How we check
Know what is behind the claim.
You should not have to email a hotel about its laundry detergent.
Find the details that matter to your stay, see where they came from, and know what still needs asking.
We review eight pathways: air, water, light, EMF, materials, food, nature and sound.
Listed, Verified, Certified
Every property in this index is Listed, Verified or Certified. These labels describe the record and its review status.
A listing is free, and payment cannot buy placement within a group.
- ListedWhat the property publishes, or what a desk read of the public record found, cited to its source. Every property starts here. A listing is free and permanent, and it is not a judgement. A listing on its own tells you nothing about the room you will sleep in.
- VerifiedThe property sent evidence and a person checked it. A published measurement alone does not confer this state. The record prints the scope and the date. It does not say every requirement passed.
- Confirmed by the propertyConfirmed by the property: we reviewed this property's answers with the owner by call, email and our pre-assessment form. Nothing has been assessed on site. It is not a visit note or a certification. It is a label beside the state, not a fourth state. The record prints the date of the review.
- CertifiedA recognised health or indoor-environment standard is recorded as awarded: the property holds WELL, Fitwel or Building Biology SBM, or Human Garage certifies it as an HGCS Certified space. Each standard has its own criteria and its own scope. None of them says that every criterion on this index, or every preference of yours, is met.
What an HGCS certification records
An HGCS certification records a founder visit: the visit date, the pathways seen in person, and how many of the eight that was. No instrument readings were taken on those visits.
How those visits were paid for
Human Garage visited four of the six at no cost, in exchange for filming and content collaboration. It has a referral agreement with those stays and may earn 15% of the bookings it refers. Two are paying clients.
Neither arrangement changes what a record says or how evidence is scored, and every HGCS record says which applies.
What the Certified line is not
The line names the standard, so “Certified · WELL v2 Gold” says who awarded what.
An environmental or sustainability certification is not one of these: a building can be excellent on energy and carbon with unfiltered water and a gas cooktop in every suite.
A property card names the subjects a stay has published something about. It tells you what there is to read, not that anything passed.
Inside a record, a measurement is a recorded test result. A published detail is a cited statement or a named specification.
Coverage counts sit with the evidence. They are not the certification, and they are not your own priorities.
Compare what each stay offers, how it was checked and what still needs confirming. Assessment labels describe the review, not an overall quality rating.
What the evidence tells you
A property or publisher makes a statement. A specification or measurement supporting it is not yet recorded.
A product, material, treatment method or named standard is recorded. Check which rooms and facilities it covers.
A reading with a unit from a named party or instrument is published about this property. A measurement alone does not establish that a threshold passed.
We looked and found nothing, or we have not looked yet. Each record says which.
An on-site observation is attributed to the assessor. It is not counted as a measurement unless an instrument reading is recorded.
Three kinds of evidence sit behind every record.
- Certification
An issuer’s credential, granted against published criteria, with a scope and a date.
- Source
What the property or a publication states in writing.
- Measurement
A reading taken on site.
A certification carries the most weight when the issuer names its criteria, its scope and its date, so we show all three and never a logo on its own.
Not published is not unsafe. Unknown information describes a gap in our record, not the safety or quality of a property.
Regional data is context about the location; it does not establish conditions inside a room.
How the directory is ordered
Stays certified by Human Garage come first, then other certified stays, then verified, then listed, A to Z. No stay pays for its position.
When you search, the words you typed decide the order, and ties are alphabetical. Inside a status group, nothing a property pays and nothing it publishes moves its position.
Filtering by what you care about
Choose a destination, property type and the details you care about. Every selected priority must have a qualifying entry in the record.
A match on “Water details published” means there is something to read. It does not mean that a particular water-quality requirement has passed. The filter says what qualifies.
Reading a result
Open the sources, check the room and date they cover, and confirm your must-haves with the property.
Missing information stays unknown. It is never silently treated as a pass or a failure. Save the stays you are still checking.
The home shelf
The home shelf uses the same status groups and the same alphabetical order. A stay needs six or more pathways reviewed to appear on it. It is a place to start, not a list of the best stays.
