Designing for Health: How the WELL Standard Creates Truly Better Buildings– Ep 82 with Nathan Stodola

In this episode of Better Buildings for Humans, host Joe Menchefski sits down with Nathan Stadola, Chief Engineer at the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), to unravel the mystery behind one of the world's fastest-growing building certifications: WELL. Nathan, a former street accordionist turned wellness standards pioneer, brings his vibrant energy and deep technical knowledge to a rapid-fire breakdown of the 10 core concepts behind WELL V2—from air quality to community connection.Together, Joe and Nathan dive into what truly makes a building healthy, how WELL differs from other certifications, and why verification matters more than ever. They even explore whether the standard favors urban spaces and how buildings can adapt in rural or suburban contexts. If you’ve ever wondered how to design spaces that don’t just look good but feel good, this episode is your blueprint.More About Nathan StodolaNathan Stodola leads the standard development team and serves as Chief Engineer at the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). In this role, he maintains, enhances, and expands the strategies in the WELL Building Standard to promote health and well-being, with a particular focus on air quality, thermal comfort, and sound. Prior to working at IWBI, Nathan worked at the University Transportation Research Council at City College, where he helped the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council create regional transportation plans. Nathan holds Master of Science degrees in mechanical engineering (Columbia University) and transportation engineering (City College). In his spare time, he enjoys playing accordion and finding new bike routes in the greater New York City area.CONTACT:https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-stodola-b5948a9/https://resources.wellcertified.com/people/staff/nathan-stodola/Where To Find Us:https://bbfhpod.advancedglazings.com/www.advancedglazings.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/better-buildings-for-humans-podcastwww.linkedin.com/in/advanced-glazings-ltd-848b4625https://twitter.com/bbfhpodhttps://twitter.com/Solera_Daylighthttps://www.instagram.com/bbfhpod/https://www.instagram.com/advancedglazingsltdhttps://www.facebook.com/AdvancedGlazingsltd