Effects of the WELL Certification and Planting Design on the Evaluation of Co-working Spaces

Abstract

Green building rating systems (GBRS) are becoming popular within the broad context of the building industry. The increasing number of projects received the WELL certification among GBRS incorporating planting design, aiming to enhance levels of human health and well-being, while few studies quantified the effects of the WELL certification and planting design on occupants’ valuation of projects. In this study, the results of the online choice experiment for the co-working space users (n=400) comparing the effects of the WELL certification, planting design, projects’ proof of health benefits, fee (or rent) on the choice of co-working spaces were used for conjoint analysis and latent class analysis. We found that the proof of health benefits and planting design had significant effects for increasing marginal willingness to pay than the WELL certification. Planting design was the most important factor for the choice of co-working spaces for 3 (73% of all participants) of all 4 latent classes, while projects’ proof of health benefits and planting design were positive factors for the choice of co-working spaces for all 4 latent classes. Further research should test the interaction between planting design and health benefits specifically from planting design, which could have large effects for increasing occupants’ valuation of GBRS projects.