CBRE’s New Calgary Office Is More Than WELL Platinum Certified

Investment signals CBRE’s belief in Calgary’s economic future, the importance of office space and doing right by top talent

CBRE’s new Calgary office is the global real estate company’s first in North America to receive WELL v2 Certification at Platinum level from the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). CBRE has transformed its offices around world since 2015, but the highest WELL designation available, the Platinum level WELL Certification, had not yet been achieved in North America by a CBRE office until now. Beyond CBRE, this is just the second project in Canada ever to achieve WELL Certification at the Platinum level.

“After everything Alberta has been through as a province in recent years, not to mention what we all experienced during the pandemic, it’s exciting to unveil a new office that reflects CBRE’s commitment to the future of this city and the opportunities in our economy. It shows our desire to attract and retain with world-class office space,” says Greg Kwong, CBRE’s Alberta Regional Managing Director.

WELL Certification aims to enhance people’s health and well-being through the buildings and communities where we live, work and play. The WELL Building Standard (WELL) is a performance-based certification system that marries best practices in design and construction with evidence-based scientific research.

CBRE Calgary’s Platinum level WELL status – earned based on ten categories of healthy building performance: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind and Community – solidifies the company’s position as the commercial real estate industry leader for health and wellness. The Calgary office underwent rigorous testing and a final evaluation carried out by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) – a third-party certification body for WELL – to ensure it met all WELL Certified Platinum performance requirements.

“Hybrid work may be the way of the future, but we want to make our offices appealing and high-performance venues when people are present. CBRE is walking the walk when it comes to prioritizing the health and wellness of our people and ensuring our workplace is one where they can thrive and create the best outcomes for our clients and stakeholders,” says Kwong. “Calgary, and CBRE, can be one of the best places in the world to work.”

WELL and Good

Located in a LEED Platinum property at Eighth Avenue Place, CBRE’s Calgary office incorporates more than 100 wellness strategies, including:

• A fitness centre with exercise equipment, saunas, and bike facilities.
• A social hub where employees can collaborate and socialize.
• Top-of-the-line air filtration with microbe and mold control and UVC filters.
• Options for nutritious food and beverages; access to outdoors; wellness room.
• Furniture that incorporates safe, non-toxic materials.

“The details matter when it comes to WELL Certification,” says Chloé Coussy, an Associate Project Manager and WELL Accredited Professional (WELL AP) with CBRE’s Project Management group, who guided the certification process in collaboration with Delos. “There is universal access to natural light for employees, ergonomic sit-stand desks, and noise-attenuating technology to reduce stress-inducing background noise. Carbon-filtered water is provided within 30 metres of workstations to encourage better hydration. And a central lunchroom, the RISE Café, encourages staff to take a break from their desks to eat and collaborate. It’s a marriage of a philosophy, science and design.”

The pursuit of Platinum level WELL Certification for the Calgary office brought together expertise from CBRE’s own service lines, including the Workplace Strategy, Project Management and Move Management groups, which boast a wealth of institutional knowledge and expertise to advise and execute on WELL Certification thanks to the company’s five previous WELL pursuits.

“The pandemic underscored the need to make employee health and wellness the top focus when it comes to workplace design,” says Kwong. “By embracing the work style, culture and ideas of our Calgary employees throughout the entire process and using our own brokerage, project management and change management services, this new work environment truly reflects the entrepreneurial culture CBRE prides itself on.”