How properties get in
We research public sources and accept property submissions. Listing is free; submitting information does not guarantee verification or certification.
The index currently publishes 127 records. We link claims to sources, record review dates, and keep incomplete records out of search-engine indexing until they meet our evidence requirements.
Property owners can submit or correct a record. Every correction is logged.
Travellers can choose their priorities and search, then confirm what they need with the property for their room and their dates.
Read the standard in detail
Everything below is the standard itself: the criteria, the sources and the limits.
Certification is assessed under the named standard and its own scope; it does not promise that every personal requirement is met.
Historical evidence bands
Older journal and correction entries use these historical labels. They do not determine current discovery order or describe the quality of a stay.
- Best documented: The earlier record documented more than 90% of the comparison set, with the required breadth of information.
- Top 25% documented: The earlier record documented more than 75% of the comparison set, with the required breadth of information.
- Top half documented: The earlier record documented more than 50% of the comparison set, with the required breadth of information.
- Early record: The earlier record was incomplete.
Not recently reviewed applied after 183 days; Not yet assessed meant no pathway had been reviewed. Current labels are Listed, Verified and Certified.
Every certification, defined
16 certifications, one honest line each
What each certification in the market actually measures, in one line. Each name links to our full review of that standard against the eight pathways, and the comparison sets them side by side. Holding one never moves a pathway score on its own: it moves a score only through the evidence it publishes.
- Human Garage Certified SpacesHuman Garage’s own standard, a disclosed commercial interest. Its published criteria cover all eight pathways and call for instrument readings. Six stays on this index hold it, each on a founder visit with the pathways seen recorded; none has instrument readings on record yet. Certified stays →
- B Corp CertificationB Lab. Company-level certification of social and environmental governance. Nothing in it specifies a physical condition of a building or a guest room.
- BIO HOTELSDie BIO-Hotels, Verein für Angebotsentwicklung und Marketing (Ötztal-Bahnhof, Austria). Membership standard for organic hotels, strongest on certified-organic food and toiletries. Real specificity in the kitchen, silence on most of the building.
- EarthCheck CertifiedEarthCheck Pty Limited. Environmental benchmarking and certification for travel and tourism operators, audited annually. Carbon, water and waste again, at destination scale.
- FitwelCenter for Active Design. Public-health design certification born at the CDC. Offices and residences in practice: it certifies no hotels.
- Global Ecosphere Retreats Standard (The Long Run)The Long Run. Membership of nature-based tourism businesses committed to conservation, community, culture and commerce. Land stewardship, not building measurement.
- Green GlobeGreen Certifications Inc., dba Green Globe Certification. Sustainability certification for travel and tourism, criteria across management, social and environmental performance. No biological measurement of guest spaces.
- Green KeyFoundation for Environmental Education. Eco-label for hospitality, checklist-driven: energy, water, waste and awareness. Operational sustainability rather than guest biology.
- GSTC Hotel StandardGlobal Sustainable Tourism Council. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council baseline criteria that most tourism eco-labels are accredited against. A floor, not a measurement.
- LEED v4.1 (BD+C and O+M)U.S. Green Building Council. The green building benchmark. Energy, carbon, water and waste: it addresses the environmental performance of a building rather than conditions inside guest rooms.
- Nordic Swan Ecolabel, Hotels and other accommodationNordic Ecolabelling. The Nordic eco-label for hotels: chemicals, energy, waste and purchasing, audited. Environmental, not biological.
- Standard of Building Biology Testing Methods SBM-2024Baubiologie MAES with the Institut für Baubiologie und Nachhaltigkeit IBN. The Building Biology measurement standard the Certified Spaces criteria draw on: room-by-room measurement of EMF, air, and materials in sleeping areas. A method, not a hospitality certification.
- WELL Building Standard v1International WELL Building Institute.
- WELL Building Standard v2International WELL Building Institute. Building-wide health certification across ten concepts, air and water and light among them. Strong on measurement, no EMF concept, applies to every building type rather than hospitality specifically.
