Overview
Is your project team struggling to meet the requirements of a WELL feature? Every WELL project is different, so it’s not uncommon for project teams to encounter unique, nuanced or complex elements that could make it challenging to comply with certain WELL feature requirements. That’s why we encourage project teams to leverage alternative adherence paths (AAPs) to pursue new and alternative strategies to meet the intent of WELL features or feature parts.
IWBI encourages the use of AAPs for projects because WELL is ultimately about achieving performance and outcomes. WELL features include specific evidence-based strategies for health and well-being outcomes, but there are often other design, operations or policy protocols that can achieve the same results through different means.
AAPs provide opportunities for innovation and creativity, empowering project teams to help shape the future of WELL. AAPs with broader applications are published so that other projects may pursue and apply them to advance their work with WELL. For more information about AAPs, see the Alternative Adherence Paths section of the WELL Program Guidebook.
Use a published alternative
To determine if an existing AAP can help you, first evaluate the parts of the feature that your project is struggling to meet and review existing AAPs or equivalencies and technical FAQs for that feature to see if you can follow an alternative strategy that has previously been proposed and accepted. If so, simply cite that AAP number in your documentation to ensure a WELL Reviewer knows you're complying with an existing AAP. Be sure to comply with any verification methods outlined in the AAP if specified.
Submit a new AAP proposal
If no existing AAPs help your project to meet the health intent, you'll need to create your own AAP proposal and have it approved by a WELL Reviewer. We recommend you identify the feature's health intent and review relevant WELL citations to identify potential AAP strategies. Consider conducting your own research to identify and substantiate your AAP.
Your AAP must include an alternative strategy that meets the intent of the feature. It cannot be a request for an exemption or for a reduced threshold without offering another means of achieving the feature’s intent.
When to submit an AAP
You may submit an AAP once you have created your scorecard. If you have not yet completed your project's registration, click the "Start building" button on your dashboard to create your scorecard.
AAPs must be submitted prior to or as part of final documentation submission. AAPs submitted after the return of the final documentation report are considered appeals (see the WELL Program Guidebook for more information on appeals).
Since an AAP is a review of an alternative strategy for a feature, the project may still be required to submit documentation based on the AAP ruling.
Cost of AAP reviews
Each engagement type receives an initial number of free AAP reviews; additional AAPs may be submitted for a fee of $220 per proposal. The number of free AAPs available varies depending on the enrollment type:
- WELL Certification: three free AAPs, plus three more at each recertification
- WELL Ratings: three free AAPs, plus three more at each renewal
- WELL at scale: ten free AAPs per subscription year
- WELL v1 pilot, WELL v2 pilot: ten free AAPs
AAP review timelines
The ruling for the AAP will be updated on the Platform within 15 business days after submission. If a clarification or additional information is required, a Mid Review Clarification request (MRC) will be issued. The team will have ten business days to respond to the Mid Review Clarification; otherwise, the AAP will be issued based on the information provided within ten business days of the deadline. The AAP ruling will be issued within ten business days of the MRC response