Performance verification is an essential piece of WELL Certification. As a performance-based system, every WELL project is verified through on-site testing of building performance and undergoes testing for various air quality, water quality, lighting and acoustic parameters. Details on the process of performance testing can be found in the Performance Verification Guidebook.

As airports are busy and unique projects, WELL administrators should place special considerations around the performance verification process, considering the following aspects:

• Early engagement of WELL Performance Testing Agent - we recommend engaging a Performance Testing Organization several months in advance of performance verification. This will allow sufficient time for GBCI or the WELL Performance Testing Organization to plan the site visit and work with the WELL administrator and Airport Authority to organize access to the required testing locations.
• The WELL administrator and Airport Authority must organize either a security badge or security escort for the WELL Performance Testing Agent.

Once you have engaged a WELL Performance Testing Organization, the WELL administrator and WELL performance testing agent should discuss the following:

• A rough estimate of the number of days required for performance verification, based on the project’s draft scorecard, and the number of performance testing agents that will attend the site visit.
• The main testing areas and any access restrictions
• Optimal testing times for different tests, e.g.:
  • Sound testing, when the airport is least busy
  • Testing where equipment is left in place for several hours
  • Times with low passenger numbers where feasible
• Whether testing within concessions is necessary (this will depend on the features selected)
• The amount of time it takes to move between landside and airside to plan accordingly. It may be more convenient to split performance verification into two parts–airside and landside–instead of by feature.

Due to the size and diversity of spaces within an airport, the performance testing agent needs to select areas for testing. While all areas within the WELL project boundary must comply with the feature requirements, some areas might be more important to test than others. The following areas are highly important for passengers and staff and must therefore form part of the performance verification, if they are within the WELL project boundary.

Landside

• Security
• Check-in

Airside

• Departure lounge
• Gates
• Baggage collection
• Baggage hall

Airside and/or landside

• Offices
• Staff rooms
• Staff canteens