- WITT CertifiedWellness in Travel and Tourism. An anonymous in-person audit of wellness services and amenities across five pillars: healthy eating, holistic healing, nature, movement and local impact. No EMF pillar, no materials-toxicity pillar.
- IRESS 2026International Residential Environmental Safety Council. The one published EMF standard for spaces, with real thresholds, and a scope that explicitly excludes short-term accommodation. Homes only, no hotels, and no certified properties named publicly.
Where evidence comes from
6 provenance tiers, 3 of which can move a score
Every claim on every record carries a provenance tier. Only the first three can move a score, and each maps to exactly one point on the scale. That is deliberate: it means a score is a restatement of the evidence rather than a separate opinion, so no total is ever hand entered.
| Tier | Scores | What counts |
|---|---|---|
| Tier AVerified | 3 of 3, Measured | A measurement of something this pathway covers, for this building: a test result, a laboratory report, a third party measurement published about this property, or our own assessor on site. Our own verification, and the HGCS mark that follows it, is the highest rank here and everything else sits under it. Holding a certificate does not reach this tier, however rigorous the certificate. A standard that requires testing to award its mark is strong evidence that a test happened and no evidence at all of what the test found, so it is recorded as the named standard it is, at Specified, and it is shown. A number alone is not enough, and it has to measure the thing being scored. Floor area, land area, room counts and energy figures are numbers that measure nothing any pathway asks about, so they are not evidence here at all rather than weaker evidence. A measurement about the operator rather than about this building cannot reach this tier either. |
| Tier BSpecified | 2 of 3, Specified | A named system, product, standard or method is published, but no measurement accompanies it. Named means a reader could go and check it: a species, a brand, a supplier, a grade, a certification, a documented method. A certification the property holds sits here, whatever the awarding body verified to grant it, because what reaches a reader is the mark and not the readings behind it. What each standard covers against these eight pathways is set out under Other certifications. A material class is not a name. "Reclaimed timber", "natural stone", "organic cotton" and "low VOC paint" describe a category and could be almost anything, so they sit at Claimed. "Dendrocalamus asper", "Oeko-Tex Standard 100", "MERV 13" and a supplier by name sit here. |
| Tier CClaimed | 1 of 3, Claimed | Something relevant is on the public record with no specification, number, brand or third party behind it. That covers the property asserting it, and it covers a journalist reporting an impression from a visit. Neither can be checked by a reader, which is why both sit here. |
| Tier DRegional context | Never scored | Regional and public datasets. Never contributes to a property score, because a property cannot be marked down for the air outside it. |
| Tier EListing data | Never scored | Booking and review platforms, used for coordinates, key count and price band. Never contributes to a score. |
| Tier FThird party standard | Never scored | Another standard the property holds. Recorded and shown, but scored only through the evidence that standard publishes. |
The eight pathways
8 pathways, one row each, and what every one of them covers
| Pathway | In one line | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| 01Air Ecology | Filtration, ventilation and what the air is measured at. | Filtration specification, including filter grade. Ventilation rate and fresh air supply. Carbon dioxide, volatile organic compound and particulate measurement. Mould inspection and remediation history. Combustion sources inside the building envelope. |
| 02Water Integrity | Source, treatment, tested panels and how drinking water arrives. | Water source and the treatment train applied to it. Filtration specification at building and room level. Tested contaminant panels and the laboratory that ran them. Pool and spa water chemistry and sanitation method. How drinking water reaches the guest. |
| 03Light Rhythm | Circadian lighting specification, flicker, blackout and daylight. | Circadian or tunable lighting specification. Colour temperature by time of day and flicker performance. Blackout provision in sleeping areas. Daylight access and glazing. Outdoor and exterior light discipline. |
