that may need additional attention. You may also utilize the concept matrix as a learning tool.
What are the steps to become a WELL AP?
Step 1 – Sign-up for a FREE WELL online account @ wellonline.wellcertified.com
Step 2 – Register for the Exam by paying applicable fees
Step 3 – Schedule the exam through Prometric
How much is the cost for taking the WELL AP Exam?
The fee varies based on your location, your organization’s USGBC member status and your LEED accreditation status. In the U.S. the fee is $465 for USGBC members and LEED professionals & $660 for others until July 1, 2017. After July 1, 2017, the fees will increase.
What does the WELL AP exam evaluate?
The questions within the WELL AP Exam test candidates’ abilities to recall factual information learned from the WELL standard guide, identify a solution for a scenario or problem given in a question and analyze the relationship or interaction between multiple elements of the rating system.
What is the exam like?
The exam is similar to what we see with the LEED Green Associate, AP and other credential exams .It is a computer-based multiple choice exam that is taken at a Prometric testing center. The exam is 2 hours long and contains 100 questions including 15 unscored items. The exam is in English. There are questions that require you to pick multiple correct answers (no partial credit). All items are delivered randomly throughout the exam and candidates are not informed of an item’s status, so candidates should respond to all the items on the exam. The WELL AP exam is scored between 125 and 200. You have to earn a 170 or higher to pass and earn your WELL AP.
Are there continuing education (CE) requirements for the WELL AP credential?
Yes. WELL APs have to complete 30 hours of CE in a 2 year reporting cycle. 6 of those 30 hours have to be WELL specific. A WELL specific course would have an explicit connection to the WELL rating system.
What is most important to study for the test?
The knowledge domains or concepts are the most important to study for the test. Understanding how many questions you can expect from each knowledge domain or concept will help identify how each section is weighed. This is noted in the beginning of each knowledge domain or concept. At a minimum, identify, understand and learn the context of each feature, requirement and path involved. Pay close attention to texts that are highlighted, italicized, and underlined.
Is memorization needed for the WELL AP exam?
Yes, but it’s not memorization alone. Information is hard to remember if it does not make sense. So you need to understand what you are trying to learn and relate it to things you already know from the guide or your current knowledge.
Are there any helpful memorization techniques?
We have identified and listed several memorization techniques within the guide such as Mnemonics (using the first letter of each word to create an easily remembered phrase or word). Choose the ones that work for you or use them to improvise your own techniques that suit you as each of us have a different way of learning and recalling information. According to Edward Bolled – “We remember what we understand; we understand only what we pay attention to; we pay attention to what we want.” Some of us identify and attach information to numbers while some identify them to sound, music and words. Studies have shown that revision is the key to long term memorization. Add notes or annotate while you read the guide for the first time. Review a concept after you read it once, pay attention to underlined text and your notes. Review it again before going to bed, and again the next day while trying to recall requirements for each WELL feature. Take the practice quizzes. Review your answers and revise the guide as needed. You should review the guide again after 1 day, 3 days and 1 week .Each time you review, you don’t have to read the whole concept, just focus on key items or underlined texts. You should be able to recall the information needed to pass the test.
I see a lot of numbers, reference documents and standards. Should I memorize all of them?
You are not required to memorize every single threshold, number and reference standard; however certain concepts carry more weightage than others. We have identified important ones by highlighting, italicizing or underlining the texts. Please memorize those.
Should I memorize the title of each feature within the WELL building standard?
You are not required to memorize the titles or identification numbers associated with each feature. The features along with their identification number and titles will appear in FULL in your exam questions and answer choices.
Should I memorize the pre-conditions under each concept?
Identifying a feature – whether it is a pre-condition or optimization is important for the exam. There is an easy way to identify the optimizations within each concept area; we have noted it in the beginning of each concept.
How many mock exams should I take?
Before taking the mock exams, we recommend completing the individual concept quizzes after completion of each concept. Once you are done studying the guide take each of the timed mock exams. Once done, review all answer choices. Use the review process to strengthen what you already know and to fill your gaps. Retake the mock exams. We recommend scoring more than 90% before moving on to the next mock exam.
Are there any test taking strategies?
Yes. We recommend reading them before you take the mock exams. They are located towards the end of this study guide.
