CANDIDATE HANDBOOK

WELL AP ™

Updated August 2019

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL WELL BUILDING
INSTITUTE™
The International WELL Building Institute™ (IWBI™) is leading the global movement to transform our
buildings and communities in ways that help people thrive.

IWBI delivers the cutting-edge WELL Building Standard™, the leading global rating system and the
first to be focused exclusively on the ways that buildings, and everything in them, can improve our
comfort, drive better choices, and generally enhance, not compromise, our health and wellness.

WELL Certification and the WELL AP credentialing program are third-party administered through
IWBI’s collaboration with Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI).

ABOUT GREEN BUSINESS CERTIFICATION INC.

Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) is the premier organization independently recognizing
excellence in green business industry performance and practice globally.

Established in 2008, GBCI exclusively administers project certifications and professional credentials
and certificates within the framework of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating systems as well as the PEER standard for power
systems, the WELL Building Standard, the Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE)
program, the Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES®), the City Climate Planner Urban Greenhouse Gas
Inventory Specialist credential, the Investor Confidence Project Investor Ready Energy Efficiency
(IREE) certificate, Parksmart, TRUE, and the GRESB benchmark, which is used by institutional
investors to improve the sustainability performance of the global property sector.

WELL AP® Candidate Handbook

COPYRIGHT 2019 Green Business Certification Inc.

Information in this Candidate Handbook represents current policies and procedures for GBCI’s Credential
Maintenance Program. Information in this Candidate Handbook supersedes information contained in any
previously published Handbooks.

All information and guidelines are subject to change.

Please read and understand the entire Candidate Handbook including all policies, procedures and consequences.
 WELL AP™ Candidate Handbook

REGISTERING FOR YOUR EXAM.................................................................... 4

Registration
Eligibility Requirements
Audits
Testing Accommodations
Exam Registration Fees

THE EXAM.............................................................................................................. 6
Exam Development
Exam Format
Exam Language
Exam Maintenance

PRE-EXAM CHECKLIST ......................................................................................8

Are You Ready?
Exam Security
What to Expect at the Test Center
Identification Requirements
Test Center Regulations
Grounds for Dismissal from the Test Center

AFTER YOUR EXAM .......................................................................................... 11

Exam Results
Passing the Exam
Exam-related Complaints and Exam Content Appeals
Candidate Confidentiality

EXAM SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................................... 13

Specifications
References
Sample Questions

CONTACT INFORMATION................................................................................. 21
Green Business Certification Inc.
Prometric

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REGISTERING FOR YOUR EXAM

Registration
1. Log in to your WELL account by using your existing site user account or creating a new
account if you do not have one.

Register for the WELL AP exam by following the instructions on the screen to complete the
2.
application.

When you register for your exam, make sure your name is entered exactly as it appears
a.
on the legal ID that you will use when you take your exam. If your account name does
not match your legal ID, correct your account name during exam registration in your
account settings. This may be of special concern to a candidate who uses a nickname or
different names in different regions. Please note that if the name in which you register
for your exam does not match the ID you will present at the test center, you must
contact GBCI at least 5 days before your exam date to change your registration, or you
will risk being turned away at the test center and forfeiting your exam registration fee

b. If your native language utilizes non-Roman characters, be sure to enter your name in
Roman characters when you register for the exam. Make sure to bring identification,
such as a passport that includes your name in Roman characters, to the test center.

3. Once you have completed the registration process, you are given a unique eligibility ID and
may schedule your exam by visiting prometric.com/gbci. Prometric is the exam delivery
organization that delivers GBCI exams.

4. When your exam appointment is scheduled, you receive a confirmation number onscreen and
also from Prometric through an email.

5. Record your confirmation number. You will need this confirmation number to confirm, cancel,
or reschedule your appointment through the Prometric website.

6. Once you have scheduled an exam, please print your confirmation notice from Prometric. Keep
your confirmation notice for any communication with Prometric about your exam. You are not
required to bring this information to the test center with you, though it may help should you
require any assistance.

