The first-ever Wellness Real Estate and Communities Symposium continues to grow, with announcements for new keynotes and panels being confirmed by the event’s organizer, the Global Wellness Institute (GWI). Now included in the line-up are the likes of Delos, Blackstone, the Center for Active Design Teshman Speyer and the developers of many more projects currently underway.
In a bid to move beyond abstract theory and hype for “building well,” these speakers and panels will share real-world data and case studies on how wellness has been impacting residential and commercial real estate, discussing investor perceptions as well as the current landscape of wellness real-estate (what’s getting funded, how and where). Developers and owners of a variety of global projects will also be presenting the stories behind their unique concepts, as well as their funding structure and pre-sales rates.
“We know the pandemic has led more people to seek homes and communities that are purpose-built to deliver more physical, mental and social wellbeing, but what impact does a wellness focus really have on investment and sales? What’s the premium, the ROI? What makes a development successful, and what are the critical mistakes to avoid? What are the leading concepts in the global pipeline and the key trends to watch in the future?” said Susie Ellis, GWI chairman and CEO. “Experts will work to answer these key questions; we plan to get very real.”
What’s In Store for Wellness Real-Estate?
The agenda is constantly evolving, however, here are some of the newest panels that have just been added to the lineup:
Investor Perceptions and Realities
Diving deep into investment data and trends, Joanna Frank, President & CEO, Center for Active Design, will present new research on investor perceptions on health and wellbeing as a value driver in real estate. Frank will also lead a panel on investment realities in the space with Kevin Davis, Senior Managing Director of Capital Markets for JLL’s Hotels and Hospitality Group; Eric Duchon, Global Head of Real Estate ESG, Blackstone; and Jonathan Flaherty, Tishman Speyer’s Global Head of Sustainability and Building Technology Innovation.
Developers on Projects in the Pipeline and Their Real Numbers
Video case studies and hard data (from how they got funded to operations and sales) on over a dozen projects and developers from around the globe will be presented from the likes of Amrit Ocean Residences (US), GOCO Hospitality, Peninsula Papagayo (Costa Rica), Rancho Mission Viejo (US), Regenerative Communities from the Modern Elder Academy (US), Six Senses (global), Val de Vie Estate (South Africa), Watermark Retirement Communities (US) and more.
The global team behind “Wellness Smart Villages” will also explore how wellness developments can regenerate rural communities. Craig Collins, CEO, Tavistock Development Company, will present on how Florida’s Lake Nona became one of the sector’s extraordinary success stories by taking a uniquely comprehensive approach to health and wellness. And Alfredo Carvajal, Advisor, Grupo Espiritu, will present the financial realities of opening during the pandemic with a case study of Rancho La Puerta Residences experience.
Science and Innovation—How the Built Environment Actually Impacts Health
The human “bottom line” that drives the financial bottom line is the hard evidence about how wellness architecture, design and innovations impact health and wellbeing. Paul Scialla, CEO, Delos, will keynote on the science leading to a new urgency in his keynote: “Now More than Ever: Wellness in the Built Environment.”
Additionally, Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO, International WELL Building Institute, will present new research on the impact of healthy building. Anjan Chatterjee, MD, Professor of Neurology, Psychology and Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, will explore “Neuroarchitecture, the Built Environment and Wellness” while Steve Nygren, founder of pioneering wellness community Serenbe, will keynote on biophilic design as the foundation for wellness real estate. And Abby Brody, founder and CEO, MYX, will show the eye-opening ways that wellness is disrupting spaces for education.
Identifying the Big Trends
Experts will discuss the most powerful trends in the wellness real estate/communities space, not just temporary shifts born of the pandemic but trends fueled by the big cultural, environmental and demographic shifts that will play out over decades.
Beth McGroarty, VP, Research & Forecasting for the GWI, will lead a panel of top media predicting future directions for the market—from developments that blend home, work and wellness to a massive new value for nature to a shakeup in senior living to thinking beyond the billionaires.
Don’t Miss Out!
The symposium, a hybrid event with both in-person and virtual registration (on-demand viewing for global time zones), takes place from 8 AM–4 PM, September 28, at etc.venues (601 Lexington Ave., NYC). In-person attendees are also invited to a VIP reception the evening before.
Registration is open, and space is limited. The full agenda can be viewed here.
