Footscray Hospital becomes Australia’s first WELL Certified™ hospital

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Footscray Hospital has achieved WELL Core™ Gold Certification under the WELL Building Standard™, becoming Australia’s first WELL Certified™ hospital and one of only 15 hospitals globally to achieve such recognition. The achievement establishes a new benchmark for Australian healthcare infrastructure and demonstrates how hospitals can integrate patient wellbeing, staff experience and environmental performance into a single design strategy.  

Delivered as a public-private partnership by Plenary Health consortium, in partnership with the Victorian government and Western Health, the new Footscray Hospital opened in February 2026 and is one of Victoria’s largest ever health infrastructure projects. The new hospital is a major teaching hospital responsible for providing acute general medical and surgical, intensive and coronary care, subspecialty medicine, surgical services, mental health and related clinical support. Once fully operational, the 180,000+ sqm facility provides more than 500 in-patient beds and will enable around 20,000 additional people to be seen by the emergency department each year.

The WELL Building Standard developed by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is the leading global certification system focused on health and wellbeing outcomes in buildings. Achieving WELL certification requires extensive documentation, independent review and performance testing to verify that a building is delivering measurable outcomes for occupants. For healthcare facilities, the framework provides a verified approach backed by science to creating environments that support patient recovery, staff wellbeing and positive visitor experiences.

At Footscray Hospital, WELL principles have been embedded throughout the design and delivery of the facility. Enhanced ventilation and rigorous air and water quality testing have been implemented to prevent pollutants moving between areas. Designated quiet areas for staff and more than 20,000 sqm of landscaped spaces, terraces, green roofs and courtyardhelp create an environment designed to support health and wellbeing for healthcare workers, patients and visitors. More than 320 trees, 59,000 plants and over 80 community-sourced artworks have been integrated into the project, helping create calming surroundings that strengthens connection to nature and place.

Plenary Health Chief Operating Officer Chris Clifton said the certification reflected the consortium’s commitment to delivering infrastructure that creates a legacy for the local community.

“Achieving WELL Core Gold Certification is a significant achievement for the project, demonstrating how the hospital’s award-winning design supports health and wellbeing outcomes for patients, staff, visitors and the western suburbs community.”

Commenting on the project being an Australian first and one of only 15 hospitals globally to achieve WELL Certification, Jack Noonan, SVP and Head of APAC, said “Footscray Hospital has redefined what is possible for hospitals in Australia and beyond.”

“By using WELL to embed health and well-being into a complex clinical environment, this project demonstrates that prioritising human health drives operational excellence, and elevates care for patients and healthcare workers alike. With this achievement, Footscray Hospital reaffirms Victoria at the forefront of the healthy building movement, setting a new benchmark for future healthcare developments and public infrastructure worldwide.”

The WELL Certification complements the hospital’s broader sustainability ambitions, which are embedded throughout the facility’s design and operation. These include more than 1,500 solar panels covering 60% of the roof area, a large-scale rainwater harvesting system that enables 90% of roof-collected rainwater to be reused for cooling, irrigation and toilet flushing, and a high-performance façade that reduces heating and cooling demand. The facility has achieved a 5 Star Green Star Design & As Built v1.3 rating, recognising excellence in sustainable building design and construction.

Cundall supported the project from planning through to completion, developing the sustainability strategy and administering both the WELL and Green Star certification processes.

“One of the biggest challenges was embedding wellbeing outcomes into a highly complex healthcare environment without compromising clinical requirements or operational performance,” said Hannah Blossom, Director of Sustainability at Cundall.

“Achieving WELL Certification required close collaboration across the project team, with wellbeing considerations integrated throughout the design, construction and delivery process. Footscray Hospital demonstrates that wellbeing, sustainability and clinical excellence are mutually reinforcing objectives, establishing a new benchmark for future healthcare projects across Australia.”

The achievement was formally recognised at a plaque presentation ceremony held at Footscray Hospital on 14 October 2026, with the Member for Footscray, Katie Hall, in attendance.