That was a nice webinar to get an overview of the standard and processes for projects and professionals! I would be interested in a more in-depth webinar focusing on the concepts in detail
The webinar provided a good introduction to the WELL standard
(recognizing that it’s very hard to do more than “scratch the surface”
in a one-hour session). As a numbers person, I would have found it
helpful to see not only the fees associated with certification (which
was covered), but the incremental cost required to achieve certification
when compared to the typical costs of construction (e.g, vs. Class A,
Class B, etc.). A fuller economic analysis might provide the economic
rationale for clients that are on the fence about pursuing certification
and might help those of us considering the WELL AP credential develop a
point of view about potential adoption rates of the standard and
development of the market for advising such projects.
Thank you for a good overview of the WELL certification process. The upfront cost for the Owner is significant, it would be important to analyze cost savings for WELL-certified projects (vs. similar typology projects that perhaps followed a different set of human-centric design guidelines
The webinar was informative, I believe WELL is taking the next step for sustainable buildings. This program takes the use of the buildings and its occupants into consideration more so then LEED BD+C
Just finished the “I am doing WELL, Are You?” webinar. Great overview of the certification and exam components. I am definitely hoping to pursue WELL AP, and appreciate your offering the webinar to get me started understanding the process. I am a LEED AP, but think that WELL AP encompasses some important elements of design and wellbeing of occupants not covered by LEED.
Just finished the “I am doing WELL, Are You?” webinar. Great overview of the certification and exam components. I am definitely hoping to pursue WELL AP, and appreciate your offering the webinar to get me started understanding the process. I am a LEED AP, but think that WELL AP encompasses some important elements of design and wellbeing of occupants not covered by LEED
Thank you for offering the informative webinar. Being a LEED GA and having worked on a LEED ND pilot, I feel WELL AP could be my next step considering it is a well rounded rating system. I look forward to learning more and getting certified
Thank you for offering the informative webinar. I look forward to learning more and getting certified. Currently I have LEED Green Associate.
Thank you for the WELL AP information course,
It was my 1st. ever webinar like this.
I had zero knowledge about it nor about the LEED AP before this webinar.
Although it is my first time ever to know about this kind of buildings’certifications, but I felt sufficient knowledge about them.
The best thing that this course is free for people like me.
I wish I can pursue the WELL AP exam, and be certified.
Only small note: if the webinar time would be shorter, would be better.
Thanks for your great efforts to deliver this knowledge worldwide.
good overview of WELL standard – could have used more examples/information about credits in different categories and less sales pitch for WELL-AP exam and prep
The course was informative but I had to leave at 1hr 15min since I had allotted 1 hour for a 1 hour course. This is abusive of our time.
That said, while the goals are great it is an administratively heavy process and the 3 year renewal is onerous.
Thank you for a good overview of the WELL certification process. The upfront cost for the Owner is significant, it would be important to analyze cost savings for WELL-certified projects (vs. similar typology projects that perhaps followed a different set of human-centric design guidelines). I would like to pursue the WELL AP credential, but the exam & preparatory guide costs are a deterring factor.
I participated in I am doing WELL! Are you? I am a LEED Green Associate and find this credential interesting. I felt it was very informative and gave me enough information to help determine if I was interested in pursuing the credential further.
Thanks for this intro webinar on WELL. As a LEED AP, I can see how this added layer of HSW has value, perhaps in a combined certification someday…
The webinar gave a nice overview of the WELL process, of which I was not at all familiar. For a first time introduction, it did a good job of covering the bases. My only comment is that it was to be a 1-hour course but went 1 1/2 hours.
Great overview & information. Thanks for offering it!
Very expensive to certify a building. I’m not too sure how much weight the certification will have. A lot of marketing went into the LEED certification recognition process. Recognition of this certification by building owners and the public is far off. It might become an important certification in the future. I might pursue accreditation anyway. The knowledge base is useful and important.
The webinar was very informative – I wish I had known it would run 1 hr 25 mins. I am strongly considering adding a WELL AP to my LEED AP because it will enable me to use my healthcare background to enhance the built environment. Now, I just have to squeeze all that studying in before July 1st!
Good introductory overview of WELL standard, but would like more information about actual documentation requirements
A very well organized and well presented Webinar – informative… and encouraging all to consider the “human side” of good buildings. I would definitely consider taking this course and applying for the certification in the coming months.
I would need to know more about it, but a new credential does sound exciting. I would like to view the archived webinar in order to learn more. There was no space left when I tried to view it originally.