| 04EMF Harmony | Wired versus wireless topology, and what is measured where people sleep. | Wired versus wireless network topology in guest areas. Shielded cabling and demand switches. Field measurements taken in sleeping areas. Router, access point and smart meter placement relative to beds. Whether wireless can be switched off on request. |
| 05Materials and Textiles | Named materials, finishes, bedding composition and cleaning chemistry. | Named low emission materials, finishes and adhesives. Mattress composition and any flame retardant treatment. Linen and textile fibre content and certification. Cleaning and laundry chemistry. Plastics in contact with guests, food and water. |
| 06Food and Kitchen | Sourcing, on site growing, cookware, kitchen water and additive discipline. | Sourcing verification and supplier transparency. On site growing and the share of produce it covers. Cookware and cooking oil policy. Water used in the kitchen and for ice. Allergen, additive and seed oil discipline. |
| 07Biophilic and Healing Design | Nature access, views, volume and natural material contact, designed with intent. | Direct nature access from guest rooms. Views, outlook and prospect. Spatial volume and ceiling height. Natural material and pattern contact. Whether the design intent is published rather than incidental. |
| 08Sound and Sensory Ecology | Measured background noise, separation between keys, and scent load. | Measured background noise level in guest rooms. Acoustic separation between adjoining keys. Mechanical and plant noise, including air conditioning. Low frequency and infrasound sources. Scent, fragrance and chemical load carried in the air. |
What each pathway measures
48 criteria, 8 tables, every threshold with its source
Each of the eight pathways carries six named criteria, forty eight in all. Each one is a threshold, with the source that number came from. A criterion is met, not met, or unknown. Unknown means we looked and found nothing published against it. That is the normal state for a business that never asked to be listed, and it is never printed as a failure.
There are two axes and they are independent. The first is this table, which asks what the property does. The second is how well it is known: claimed, specified, measured, and, where our own assessor has been in the building, verified. Verified on site is printed and never counted, on this axis as on the scale above. A visit is the only way to reach that rung, and a visit is a commercial relationship. Counting it would put a price on the top of the table. An instrument reading taken on that visit does count, as measured, because a measurement is a measurement whoever took it. Everything else the assessor established is printed on the record where it is true. It does not buy a position.
Eleven of the forty eight thresholds are marked Assumed. That means no codified number exists anywhere for that criterion and we have set one. They are marked rather than dressed in a citation that does not exist. Where a threshold is ours rather than an outside standard’s, the source column says so. Gate marks the two criteria per pathway that an on-site certification audit cannot pass without. Gates do not apply to this index, because unknown cannot be a failure here.
The criteria are published before anything is scored against them, so a property can compute its own answer and so can anyone reading over our shoulder. No score on this site has moved. Every number still on this site is the 0 to 3 pathway scale described above. Records will be read against these criteria one at a time, and the scale changes once, on the day the last one is done.
| Criterion | Threshold | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 01.1Fine particulates, sleeping zone | PM2.5 at or below 15 µg/m³ over 24 hours. Optimisation at or below 10. | WHO Air Quality Guidelines 2021 |
| 01.2Carbon dioxide, occupied sleeping zone | At or below 900 ppm. | WELL v2 A03 |
| 01.3Total volatile organic compounds | At or below 500 µg/m³. Clean below 100. | WELL v2; SBM-2015 |
| 01.4Clean air route: filtration, natural airflow, or purificationGate | MERV 13 or ISO ePM1 50% on guest room supply, or openable ventilation with outdoor air meeting the WHO guideline, or a purifier in every room. Any one of the three. | ISO 16890 and ASHRAE 52.2 set the filter grades. The three route rule is ours, Jordan 2026-09-03. |
| 01.5Relative humidity | Between 30 and 60 percent. | ASHRAE 55; US EPA |
