Jack Noonan is Senior Vice President, APAC, for the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), a public benefit organisation whose mission is to improve human well-being in buildings and communities via the WELL Building Standard.

Developed by the IWBI, the WELL Building Standard incorporates of evidence-based, design, policy, and operational strategies to promote improved health and wellbeing for building occupants.

IWBI’s WELL Certification is a globally recognised standard that assesses how buildings support human health and wellbeing, considering a wide range of factors such as indoor air quality, lighting, physical movement, mental health support, and nutrition.

The IWBI is also a Strategic Partner for the 2025 Sustainability Awards, now in their 19th year, proudly hosted by Architecture & Design magazine.

Noonan says that when it comes to sustainability, “Australia's buildings must respond better to create places that feel healthier and happier and deliver more sustainable outcomes.”

"Sustainability and wellbeing are inexorably linked," he says.

"They are two sides of the same coin. When we talk about sustainable buildings, we mean both environmental sustainability and social sustainability. At the heart of social sustainability is human health and wellbeing. High-performing buildings are not just structures striving for environmental resilience in terms of minimising energy and water use; they are also healthier and engaging places where people thrive."

Noonan goes on to say that "Designing and operating buildings with intention allows us to achieve both: clean air and water, access to natural light, thermal comfort, healthier materials, and engaging spaces that support physical and mental health while also ensuring energy and water efficiency. By addressing these aspects together, we create spaces that are resilient, high-performing, and genuinely sustainable for the planet and for the people who inhabit them."

"In practice, integrating wellbeing into sustainable design makes the connection between people and the environment explicit. A mounting amount of research shows that buildings that promote wellbeing are more than efficient – they foster engagement, pride, creativity, and long-term productivity. By putting human health at the centre of sustainability, we demonstrate that social and environmental goals are not separate. Instead, they reinforce and amplify each other."

Earlier this year, Parramatta Square, 6 and 8 Parramatta Square, home to some of Australia’s most prominent companies including Deloitte, KPMG, Westpac and NAB, set a new national benchmark for workplace wellbeing, earning the distinction of being the largest buildings in the country to achieve the prestigious WELL Gold Certification.

“Parramatta Square demonstrates how wellness principles can be applied on a major scale to create healthier, higher-performing places to work”, Noonan says.

"We know that great spaces prioritise and improve health by helping fuel our bodies, keeping us connected, inspiring our best work, and facilitating a good night’s sleep. We also know that our buildings must respond better to create places that feel healthier, happier and deliver more sustainable outcomes", Noonan noted last year in relation to the Melbourne Square project - one of the first residential projects in Australia registered to pursue WELL Certification.

Running since 2006, the Architecture & Design Sustainability Awards is Australia’s most-respected and most prestigious built environment sustainability program that rewards and celebrates excellence in environmental design and architecture.

On 19 November 2025, winners across 18 categories will be announced at the five-star Gala Evening at Sydney’s historic Town Hall.

Earlier that same day, the Sustainability Summit will be held at The Fullerton Hotel, Sydney, as well as being streamed online, offering a day long CPD program led by industry experts to educate, inspire and assist the Australian architecture and design community.

Tickets for the Summit are available now.

To enquire about limited tickets to the Gala Evening, email info@sustainablebuildingawards.com.au

Image: Jack Noonan / Supplied.

Branko Miletic

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