7. Once you register and pay for your exam, you have 12 months to schedule and take your exam
session. If you fail your first attempt at taking the exam you may register and pay again in the
same way as initial registration. After three unsuccessful attempts however, you must wait 90
days before submitting a new registration and payment to GBCI. Candidates must pay the
registration fee for each exam attempt.

8. You can confirm, cancel, or reschedule an exam on the Prometric website.

9. Rescheduling and cancelation policy:

a. You may reschedule or cancel your exam up 30 days prior to your exam without
incurring a rescheduling fee.

b. If you reschedule or cancel your exam fewer than 30 days but more than 3 days before
the scheduled date, you will be charged a $50 fee.

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c. You cannot reschedule your exam after midnight on the third day before the scheduled
appointment. (For example, Wednesday appointments cannot be rescheduled after
Sunday, 11:59 p.m.)

d. If you miss your exam date or fail to reschedule 3 days prior to the exam, you forfeit the
entire exam registration fee. Learn more about IWBI’s exam refund/rescheduling policy.

e. When you reschedule an exam, you will receive a new confirmation email. If you do not,
please contact Prometric immediately to confirm that your exam was rescheduled.

Days before original exam date Refunds Reschedule

30 days or more Yes Yes

3-29 days Yes, less a $50 cancellation fee Yes, less a $50 cancellation fee

0-3 days No No

To register five or more candidates at one time, contact GBCI customer service.

Eligibility Requirements
GBCI recommends that you have exposure to concepts around health and wellness in the built
environment through educational courses, volunteering or work experience prior to testing. In
addition, prior WELL project experience is strongly recommended. Practitioner competency and
project proficiency is tested objectively within the exam.

To be eligible for the WELL AP credential, you must:

a. Be 18 years of age or older

b. Agree to the Disciplinary and Exam Appeals Policy.

Audits
GBCI reserves the right to conduct an audit at any time (including prior to application submission
and after credential has been granted) of all current and past exam applications. Any information
contained in your WELL account may be audited and a request for further documentation of any
information or claims submitted by you may be made at any time. GBCI further reserves the right to
take disciplinary or legal action—including but not limited to revocation of credential(s)—in the event
that any conduct discovered during such an audit violates the Disciplinary and Exam Appeals Policy,
GBCI policy, and/or law.

Testing Accommodations
If you have a documented disability that would prevent you from taking the WELL AP exam under
normal testing conditions, you may request accommodations. GBCI complies with the provisions
of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Under the ADA, entities that administer standardized
examinations must offer the examinations in a place and manner that is accessible to candidates

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with disabilities. This may require reasonable modifications to the manner in which the exam
is administered. Prometric, the exam delivery company used by GBCI, will provide candidates
reasonable auxiliary aids and services, except where it may fundamentally alter the validity of the
exam results. Available accommodations include, but are not limited to, a reader, a scribe, and
extended testing time.

If you require testing accommodations, you must indicate this during your registration process by
checking the box that says “Yes, I need testing accommodations.” To be eligible for accommodations,
you and your health care provider each need to complete one form, the Candidate Form and the
Provider Form, to document your disability and need for accommodation. There is no additional
charge for testing accommodations. Each request is evaluated individually.

GBCI reviews this documentation and, if approved, alerts Prometric of the necessary
accommodations. Please allow up to two weeks to receive a reply from GBCI following submission
of your documentation. Once you have requested testing accommodations, you are not be able to
schedule an appointment with Prometric until your request is processed. You will be contacted by
email regarding the approval status of your testing accommodations request.

Exam Registration Fees

See wellcertified.com for pricing. Your paid exam registration fee is good for only one exam attempt.
You must take your exam within 12 months of registering, or you will forfeit the exam registration fee
and be required to re-register and pay a new fee.

