The latest trend of office buildings around the world is being conscious to the global environment such as being energy efficient and providing the environment that contributes to the health of working personnel. LEED certification is based on the world's most widely used green building rating system, while WELL certification is based on the standard focused on features of the building environment that impact human health and wellbeing. Both are widely used as benchmarks regarding a Green Building (environmentally conscious building). Many buildings and offices in China have acquired these certifications. The number is as many as those in the U.S. where these certifications were developed.

Shimizu Corporation (China) acquired LEED v4 Gold (January 2018) and WELL v1 Silver (July 2018) for the interior of the new Shanghai Office. It was the first WELL certification for Shimizu and the 6th in China.
(January 2023: Recertification of WELL v1 Silver)

To achieve LEED certification, a building must adhere to Prerequisites in 9 Categories such as Energy, Air, Water, Materials and Indoor Environmental Quality. It will earn the points for selected Credits and be evaluated based on the earned points.
The Shanghai Office achieved an energy-saving rate of minus 7% through the use of daylight and LED lights, and a water conservation rate of minus 45% through the use of water-saving fixtures and faucets (all based on the U.S. standards).
In terms of the indoor environment, it achieved the ventilation rate exceeding the standard, the expansion of the space with an unobstructed view by installing the glass partition walls, and a coordinated system between the CO₂ monitoring system monitoring CO₂ concentration and the ventilation system of the meeting rooms.

WELL certification is a certification system which evaluates features of the built environment that impact human health, including conducting a performance verification.
Requirements for the WELL v1 certification acquired by Shimizu Corporation (China) is to comply with Preconditions in 7 Concepts of Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Fitness, Comfort, and Mind.

Prior to moving into the office, we have implemented following measures during the interior finish work.

Air: In order to maintain the level of indoor CO₂, VOC (volatile organic compounds), PM2.5 and others below the standards, an air-ventilation system, appropriate building materials/furniture, and air-conditioning filters have been selected and installed. Carried out the work by shielding the construction area so that dust, etc. won’t spread to the upper and lower floors along the staircases.
Water: Installed a filtration and purification system, etc. for tap water.
Lght: Adopted a circadian lighting system, which combines sunlight and artificial light and support the human circadian rhythm, an internal clock.

After we moved in, the following measures were also implemented.
Nourishment: Post posters to promote a healthy diet.
Fitness: Organize regular events such as marathons, eco-cycling campaigns, tennis, badminton, and futsal.
Comfort: Adopted ergonomic desks & chairs, and PC stands.
Mind: Established the Wellness Library, organized charity activities and the Family Day.
According to the post-relocation questionnaire, more than 70% of employees responded that “they are more satisfied with the office environment (compared to the old office).”

This project was remarkable in a sense that it simultaneously realized energy conservation and wellness which are two contradictory factors. With the restriction of dealing with only one floor of the building, we were able to meet the criteria for both LEED and WELL certifications by gathering all our knowledge and technical competence. As a result, we were able to promote a good work-life balance and offer a comfortable work environment. The fact that many employees acquired the LEED AP (Accredited Professional) and WELL AP was an additional bonus for the Company.
The know-how and experiences we acquired through this project are a good foundation for us to win more workplace related businesses. We are making good use of it when we offer proposals or provide consulting services on the certifications to clients both in Japan and abroad.