Paya Lebar Quarter Office Buildings First in Singapore to Register for New Global Building Standard Focused on Occupant Well-being and Productivity

SINGAPORE, January 23, 2017 /3BL Media/ – Paya Lebar Quarter by Lendlease, a $3.2 billion mixed-use development, is the first in Singapore to register for the International WELL Building Institute’s (IWBI) WELL Core and Shell Certification for nearly one million square feet of Grade A workspaces across its three office towers. The commitment to pursue WELL Certification in Singapore is a testament to Lendlease’s leadership in sustainability and the development’s vision to create an Active, Green and Engaged precinct that can enhance the well-being and productivity of the people who will come to work in these spaces every day.

Administered by public benefit corporation IWBI, the WELL Building Standard™ (WELL) is the world’s first building standard focused exclusively on increasing the well-being and productivity of occupants. The program uses a performance and evidence-based system, based on medical and scientific research to provide investors and tenants with measurable benefits addressing health and well-being concerns for workplaces.

The public space design of Paya Lebar Quarter, together with its retail, entertainment and leisure experiences, deliver a complete work ecosystem integrating work with other lifestyle activities to connect people beyond their workspace. Signature features of Paya Lebar Quarter aligning with the principles of the WELL Building Standard are the 100,000 square feet of green public spaces seamlessly connected to the Park Connector Network and excellent end-of-trip facilities for the office tenants such as showers, lockers and bicycle lots that promote active lifestyles.

The biophilic design with green spaces in the public plaza, promenade and the sky gardens for the three office towers reflects the benefits of integrating nature into the places and buildings that make up our cities, helping elevate a sense of well-being. Research has shown that a 40 second micro-break viewing a green roof resulted in higher concentration levels as compared to a view of a concrete roof.

“Paya Lebar Quarter is a pioneering project in Singapore that demonstrates leadership in sustainability, in line with the national agenda – one that is increasingly looking at integrating health and wellness components into a holistic approach to create a sustainable future. Registration for WELL Certification aligns with our mission to create a happier, healthier and ultimately more productive workforce and community here in Paya Lebar Quarter,” said Mr Richard Paine, Managing Director of Paya Lebar Quarter by Lendlease.

“Healthy workplaces can lead to improved productivity and reduced absenteeism, staff turnover, and medical or insurance claims. Organisations now look beyond the monetary cost of occupying a building; they are placing emphasis on the productivity of the workforce occupying it,” said Mr Paine.

Approximately 90 per cent of a business’s operating costs are tied to staff-related expenses3. Therefore, a modest improvement in employee health or productivity can have a significant financial implication for employers.

“The research is proving what we’ve known intuitively – that investing in things that improve the health and well-being of our employees leads to improved employee satisfaction and engagement levels,” said Mr. Rick Fedrizzi, Chairman and CEO of IWBI. “WELL provides a pathway for extending a company’s efforts from creating green and efficient workplaces to green and healthy environments for its most important asset – its people. Progressive investors and tenants alike recognize that this people-first approach of encouraging healthier workplaces is key to boosting overall productivity.”

Future office occupants at Paya Lebar Quarter can also access the Wi-Fi-enabled public spaces for opportunities to take their work outdoors. The quality retail, entertainment and food choices will not only ensure interesting and healthy food choices, but foster social bonding and collaboration among colleagues.

The office towers will also include enhanced air filtration beyond industry standards to optimise the amount of outdoor air being supplied into offices based on office occupancy and outdoor air quality. Other health and well-being considerations include floor to ceiling glazing that invite natural daylight into the workspaces and provide excellent window views of the green public realm whilst maintaining thermal comfort to boost concentration for focused work.

The WELL Core & Shell Certification that Paya Lebar Quarter is pursuing is now available for new core and shell developments or multi-tenant buildings seeking to implement the basic conditions necessary to achieve WELL Certification. WELL is designed to work harmoniously with leading international green building systems to best address both human health and environmental sustainability within buildings.  Through the certification process, these pioneering projects will help drive rapid harmonization of WELL with green building rating systems around the world, such as LEED, Green Star and BREEAM.