THE EXAM

Exam Development
A WELL Accredited Professional (AP) is an individual who possesses the knowledge and skills
necessary to support the WELL certification process, including participating in the design and
development process, supporting and encouraging integrated design, managing the application
and certification process and providing advocacy and education for the adoption of WELL. The
development of a valid exam begins with a clear and concise definition of the knowledge, skills
and abilities needed in order to successfully perform the job of a WELL AP. The WELL AP exam
is developed by a global network of Subject Matter Experts and meet the specifications of a job
analysis. The exam specifications are subject to rigorous validation by these experts, which ensures
that the exam is valid, and measures what it is intended to measure. Once the exam is launched the
exam questions are regularly monitored to ensure continued reliability.

The exam assesses your abilities at three cognitive levels: Recall, Application and Analysis.

• Recall Questions: These questions assess your ability to recall factual material described in the
exam references.
• Application Questions: These questions provide you with a novel problem or scenario to solve
using familiar principles or procedures described in the exam references.
• Analysis Questions: These questions assess your ability to break the problem down into its
components to create a solution. You must recognize the different elements of the problem,
and also evaluate the relationship or interactions of these elements.

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Exam Format
The WELL AP exam contains 100 multiple choice questions and is delivered in a two-hour period.

The exam has scored questions and unscored questions. All questions are placed randomly
throughout the exam and candidates are not informed of a question’s status, so you should respond
to all questions on the exam. Unscored questions are used to gather data regarding how the question
performs. This data informs the use of the question on future exams.

The exam is computer-based. Exam questions and answer options are displayed on screen. The
computer records your responses and times your exam. You are able to change your answers, skip
questions and flag questions for later review.

During the exam, you may submit comments on any question(s) believed to contain a technical
error in content by using the comment button located in the navigation bar. In order to challenge
an exam question, you must have commented on the question and provided an explanation of your
concerns. After the exam, within 10 days inform GBCI that you have left comments on your exam; in
your correspondence, be sure to note the email address used to sign up for the exam, as well as the
date on which you took it. You must notify GBCI within 10 days of your exam date that you have left a
comment within your exam.

Be prepared to commit 2 hours 20 minutes for the exam. Total exam time is broken out as follows:

a. An optional ten (10) minute tutorial, the two (2) hour exam, and an optional ten (10) minute
exit survey.

If you need to take a break before completing your exam, you may do so by raising your hand for
assistance. Testing time is NOT suspended. Be aware that if you exit the test center or end the exam
session by pressing “Finish” within your exam before completing the exam, the exam cannot be
restarted and the exam session and fee are forfeited.

Exam Language
The primary language for all exams is English. In the case of any discrepancies between the original
English content and translated content or challenges made to the exams, the English content will
be used as the basis of consideration. Translation is offered solely as an aid to non-native English
speakers. Please refer to the table below for a list of available languages. Use of translators or
foreign-language dictionaries during the examination is not be permitted. Additional time to
complete the exam will not be provided. The translated exam is presented with the English text on
top and the translated text below. Please note the exam tutorial, non-disclosure agreement, and exit
survey are in English.

Languages available: English, Chinese, French, Japanese, Spanish

Exam Maintenance
Each year, the WELL AP exam undergoes an annual maintenance process, in which the exam
questions are evaluated based on performance and accuracy. Poorly performing questions are
removed and replaced with new questions. Questions are also reviewed in light of updates to the
WELL Building Standard and WELL Certification Guidebook that have occurred since the last annual
maintenance process.

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Updates to the WELL Building Standard and WELL Certification Guidebook are published on a
quarterly basis. The annual maintenance process ensures that exam questions are current and valid
based on updates made to the WELL Building Standard and WELL Certification Guidebook through
Q1 of that year.

Updates to the exam as a result of the annual maintenance process are released in August of each
year. Ahead of the updates being made to the exam, all exam registrants are contacted to ensure
they know which version of the WELL Building Standard and WELL Certification Guidebook to study.

Please check the References section of this handbook for the most current list of exam references.

PRE-EXAM CHECKLIST

Are You Ready?

