WELL v2 Certification Requirements: Points, Preconditions, and Verification (2026)

WELL v2 awards Bronze at 40 points, Silver at 50, Gold at 60, and Platinum at 80 — out of 110 available points spread across ten health concepts. Every project requires on-site performance testing by a certified WELL Performance Testing Agent before certification is awarded. No documentation review alone is sufficient.

Key numbers at a glance

What are the ten WELL v2 concepts?

WELL v2 is organized into ten health concepts — each containing preconditions and optional optimizations. The ten concepts are Air (A01–A14), Water (W01–W09), Nourishment (N01–N14), Light (L01–L09), Movement (V01–V11), Thermal Comfort (T01–T09), Sound (S01–S08), Materials (X01–X12), Mind (M01–M11), and Community (C01–C18). A project may pursue no more than 12 points per concept and no more than 100 points across the ten concepts. The standard lists minimum points per concept of 0 for Bronze, 1 for Silver, 2 for Gold and 3 for Platinum, so Platinum needs 80 total points and at least 3 in every concept. An Innovation concept (I01) allows up to 10 additional points; parts of features not already pursued can be submitted there once a concept has reached its 12-point maximum, worth one point per part.

Why WELL v2 uses preconditions instead of prerequisites

WELL v2 separates mandatory baseline requirements — called preconditions — from optional point-earning optimizations. Preconditions define the floor below which no project can certify, regardless of point totals. The standard states that projects must achieve all preconditions plus the points for a level, so a failing precondition blocks every certification level. Optimizations let project teams customize the certification strategy around project type, budget, and occupant priorities. The Q4 2020 text of WELL v2 lists 24 preconditions: A01–A04 (Air), W01–W03 (Water), N01–N02 (Nourishment), L01–L02 (Light), V01–V02 (Movement), T01 (Thermal Comfort), S01 (Sound), X01–X03 (Materials), M01–M02 (Mind) and C01–C04 (Community).

How does WELL v2 scoring work?

WELL v2 scoring is performance-based — points are earned only after on-site testing confirms compliance. The 110-point scorecard distributes points across the ten concepts plus Innovation. The standard says not to apply rounding in calculations and to use the most expansive interpretation: its example is 25% of 21 workstations, which equals 6 because five desks reach only 23.8% (Feature V02 Part 1). Optimization parts are sometimes contingent — earning points in one part may be required before another part becomes available. WELL Core projects (core-and-shell buildings where at least 75% of the project area is occupied by tenants and/or serves as common space accessible to all tenants) use a separate point-value table for features, since their occupant reach differs from owner-occupied projects.

What does performance verification require?

Performance verification is completed by an authorized WELL Performance Testing Agent (PTA) who spends 1–3 days on-site validating documentation and running physical measurements. Air quality tests cover PM2.5, PM10, VOCs, CO, ozone, and radon. Light level and thermal measurements confirm circadian and comfort compliance. Water quality and sound level measurements are taken as well. WELL Core projects must make at least 2.5% of total building floor area available for testing — including all common areas and spaces directly under the control of building management. If those spaces are smaller than 2.5%, the project supplements with tenant spaces. Multifamily residential projects seeking Bronze or Silver do not need testing within individual dwelling units for preconditions; Gold and Platinum require dwelling-unit testing of preconditions (sampled per the WELL Performance Verification Guidebook). For optimizations, testing within dwelling units is required whether or not the project targets Gold or Platinum.

What are the air quality thresholds under WELL v2?

Air quality thresholds under WELL v2 are set in Feature A01, which is a precondition for all projects. PM2.5 must measure at or below 15 µg/m³ and PM10 at or below 50 µg/m³ under standard Option 1 conditions. Projects where the outdoor annual average PM2.5 is 35 µg/m³ or higher may use Option 2 (PM2.5 ≤ 25 µg/m³) but are capped at Gold regardless of total points. Formaldehyde must measure at or below 50 µg/m³, benzene at or below 10 µg/m³, and toluene at or below 300 µg/m³. Carbon monoxide must not exceed 10 mg/m³ (9 ppm) in standard occupied spaces. Radon testing is required in all regularly occupied spaces at or below grade, at one test per 2,300 m² (25,000 ft²) of regularly occupied below-grade space, with a limit of 0.15 Bq/L (4 pCi/L).

Cross-project type comparison

What are common mistakes with WELL v2 certification?

1. Treating preconditions as optional. Every precondition part is binary — pass or fail. A project team that pursues 80 optimization points but misses one precondition part receives no certification.

2. Assuming documentation review is enough. WELL v2 requires physical on-site testing. A project cannot certify on documentation alone. Air, water, light, and thermal parameters must pass measured thresholds, not just design calculations.

3. Underestimating concept minimums for Platinum. Platinum requires at least 3 points per concept. A project that concentrates points in Air and Light while neglecting Sound or Community cannot reach Platinum even at 90 total points.

4. Using rounding in calculations. WELL v2 requires the most expansive interpretation: 25% of 21 workstations means 6 stations, not 5.

5. Ignoring the construction pollution requirements. A04 Construction Pollution Management is a precondition. It requires ducts sealed and protected (or cleaned before registers are installed), media filters rated at least MERV 8 on return air if the permanent system runs during construction, and filter replacement before occupancy.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum score for WELL Platinum?

WELL Platinum requires 80 total points out of 110 available, with at least 3 points earned in every one of the ten concepts. A project that scores 80+ total but falls below 3 in any single concept cannot achieve Platinum — the per-concept minimum is a hard requirement, not a guideline.

What is the difference between a precondition and an optimization in WELL v2?

A precondition is a mandatory baseline requirement — every precondition part must be satisfied for the project to certify at any level. An optimization is an optional feature that earns points toward the certification level. Projects choose which optimizations to pursue based on budget, project type, and health priorities. Failing any precondition part disqualifies the entire project regardless of points earned.

How long does WELL v2 performance verification take?

A certified WELL Performance Testing Agent typically spends 1–3 days on-site conducting physical measurements of air quality, water quality, light levels, thermal conditions, and acoustics. This on-site testing is required in addition to the documentation review conducted through the WELL digital platform. No project can certify on documentation alone.

Does WELL v2 certification expire?

WELL certification must be renewed through recertification; the cycle is set in the WELL Certification Guidebook, not in the standard text. At recertification, projects must resubmit documentation and undergo performance testing. For multifamily residential projects at any certification level, dwelling-unit testing is not required at recertification — only common areas and building management spaces are tested.

What air quality limits must a WELL v2 project meet?

Standard projects must achieve PM2.5 ≤ 15 µg/m³, PM10 ≤ 50 µg/m³, formaldehyde ≤ 50 µg/m³, benzene ≤ 10 µg/m³, CO ≤ 10 mg/m³ (9 ppm), and radon ≤ 0.15 Bq/L (4 pCi/L) in regularly occupied below-grade spaces. These are measured during on-site performance verification, not estimated from design calculations. Projects in polluted regions using Option 2 (modified thresholds) are capped at Gold; Option 3 (dynamic thresholds) is capped at Silver.