| 01.6Nothing added to the airGate | No synthetic fragrance diffused into guest rooms or into the HVAC. | Assumed Our own rule, Jordan 2026-09-03. No codified number exists. |
| Criterion | Threshold | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 02.1Lead at guest outletsGate | At or below 10 µg/L. | US EPA action level; EU Drinking Water Directive |
| 02.2Arsenic | At or below 10 µg/L. | US EPA; EU Drinking Water Directive; WHO |
| 02.3Chlorine and chloramine residual | At or below 4.0 mg/L. Filtered target at or below 0.1 mg/L. | Assumed US EPA MRDL sets the 4.0. The filtered target of 0.1 is ours and is ASSUMED. |
| 02.4Source and treatment trainGate | Whole property filtration with remineralisation, or a natural spring source. Either one. | Our own rule, Jordan 2026-09-03 |
| 02.5Legionella management | A written water management program, with investigation triggered at about 1,000 CFU/L. | ASHRAE 188; ISO 11731 |
| 02.6Coliform and E. coli | Zero per 100 mL. | US EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations |
| Criterion | Threshold | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 03.1Evening circadian lightGate | At or below 50 equivalent melanopic lux after dark. | WELL v2 L03; CIE S 026 |
| 03.2Daytime circadian light | 200 to 250 equivalent melanopic lux at eye height, midday. | WELL v2 L03 |
| 03.3Flicker | Within the low risk or no effect curve. | IEEE 1789-2015 |
| 03.4Blackout at the pillowGate | At or below 1 lux at the mattress surface, lights off, blinds closed. | Assumed Hospitality practice. No codified number exists. |
| 03.5Evening colour temperature | At or below 3000 K after dark. | Assumed Practice. No codified number exists. |
| 03.6No stray light in the sleeping zone | No standby LED, screen, dock or clock emitting with the lights off. | Assumed Our own rule, Jordan 2026-09-03. No codified number exists. |
| Criterion | Threshold | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 04.1Radiofrequency at the bedGate | Below 0.1 µW/m². | SBM-2015 |
| 04.2AC electric field | Below 0.3 V/m. | SBM-2015 |
| 04.3Body voltage | Below 10 mV. | SBM-2015 |
| 04.4AC magnetic field | Below 20 nT, which is 0.2 mG. | SBM-2015 |
| 04.5Transmitter managementGate | In room wireless cut automatically overnight, or hardwired ethernet offered, or the access point outside the room. Any one of the three. | Our own rule, Jordan 2026-09-03 |
| 04.6Sleeping zone circuit | A demand switch, or unshielded wiring rerouted at the bed head. | SBM-2015 sets the method. The requirement is ours, Jordan 2026-09-03. |
| Criterion | Threshold | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 05.1Textile chemistry, sheets and pillowcasesGate | Skin contact class, in all rooms. | OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 |
| 05.2MattressGate | No added organohalogen flame retardants. Filling named. | Stockholm Convention POPs; MADE SAFE |
| 05.3Furnishing and joinery emissions | TVOC at or below 220 µg/m³ and formaldehyde at or below 9 µg/m³, chamber tested. | GREENGUARD Gold (UL 2818) |
| 05.4Paint and coatings | At or below 50 g/L VOC content. | SCAQMD Rule 1113; US EPA Method 24 |
| 05.5Cleaning and laundry chemistry | Every product in use named, ingredients disclosed, fragrance free in sleeping areas. | Our own rule, Jordan 2026-09-03 |
| 05.6Guest contact consumables | Body, hair and amenity products named with ingredients. No synthetic fragrance. | Our own rule, Jordan 2026-09-03 |
| Criterion | Threshold | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 06.1Organic proportionGate | At or above 80 percent, evidenced by purchasing records. | Our own rule, Jordan 2026-09-03 |
| 06.2Cooking oilsGate | No seed oils anywhere on the property. | Our own rule, Jordan 2026-09-03 |
| 06.3Cookware | No PTFE, PFAS, non stick or bare aluminium. Materials named. | Our own rule, Jordan 2026-09-03. This cookware restriction is our own policy, not a legal threshold. |
| 06.4Sourcing traceability | A named grower, producer or supplier a reader can check. | Assumed Our own rule, Jordan 2026-09-03. ASSUMED as a threshold. |
| 06.5Kitchen, beverage and ice water | Held to the Water Integrity lines, pathway 02. | US EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations, via pathway 02 |
| 06.6Food contact plastics | None in heat, in preparation, or in long storage. | Assumed Our own rule, Jordan 2026-09-03. No codified number exists. |
| Criterion | Threshold | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 07.1Living nature indoorsGate | Living plantings across the occupied space. | Our own rule, Jordan 2026-09-03. Informed by WELL v2 M02 Nature and Place; the living-plant requirement here is our own. |