Two Months Before Your Exam

a. Ensure that your given name (first name) and surname (last name) in your WELL account
matches the given name and surname on the identification you will present at the test center.
(See Identification Requirements below.) If the names do not match, you will not be allowed
to test and you will forfeit the exam registration fee. If you have any questions, please contact
us.

b. Confirm that the date, time and location of your exam is correct. If it is not, please visit
prometric.com/gbci for information about rescheduling or canceling your exam.

Exam Security
To ensure the integrity of the WELL AP exam, you are required to review and accept a nondisclosure
agreement that prohibits any disclosure of exam content:
a. Exam questions and answers are the exclusive property of GBCI.

b. Exam questions and answers are protected by copyright law. The exam may not be copied or
reproduced in part or in whole, by any means whatsoever, including memorization.

c. Future discussion or disclosure of the content of the exam, orally or in writing, or by any other
means, is prohibited.

d. Theft or attempted theft of exam questions is punishable to the fullest extent of the law.

e. Failure to comply with the agreement will result in forfeiture of your credential.

What to Expect at the Test Center

Plan to arrive at the test center at least 30 minutes prior to your scheduled exam appointment. If you
arrive at the test site after your scheduled exam time, you will lose your seat and forfeit the exam
registration fee.

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Upon arrival at the test center, you will be required to show acceptable form(s) of identification (see
Identification Requirements below) and sign in. Next, you will be escorted to a locker to store your
belongings. You will have access to your ID and your locker key for the duration of your exam. Then
you will go through a security checkpoint, where you will be asked to empty your pockets; remove
eyeglasses, roll down shirtsleeves, remove watches and fitness trackers/monitors, remove jewelry*, and
roll up pant legs for inspection; and pass through a metal detector. Upon completion of the enhanced
security check-in, you will be escorted to a workstation by test center staff.

*Religious apparel and wedding rings are exempt.

You must remain in your seat during the exam except when authorized to leave by test center staff.
Raise your hand to notify test center staff if:
a. You experience a problem with your computer

b. An error message appears on the computer screen (do not clear the message)

c. You need to take a break (testing time is NOT suspended)

d. You need the test center staff for any other reason.

Accessing personal effects during the course of your exam is a security infraction and as a result,
your exam session could be voided without refund. Prometric test centers are outfitted with cameras
that record the check-in process and exam experience for each candidate. These recordings may be
viewed by Prometric test center staff and GBCI in the case of suspected security infractions. If you
have a medical condition that may necessitate access to medication (e.g., an insulin pump), you
must submit a Testing Accommodation request during exam registration.
If you require a break (e.g., to use the restroom), you must abide by the aforementioned security
policies, and you will be required to repeat the security check before you are permitted to reenter the
testing room.

Identification Requirements
GBCI, along with Prometric, enforces a strict policy regarding acceptable identification in order to
maintain the integrity and quality of the WELL AP exam and to ensure all candidates have access to a
consistent and fair exam check-in process:
You are required to provide one form of valid identification that contains all* of the following:
a. An expiration date that has not passed

b. Your signature

c. A photograph that looks like you

Examples of acceptable identification include:

a. Current government-issued photo ID with signature

b. Current credit card with integrated photo ID and signature

c. Current photo ID without signature, plus 1 credit card with signature (first and last names must
match on both).

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Examples of acceptable forms of unexpired photo ID include:

a. Driver’s license

b. Passport

c. Militarty ID

d. Green card, permanent residence card, or H-1B visa

e. For India residents: India PAN card or India voter ID

*If the ID has a photograph but no signature and/or expiration date, an ID with signature with the
same name and/or expiration date must also be provided. Note: the photo ID presented must contain
a recent, recognizable photograph; the ID must have been laminated by the issuing authority at the
time it was issued; AND one form of acceptable ID listed above is also presented.
Unacceptable forms of ID include, but are not limited to:
a. An expired ID

b. ID without an expiration date

c. Photocopies of ID

d. Social Security Card

e. For India residents: Aadhaar cards

See Prometric’s website for more information.

