WASHINGTON — The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the International WELL Building Institute™ (IWBI) recently announced a partnership to advance the AIA’s design and health initiative. As the first corporate supporter of the initiative, IWBI will bring leading-edge health and design information, research, and professional education opportunities to AIA members to enable their stewardship of health- and wellness-focused design and architecture. Through WELL Workshops hosted around the country, AIA will provide educational opportunities to support its membership in becoming WELL-accredited professionals (WELL APs).

“Design has the power to improve the health of the American public,” said AIA CEO Robert Ivy. “Partnering with IWBI will engage and empower our architect members and more effectively link the built environment with public health and well-being as the WELL Building Standard is adopted in the marketplace.”

The partnership will generate shared research, co-developed informational articles, and direct support for the AIA’s recently established Design and Health Research Consortium. The AIA and IWBI will co-develop a publication detailing the ways in which architects can improve health and wellbeing through design, which the AIA will share with all 87,000 members. As part of the partnership, AIA will also engage its full membership in regional WELL Workshops, webinars, and other online educational opportunities. The AIA and IWBI will also collaborate on a special event to be held at the 2016 AIA National Convention in Philadelphia that aims to inspire attendees with the latest research on design and health issues and honor practitioners dedicated to designing places that inspire health and wellbeing.

Publication date: 5/23/2016

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