Twin brothers who were once partners at Goldman Sachs have gone on to found a cutting-edge New York startup called Delos, which promotes ‘building wellness‘. The company has just published a revolutionary manual on office design that improves human health, Bloomberg reports, encouraging the use of specially filtered air and water when designing buildings as well as lighting that is tuned to the body’s circadian rhythms. The company certainly has its fair share of famous backers and advisers including former president Bill Clinton and the actor Leonardo DiCaprio.
Paul and Peter Scialla have developed ‘The Well Building Standard (WELL)’ styled after the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard which has been awarded to buildings that are are as green, sustainable and supportive of its users as it is possible to be.
The Scialla brother’s set of rules guide the construction of buildings that aim to make people happier, healthier, and more productive. The plan banishes bad lighting, stale air and lifts that promote inactivity from office design and set out to make buildings that ensure workers remain healthy just by being inside them.
When first developing the plan the Scialla brothers experimented on their Manhattan loft, installing features such as cork floors to improve posture and a filtration system that infuses the air with aromatherapy. The brothers have since founded, Delos, a public benefit corporation (a portion of profits go to charity) to administer the Well Building Standard and award recognition when a new building matches up to its strict code.
“Who’s going to say they don’t want healthier office spaces?” Paul Scialla told Bloomberg. “The doubts, or the follow-on questions, are: I love it, but can it really be done?’”
With money pouring into the company from numerous high level sources, it looks like it certainly can be done. Bill Gates’s holding company Cascade Investment LLC, in conjunction with a handful of other private investors, have recently injected $108 million into Delos.
Robert joined the HRreview editorial team in October 2015. After graduating from the University of Salford in 2009 with a BA in Politics, Robert has spent several years working in print and online journalism in Manchester and London. In the past he has been part of editorial teams at Flux Magazine, Mondo*Arc Magazine and The Marine Professional.