Test Center Regulations

You must abide by the Prometric security rules while at the test center. We recommend that you
review these carefully before your scheduled exam date, since you will be required to agree to them
before starting your exam. See Prometric FAQs for more information.

Grounds for Dismissal from the Test Center

Any candidate who engages in misconduct or does not comply with the test proctor’s warning
to discontinue inappropriate behavior may be dismissed from the test center, have exam results
invalidated, or be subject to other sanctions. Fraud, deceit, dishonesty, or other irregular behavior in
connection with taking the exam is strictly prohibited.

If you are dismissed from the test center, inform GBCI within 10 days of your exam date and provide a
reason for your behavior. GBCI reviews all instances of dismissal from a test center and makes a ruling
based on the consideration of your rationale and the Prometric report of the incident. To appeal a
GBCI ruling, send an email of your formal appeal to GBCI. At this stage, the Credentialing Steering
Committee will review and make a final ruling on your case.

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AFTER YOUR EXAM

Exam Results
The WELL AP exam is scored between 125 and 200. A score of 170 or higher is required to pass.
Your exam score is displayed on screen at the end of the exam and a score report is emailed to you
following your exam session.

Within 72 hours of your appointment, your exam results are processed, your WELL Online account is
updated, and, if applicable, your credential is updated in the WELL Online People directory.

Passing the Exam

Designating Your Credential
As soon as you have passed the WELL AP exam, you can use the title “WELL® AP” and/or the logo.
Please review the WELL AP section of the WELL Branding Guidelines for additional guidance.

Certificates
Once your exam results have been processed, you can download a copy of your certificate through
your WELL Online account.

Credential Maintenance Program

You must fulfill the requirements in order to maintain your credential. Learn more about WELL AP
credential maintenance.

Exam-Related Complaints and Exam Content Appeals

Because of the need for exam security, GBCI does not release exam questions or answers to
candidates. GBCI does not respond to complaints or appeals received more than 10 days after an
individual’s exam date and does not respond to complaints or appeals sent to any organizations
other than GBCI.

If you experience any problems at the Prometric test center, you must inform test center personnel
before leaving the test center. Prometric will draft an Incident Report and make it available to GBCI.

If you wish to submit an exam content appeal, you must submit comments during the exam on any
question(s) believed to contain a technical error in content. You can use the comment button located
on the navigation bar. In order to challenge an exam question, you must comment on the question
and provide a brief explanation of your concerns during the exam. After the exam, within 10 days
inform GBCI that you have left comments on your exam; in your correspondence, be sure to note the
email address used to sign up for the exam, as well as the date on which you took it. GBCI reviews
your concerns and notifies you of the findings.

GBCI does not modify exam scores under any conditions. In the event of a successful exam content
appeal, you will be given the opportunity to retest; your original exam score will not be changed.

The only way to earn the WELL AP credential is to earn a score of at least 170 or higher on the exam.

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Candidate Confidentiality
GBCI recognizes your right to control personal information. GBCI policy is designed to safeguard
this information from unauthorized disclosure. You can change your preference to be contacted by
updating your personal preferences in your WELL account.

To protect your right to control score distribution, your exam score is released only to you, the exam
taker, and authorized GBCI staff. GBCI does not release exam scores except for use in research studies
that preserve your anonymity. Candidate exam scores always remain confidential unless released with
written consent of a candidate.

Official statistics regarding the WELL AP exam, including all question performance data, individual
data and demographic data, are considered confidential; however, GBCI may publish aggregate, non-
identifying information based on such data.

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EXAM SPECIFICATIONS

Exam Specifications
The following outline provides a general description of exam content areas for the WELL AP
exam. Knowledge Domains reflect the WELL Building Standard’s Concepts and certification
process.

