One Saint Stephens is the first property in Oceania to gain the globally recognised ‘WELL Residence’ certification.
The WELL Residence seal is the only global certification for healthier homes which acknowledges the adoption of strategies to improve factors such as air and water quality, healthier eating habits, activity and movement, lighting and sleep, accessibility, productivity and energy, and the use of safer building materials.
The certification programme was developed by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) who are the authority for transforming health and well-being in buildings, organisations and communities with their people-first approach.
One Saint Stephens is a twenty-eight apartment building in Parnell, Auckland, co-developed by Experiences by Coopers and Countrywide Residences. The development’s WELL seal was awarded at the WELL 2025 Flagship Summit in Sydney on yesterday.
One Saint Stephens co-developer, Martin Cooper of byCoopers, who also presented in a panel discussion at the IWBI event, received the award and said that the honour was testament to a team-wide effort to prioritise the well-being of the residents in the design and delivery of the building.
Cooper says, “We understand the importance of the fundamentals, such as creating warm, dry and quiet environments with optimal security and privacy in dwellings we create. However, we took this further by investing considerable time reviewing and understanding what other factors purchasers actually want to enhance their well-being. One Saint Stephens is unique in that it also offers luxurious amenity options in the area of entertaining and wellness, that further enhance the enjoyment of living in this premium Parnell location.”
The unique location, close to public transport links and walking and biking areas, aided in the achievement of WELL certification. Other ways in which One Saint Stephens met the WELL Residence criteria included initiatives such as provisioning for EV charging, installing bike parks, and exceeding building standards to ensure a reduction in moisture impacts, noise reduction in floor and ceiling construction, supporting fundamental thermal comfort, controllable lighting and plentiful glazing, through to emergency response support and facilitating digital connectivity via the use of a residents app.
E-LAB Consulting was integral in assisting in the attainment of the WELL Residence Certification and Ken Fong, Director of Human-Centred Design at E-LAB Consulting, said, “One Saint Stephen incorporated so many human-centric design features that the WELL Residence certification was never in doubt. It was an energising experience working with the team at byCoopers, Countrywide Residences and Clearwater Construction on their WELL journey as they have such a high commitment to health, wellbeing and quality.”
Cooper adds, “We take pride in One Saint Stephens being the first residential building in Oceania to achieve WELL Residence certification. It means that the two remaining penthouses are not only New Zealand’s most premium offering – but also the healthiest.”
“While we have always known we deliver outstanding apartment buildings and apartments that enhance the well-being of those who live in them, it has been a real pleasure working with E-LAB Consulting and IWIB to prove this. We intend to use this as a base case for future projects and work to deliver even healthier apartments and buildings to the market,” says Cooper.
IWBI Senior Vice President, Head of Asia Pacific, Jack Noonan, says “Congratulations to the team behind One Saint Stephens for becoming the first in Oceania to achieve WELL Residence under the WELL for residential framework. This milestone demonstrates the growing commitment to healthier, more sustainable living environments in the country. By prioritising the health and well-being of residents and creating spaces that truly enhance quality of life, One Saint Stephens has set a new bar for residential developments in the region.”
This certification joins other industry award recognition received since One Saint Stephens was completed at the beginning of 2025 including; Excellence Best in Category Multi-Unit Residential Property, at the highly regarded Property Council New Zealand Rider Levett Bucknall Property Industry Awards, and a Housing – Multi Unit Award at the Auckland Architecture Awards held by Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects.
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