Paya Lebar Quarter follows the International Towers at Barangaroo South Sydney, a project by Lendlease, in leading the internationalization of WELL Core and Shell Certification. Lendlease and wellness real estate firm Delos first announced their alliance in November 2015 to bring human health and wellness innovations to Lendlease markets around the world through adoption of the WELL Building Standard.

About Paya Lebar Quarter
Paya Lebar Quarter will be a centrally located mixed use development and a key catalyst to URA’s masterplan to transform Paya Lebar into a regional business hub set in the heart of historical cultural districts. Directly connected to the dual MRT lines at Paya Lebar, the centrally located Paya Lebar Quarter is just 10 minutes away from the CBD, offering unprecedented convenience and connectivity.

The 4-hectare mixed-use development will comprise close to one million square feet of next generation work spaces in three grade A towers, a standalone shopping mall with a total retail area of 340,000 square feet with over 200 shops. There will be a great range of indoor and experiential alfresco dining set in generous green public spaces of over 100,000 square feet. The 429-unit residential development sits on an exclusive plot with convenient covered access to shopping and lifestyle amenities, delivering the best of city life.

Paya Lebar Quarter is a project by Lendlease, an international company with a strong track record in urban regeneration projects around the world. In line with its vision of creating the best places, Lendlease will bring world class place making design in city living to Paya Lebar Quarter.

For more information, visuals and a preview of how Paya Lebar Quarter will lead the transformation of Paya Lebar into a dynamic business and lifestyle hub, please visit www.payalebarquarter.com.

About the International WELL Building Institute
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation whose mission is to improve human health and well-being through the built environment. Public benefit corporations like IWBI are an emerging U.S. structure for corporations committed to balancing public benefits with profitability – harnessing the power of private capital for greater good. IWBI administers the WELL Building Standard™ (WELL) – a performance-based system for measuring, certifying, and monitoring features of buildings that impact the health and well-being of the people who live, work, and learn in them. Fulfilling the vision of IWBI Founder Paul Scialla, IWBI has a pioneering altruistic capitalism model that will address social responsibility and demonstrate a sustainable model for philanthropy. IWBI has committed to direct 51 percent of net profits, after taxes, generated by registration fees, certification fees and recertification fees received from real estate projects applying for WELL Certification toward charitable contributions and impact investment focused on health, wellness and the built environment. IWBI was established by Delos in 2013 pursuant to a Clinton Global Initiative commitment to improve the way people live by developing spaces that enhance occupant health and quality of life by sharing the WELL Building Standard globally. www.wellcertified.com

About the WELL Building Standard
The WELL Building Standard (WELL) is a performance-based system for measuring, certifying and monitoring features of the built environment that impact human health and well-being. Launched in 2014, more than 325 projects encompassing 70 million square feet are now registered or certified under the WELL Building Standard in 27 countries. WELL is administered by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), a public benefit corporation committed to improving human health and well-being through the built environment. www.wellcertified.com

About Lendlease
Lendlease is a leading international property and infrastructure group. We are listed on the Australian Securities Exchange with 12,000 employees worldwide. Our capabilities span the entire property spectrum – development; investment management; project management & construction and asset & property management – and our expertise  covers multiple sectors including commercial, life sciences, residential, retail, hospitality and education.

Lendlease’s vision of creating the best places – places that meet the varied, nuanced and personal needs of the people who live and work there – is achieved by curating an indelible connection between people and places.

We create innovative, sustainable and quality property solutions, forging partnerships and delivering value to clients, investors and communities. Through design and investment in new technologies, we are delivering the next generation of sustainable property solutions. Safety is our number one priority and we are committed to operating Incident & Injury Free. For more information about Lendlease, please visit www.lendlease.com. We are known as 联实 in Chinese.