The WELL AP exam tests your demonstrated and advanced knowledge in human health and
wellness in the built environment.

uu Knowledge Domains

1. Air (13 questions)

A. Human Health

i. Impacts of air quality on human health and wellness

ii. Sources, vectors and routes of human exposure to airborne contaminants

throughout the lifecycle of the buildings and products

iii. Risk levels associated with airborne contaminants

iv. Risk and protective factors around acute and chronic conditions related to
airborne contaminants

B. Strategies

i. Strategies to prevent issues and improve indoor air quality at the design,
construction and operations stages

ii. Strategies for evaluating outside air quality (regional differences)

iii. Strategies for evaluating and maintaining indoor air quality over time (regional
differences)

iv. How to apply the principles of risk assessment to minimize human exposure to
airborne contaminants

v. Material lifecycle, material specifications and material ingredient labeling

conventions, including how to read a specifications sheet

C. Operations

i. Difference between source control and pollution elimination methods

ii. How to manage key classes of pollutants and how they arise from building
features (e.g., microbiologicals, gases, particulates)

iii. Causes and effects of building envelope leaks, floods and condensation issues

iv. Improvement and maintenance of IAQ techniques and technology

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2. Water (8 questions)
A. Human Health

i. Global burden of disease related to water quality and accessibility

ii. Risk factors associated with health outcomes caused by source water
contaminants

B. Treatment and Management

i. How to differentiate between source water, delivery water and consideration of

use onsite (e.g., drinking water, utility water)

ii. Risk factors in the distribution network

iii. How to assess routes of exposure (e.g., infection, chemical exposure)

iv. Methods of drinkable water access

v. Water quality mitigation options

vi. Hazards and risks related to water (e.g., mold, legionella)

vii. How to identify which fixtures are subject to which Feature(s)

3. Nourishment (8 questions)
A. Human Health

i. Global burden of disease related to nourishment (e.g., obesity, cardiovascular

disease, diabetes)

ii. Body mass index, nutritional information, serving sizes

iii. Health implications of consuming processed foods, certain fats, artificial

ingredients, sugar and sugar-sweetened beverages

B. Strategies

i. Strategies for food production (e.g., gardening)

ii. Strategies for encouraging healthy eating behaviors (e.g., culture, education,
break room spaces, dinnerware sizes, transparency about food ingredients)

iii. Strategies for applying Features based on the project situation (e.g., cafeteria vs.
no cafeteria, kitchen facilities, creating lease language in food court/concessions,
individual restaurants, creating mindful eating spaces)

iv. Strategies for promoting healthy foods (e.g., circulation, ease of access, location)

C. Design, Operations and Management

i. Food safety basics (e.g., sources of food contamination, preparation, responsible

handling, storage)

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ii. Implementation and operational requirements associated with control points

(e.g., cold storage)

iii. Managing alternate paths (e.g., community supported agriculture, non-cafeteria

vendors)

4. Light (11 questions)

A. Human Health

i. Link between melanopic lux and circadian functioning

ii. Difference between light for circadian functioning, psychological well-being and
vision

iii. Daylight as an energy effective way of delivering circadian and other well-being
benefits

iv. Positive and negative impacts of light exposure

v. Mechanisms associated with disruption to the circadian system

B. Metrics and Technical

i. How to use virtual models or other methodologies to evaluate lighting quality

(e.g., contrast models, individual controls, adjustments strategies, glare control)

ii. How to identify features of lighting quality (e.g., illumination, luminance balance,
glare control, color quality, flicker, light adaptation, non-visual intensity)

C. Strategies

i. Validation methods for different daylighting features, including testing and

performance

ii. Lighting tools (including traditional light meters vs. other measuring tools) and
design software

iii. Design and validation strategies related to daylight and electric light

5. Fitness (8 questions)
A. Human Health

i. Global burden of disease caused by lack of physical activity

ii. Benefits of fitness, physical activity and active lifestyle

iii. Deleterious effects of sedentariness and lack of physical activity in daily routine

B. Strategies

i. Strategies for engaging behavioral change with design features (e.g., adjustable
desk, adjustable chair, office circulation/movement)

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ii. Strategies for improving fitness through Feature optimization in each typography
— tenant improvements, whole building, core and shell

iii. Strategies for encouraging occupants to be active in and out of the workplace