| 07.2View of nature | A clear line of sight to nature from the guest room. | Ulrich 1984; WELL v2 |
| 07.3Natural material palette | Named materials in the fabric a guest touches, with a stated sensory purpose. | Our own rule, Jordan 2026-09-03 |
| 07.4Restorative layout | Assessed against the 14 Patterns. | Terrapin Bright Green, Browning et al. |
| 07.5Daylight and outdoor accessGate | Genuine daylight, and an operable opening or outdoor access from the guest room. | IES LM-83 spatial daylight autonomy convention |
| 07.6No artificial substitutes | No artificial planting standing in for living planting. | Assumed Our own rule, Jordan 2026-09-03. No codified number exists. |
| Criterion | Threshold | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 08.1Ambient sleeping zone noiseGate | At or below 30 dB LAeq, with peaks at or below 45 dB. | WHO Guidelines for Community Noise; WHO Night Noise Guidelines |
| 08.2Night noise from outside | At or below 40 dB Lnight at the facade. | WHO Night Noise Guidelines |
| 08.3Room to room isolationGate | STC 50 minimum. 55 and above is best practice. | ASTM E336; ASTM E413 |
| 08.4Plant and air conditioning noise | Inaudible above the 08.1 target at the lowest setting. | Assumed No codified number exists. |
| 08.5Low frequency energy | dBC minus dBA not more than about 20 dB. | Assumed Practice. No codified number exists. |
| 08.6Deep quiet on demand | A guest can silence ventilation and any piped audio without losing fresh air. | Assumed Our own rule, Jordan 2026-09-03. No codified number exists. |
The detail is the standard
4 worn-smooth phrases, and what each one has to mean here
Wellness language has been worn smooth: “circadian lighting” and “filtered water” now appear on properties that could not answer one follow-up question. So the rubric is built from the follow-up questions. Open any phrase to see what it can legally mean, and what has to be true before it scores.
“Circadian lighting”What has to be true
On a brochure this can mean any warm LED with an app. No spectrum, no flicker figure, no schedule: the words alone commit the property to nothing.
- Named (2)
- Full-spectrum sources named, and flicker-free drivers named as such, not just "circadian bulbs". Colour temperature stated for evening, blackout stated at the bed.
- Tested (3)
- A published spectral report, a flicker measurement, or the lighting scheme verified on site. The claim becomes a number someone can check.
- Their word (1)
- "Circadian lighting" with nothing behind it. It counts for one point, and the listing says the specifics are unpublished.
“Filtered water”What has to be true
Filtered how, and into what? A carbon jug and a whole-building reverse-osmosis plant both satisfy this phrase. So does nothing, legally.
- Named (2)
- The method named: reverse osmosis, carbon, ceramic, UV. And what the water carries afterwards, since stripping and remineralising are different claims: a stated mineral profile is the difference between empty water and finished water.
- Tested (3)
- A published test panel or mineral analysis, or the system verified on site. Bonus systems such as hydrogen dosing are recorded as equipment with a named maker, never as a health claim, per the standing rules.
- Their word (1)
- "Pure mountain water." One point, gap named.
“The pool”What has to be true
The clearest case of the two axes. What sanitises the water is a fact we record: chlorine, salt, ionisation, ozone, or a chlorine-free natural system. How well the property proves it is what the score measures. A chlorine pool with published chemistry can out-score an undocumented natural pool, because the score is a statement about the record, and the pool type is a statement about the pool: the filters carry the second one, so a reader who wants chlorine-free finds it regardless of anyone’s score.
- Named (2)
- The treatment named on their own site: "salt-chlorinated", "copper-silver ionisation", "biological regeneration zone".
- Tested (3)
- Published water chemistry, a named maintenance standard, or the system seen on our own assessment.
- Their word (1)
- "Natural pool" with no system named. Recorded, one point, and the type still appears as an unverified note rather than a filterable fact.
“Natural linens”What has to be true
Cotton is natural. So is a 20% blend. The phrase survives any bed actually made.
- Named (2)
- Fibres named per item: organic cotton sheets, the mattress core material, the pillow fill. "Organic" attached to a specific object, not to an atmosphere.
