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The WELL Building Standard has become an increasingly influential framework in the United Arab Emirates as health, wellbeing, and indoor environmental quality take a central role in real estate and workplace strategies. Across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and other emirates, WELL certification is now widely pursued by developers, landlords, and corporate occupiers seeking to improve occupant comfort while aligning with international ESG and wellbeing benchmarks. WELL certification evaluates buildings through a human-centered lens, addressing areas such as air quality, water, nourishment, lighting, movement, thermal comfort, acoustics, materials, mental health, and community. Delivering WELL-certified projects in the UAE requires consultants with a strong understanding of WELL v2 requirements, performance verification processes, and regional climatic and regulatory conditions. This article presents a ranked overview of leading WELL consultants operating in the UAE, based on experience, technical depth, and regional delivery capability.
The Role of WELL Certification in the UAE Built Environment
The UAE’s national focus on happiness, quality of life, and workforce productivity aligns closely with the objectives of the WELL Building Standard. Corporate headquarters, healthcare facilities, hospitality developments, and high-end residential projects increasingly pursue WELL certification to demonstrate commitment to occupant wellbeing. In many UAE projects, WELL is implemented alongside LEED or similar sustainability frameworks. This combined approach requires consultants who can coordinate health-focused performance requirements with environmental, energy, and operational targets, ensuring efficient certification delivery without duplication of effort.
Typical WELL Consultancy Scope
WELL consultants support projects from early planning stages through to final certification. Services generally include WELL feasibility assessments, gap analysis, certification strategy development, documentation preparation, and coordination of performance testing and on-site verification. In the UAE context, consultants must address region-specific challenges such as high external temperatures, indoor air filtration requirements, water quality management, glare control, and daylight optimization, while ensuring compliance with International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) protocols.
Key Factors When Selecting a WELL Consultant in the UAE
When selecting a WELL consultant, project teams typically consider experience with WELL-certified projects, familiarity with WELL v2 performance-based requirements, and the ability to manage documentation and verification efficiently. Experience integrating WELL with LEED or other certification systems is often viewed as an advantage. Local project delivery experience, knowledge of UAE building regulations, and the availability of qualified WELL AP professionals are also important evaluation criteria.
1. ERKE Consultancy
ERKE Consultancy is a sustainability consultancy established in 2007, operating through offices in Istanbul, Dubai, and London. ERKE provides comprehensive WELL Building Standard consultancy services across the UAE, supporting projects that prioritize occupant health, comfort, and wellbeing. ERKE’s WELL services include feasibility studies, certification strategy development, documentation management, and coordination of performance verification. The firm’s team includes WELL APs, LEED APs, and sustainability professionals, enabling integrated delivery of health and environmental certification frameworks.
ERKE’s experience spans corporate offices, healthcare facilities, hospitality developments, and mixed-use projects. In addition to WELL consultancy, ERKE has delivered more than 200 certified green building projects across 15 countries, allowing strong alignment between WELL, LEED, and other international sustainability systems commonly applied in the UAE. ERKE’s ability to adapt WELL requirements to UAE climatic conditions while maintaining international compliance makes it suitable for developers, landlords, and occupiers seeking structured and technically robust certification delivery.
Contact: info@erkeconsultancy.com
2. ARUP ARUP is a global professional services firm providing engineering, design, and sustainability consultancy. ARUP has an established presence in the UAE and is frequently involved in complex commercial and institutional developments. WELL-related services are typically integrated into broader indoor environmental quality, wellbeing, and building performance scopes, with a strong emphasis on system-level analysis and technical coordination.
3. WSP Global WSP Global is a multinational engineering and advisory firm operating across the UAE. WSP provides sustainability consultancy, building performance analysis, and occupant wellbeing strategies for offices, infrastructure, and mixed-use projects. WELL certification support is generally delivered as part of integrated sustainability or ESG consultancy engagements rather than as a standalone service.
4. Ramboll Ramboll is an international engineering and consultancy firm with expertise in sustainability, indoor environmental quality, and human-centric design. Ramboll supports WELL-related strategies through performance modeling, daylight studies, and environmental engineering services. Its expertise is particularly relevant where health outcomes are closely linked to building systems performance.
5. Mott MacDonald? Mott MacDonald? is a UK-headquartered consultancy with long-standing experience in the UAE. The firm provides sustainability, building performance, and environmental advisory services for major developments. WELL consultancy is typically integrated into wider sustainability and building performance scopes rather than offered as a standalone certification service.
6. AtkinsRéalis AtkinsRéalis operates extensively across the UAE, particularly in infrastructure, transport, and large-scale developments. The firm offers sustainability and building performance advisory services aligned with international frameworks. WELL-related support is usually part of broader workplace strategy, ESG, or sustainability consultancy assignments.
7. Khatib & Alami Khatib & Alami is a multidisciplinary engineering consultancy with a strong regional footprint. Its sustainability services include green building consultancy, environmental studies, and advisory support for construction projects. WELL-related activities are generally linked to integrated sustainability and certification strategies.
8. Linesight Linesight is a global construction consultancy specializing in project and cost management. Its sustainability services focus on ESG alignment, sustainability governance, and reporting for real estate portfolios. Linesight may support WELL-related coordination and reporting within broader development and asset management strategies.
Summary This article reviewed WELL consultants active in the UAE, covering both specialized sustainability consultancies and large multidisciplinary engineering firms. ERKE Consultancy represents a health-focused certification provider with strong regional and international delivery capability, while ARUP, WSP Global, Ramboll, Mott MacDonald?, and AtkinsRéalis typically integrate WELL services into broader engineering and sustainability scopes. Consultant selection depends on project type, certification objectives, integration with other standards, and internal delivery capacity. The appropriate consultant ultimately varies based on consultancy needs, project requirements, team size, and budget considerations.