6. Comfort (10 questions)

A. Acoustic

i. Relationships between physical/environmental stress (including interruptions)

and impact on acoustic comfort

ii. Metrics relevant for acoustic comfort (e.g., NRC, NC, STC, reverberation time)

iii. Design strategies appropriate to diverse spaces and activities to maximize

acoustic comfort and minimize noise complaints

B. Thermal

i. Positive and negative impacts of the built environment on thermal comfort

ii. Measurement of thermal parameters, thermal comfort and interpretation of

psychrometric chart

iii. Strategies to enhance thermal comfort (e.g., occupant control at workspace,

behavioral/move where occupant desires, apply adaptive thermal comfort model)

C. Ergonomics

i. Differences among interventions to improve occupant comfort

ii. Global burden of disease of musculoskeletal diseases related to poor ergonomics

(e.g., seating, desk, standing)

7. Mind (9 questions)
A. Human Health

i. Global burden of disease related to mental health (e.g., stress, depression,

anxiety, decreased productivity)

ii. Importance of psychological and social well-being to human health

B. Stress Reduction

i. Stress reduction strategies (e.g., self-monitoring, family support, sleep policy, job
support) to increase peace of mind

ii. How to develop policies aimed at promoting well-being (e.g., health benefits
programs, family care policies)

iii. Sources and management of environmental stress and psychosocial stress (e.g.,
empowering with knowledge/education, awareness, materials and organizational
transparency)

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C. Transparency

i. Evaluating organization’s transparency (social equity practices) to comply with

ILFI’s JUST program and/or GRI’s Sustainability Reporting Framework

ii. Selecting appropriate interior finishes, systems furniture and seating, including
leveraging third party disclosure (e.g., Declare Label, HPD) and making this
information readily available to employees

D. Beauty and Biophilia

i. The Beauty and Spirit Imperative of the Living Building Challenge (human
delight, celebration of culture, celebration of spirit, celebration of place and
meaningful integration of public art)

ii. Concepts of biophilia and developing a biophilia plan to incorporate nature

through environmental elements, lighting and space layout, incorporating
nature’s patterns throughout the design and opportunities for human-nature
interactions within the building and external spaces

iii. Writing narratives that describe how a particular plan incorporates beauty

E. Adaptable Spaces: Design and Policy

i. Design principles to reduce distracting stimuli and encourage privacy (e.g.,

designated zones, spacing, lighting, noise criteria)

ii. How to integrate space and furniture options to provide workplace rest support

iii. How to evaluate and/or recommend a healthy sleep policy that limits business
obligations during reasonable sleep hours and subsidizes devices/software to
monitor sleep-related behaviors

8. WELL Certification (10 questions)

A. Planning and Preparation

i. Structure of WELL Building Standard (e.g., Concepts, Preconditions, Features,

levels of WELL Certification and scoring)

ii. Codes and other rating systems (e.g., relationship between WELL and green
building/other building codes, other rating systems)

iii. Applicability of the WELL Building Standard to building sectors and project
typologies

iv. How to identify Preconditions and Features for different projects by typology
and market

v. Alternate Adherence Paths

vi. Value of performance verification in the certification process

vii. Tenant vs. building owner responsibilities

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B. Execution for WELL Certification

i. Expertise a WELL project team would be comprised of and how to coordinate

project team activities

ii. How to hold a stakeholder charrette to identify strategic project goals, discussing
needs of the occupants, developing a plan to implement targeted WELL
concepts and preparing operations and maintenance plans related to wellness

iii. How to identify resources needed to complete the submittal process (e.g.,
WELL assessors, architects, interior designers, safety/environmental compliance
officers, wellness coordinators, MEP engineers, acoustical consultants, indoor air
quality testing labs, water testing labs)

iv. Calculating variables to meet WELL Features Standards (e.g., total vs. available
optimizations, units of measure, spec sheets, metrics)

v. How to identify Features that are subject to performance verification

vi. How to identify Features that require measurable performance indicators beyond
design (e.g., policies, education, behavior)

vii. How to navigate the bid process to ensure WELL Features remain included

viii. How to identify gaps between standard buildings and WELL buildings

ix. How to respond to non-passing performance verification results and identifying

appropriate steps for curative measures

x. Requirements to maintain building certification

C. Advocacy and Promotion for WELL

i. The value of healthy built environments (e.g., project quality, consistency, building
performance, staff retention, improved user outcomes, enhanced health and
wellness of occupants, marketing/branding opportunities) and the strategies
involved to communicate them to stakeholders

ii. Basic categories of incentive-types for clients to implement healthy building

practices

iii. How to use financial analyses to support WELL and green buildings (e.g., return
on investment, triple bottom line, increased productivity, value proposition for
implementing strategies)

9. Synergies (8 questions)
A. Conflicts and Tradeoffs

i. Synergies between all concepts addressed in the WELL Building Standard (e.g.,
materials and air quality; comfort, energy and light; fitness and mindful eating)

B. Application and Education

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i. The roles and responsibilities of the project team for individual WELL Building
Standard Features

ii. How to educate owners, project team, users and other key stakeholders about
the importance of WELL Features

References
The source documents for the WELL AP exam are as follows:

• WELL Building Standard, v1 with Q1 2019 addenda, International WELL Building

Institute (IWBI), 2019.

• WELL Certification Guidebook, v1 with Q1 2019 addenda, International WELL

Building Institute (IWBI), 2019.

Sample Questions
Disclaimer: The exam questions listed here were discarded in the process of creating
questions for new exams. The questions are provided for your convenience to allow you to
better familiarize yourself with the format and general content of questions.

The content of these questions, while representative of the type of questions you can expect,
does not necessarily mirror the content that will appear on the actual exam. Furthermore, your
ability to correctly answer these sample questions does not in any way predict or guarantee
your ability to successfully answer questions on the actual exam.

WELL AP Exam Sample Questions

1. Which of the following is a Precondition that applies to all Core and Shell, New and
Existing Interiors and New and Existing Building projects?

(A) Feature 01, Air Quality Standards

(B) Feature 09, Cleaning Protocol

(C) Feature 12, Moisture Management

(D) Feature 14, Air Infiltration Management

This question represents Knowledge Domain 8Ai: WELL Certification, Planning and
Preparation, structure of WELL building standard (e.g., Concepts, Preconditions, Features,
level of WELL Certification, scoring).

2. A project has implemented permanent entryway walk-off systems and entryway air
seals in a project. How will these requirements be evaluated for compliance with
Feature 08, Healthy Entrance?

(A) The designer must submit annotated architectural drawings.

(B) The architect must submit a letter of assurance.

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(C) The WELL Performance Testing Agent will perform a visual inspection.

(D) The WELL AP will perform a spot check.

This question represents Knowledge Domain 9Bi: Synergies, Application and Education,
the roles and responsibilities of the project team for individual WELL Building Standard
Features.

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CONTACT

Green Business Certification Inc.

2101 L Street NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20037 | gbci.org

You can learn more about and register for the WELL AP exam from your WELL account 24-hour per
day.

Call Center: 1-800-795-1746 (within the US) or +1-202-742-3792 (outside the US)

GBCI’s call center is available Monday through Friday from 9:00 to 17:30 ET for questions regarding
exam registration and other WELL AP exam-related inquiries. For any other questions, please review
the FAQ section.

GBCI staff are available for questions, comments and concerns regarding certificates, WELL AP exam
records, exam content appeals, exam development, exam scoring, exam format and all other exam
policies and procedures.

Prometric
1501 South Clinton Street, Canton Crossing Tower, 14th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21224
prometric.com/gbci

Prometric’s website is available for scheduling, rescheduling, cancelling and confirming exam
appointments 24 hours per day. Please see Registration on page 1 for more information.

View the list of Prometric Call Centers for regional numbers to schedule, reschedule, or cancel your
exam, or for general information.

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