- Tested (3)
- A third-party textile certification named and current, GOTS or OEKO-TEX class, or the bedding read on site during assessment.
- Their word (1)
- "Natural, toxin-free linens." One point.
What each standard actually requires
19 details in 6 groups, against 6 standards
A pathway-level tick is the most flattering thing you can draw for a certification. WELL covers seven of our eight pathways, so seven ticks fill and it reads as nearly complete. Then you open the document: its water precondition tests the supply and says nothing about the shower in the room, its materials precondition restricts asbestos and says nothing about what the sheets are made of, and its kitchen preconditions say nothing about what that kitchen fries in. So the comparison happens here instead, on the details that decide whether a room is good for the person sleeping in it. Every empty cell is that standard’s own document being silent, taken from our full review of it.
| The detail | Human Garage criteria19 of 19 | WELL v23 of 19 | Fitwel0 of 19 | LEED v4.11 of 19 | Green Key0 of 19 | EarthCheck0 of 19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light | ||||||
| Full-spectrum sources namedCircadian lighting means nothing without a spectrum. A warm LED and a full-spectrum source are both sold under the phrase. | Human Garage criteria: required | WELL v2: no criterion | Fitwel: no criterion | LEED v4.1: no criterion | Green Key: no criterion | EarthCheck: no criterion |
| Flicker-free drivers requiredFlicker performance is rarely published. | Human Garage criteria: required | WELL v2: optional, so a certificate proves nothing | Fitwel: no criterion | LEED v4.1: no criterion | Green Key: no criterion | EarthCheck: no criterion |
| Evening dimming and melanopic limitsEvening light levels are rarely published. | Human Garage criteria: required | WELL v2: optional, so a certificate proves nothing | Fitwel: no criterion | LEED v4.1: no criterion | Green Key: no criterion | EarthCheck: no criterion |
| Blackout at the bedA dark room is the cheapest sleep intervention there is, and almost nobody requires it. | Human Garage criteria: required | WELL v2: no criterion | Fitwel: no criterion | LEED v4.1: no criterion | Green Key: no criterion | EarthCheck: no criterion |
| Water | ||||||
| Supply tested against thresholdsWhat comes into the building, measured rather than described. | Human Garage criteria: required | WELL v2: required | Fitwel: optional, so a certificate proves nothing | LEED v4.1: optional, so a certificate proves nothing | Green Key: optional, so a certificate proves nothing | EarthCheck: optional, so a certificate proves nothing |
| Shower and bath filtration in the roomShower water is rarely filtered, and almost never specified. | Human Garage criteria: required | WELL v2: no criterion | Fitwel: no criterion | LEED v4.1: no criterion | Green Key: no criterion | EarthCheck: no criterion |
| Mineral profile after treatmentStripping water and finishing water are different jobs. Reverse osmosis alone leaves it empty. | Human Garage criteria: required | WELL v2: no criterion | Fitwel: no criterion | LEED v4.1: no criterion | Green Key: no criterion | EarthCheck: no criterion |
| Pool and spa sanitation namedChlorine, salt, ionisation or chlorine-free changes what you swim in and breathe above it. | Human Garage criteria: required | WELL v2: no criterion | Fitwel: no criterion | LEED v4.1: no criterion | Green Key: no criterion | EarthCheck: no criterion |
| Materials and textiles | ||||||
| Legacy hazards restrictedAsbestos, lead, mercury, PCBs. The floor every serious standard clears. | Human Garage criteria: required | WELL v2: required | Fitwel: optional, so a certificate proves nothing | LEED v4.1: required | Green Key: optional, so a certificate proves nothing | EarthCheck: optional, so a certificate proves nothing |
| Linen fibre contentEight hours against your skin. Organic cotton and a treated blend are not the same night. | Human Garage criteria: required | WELL v2: no criterion | Fitwel: no criterion | LEED v4.1: no criterion | Green Key: no criterion | EarthCheck: no criterion |
| Mattress compositionThe largest object in the room, and the one closest to you longest. | Human Garage criteria: required | WELL v2: no criterion | Fitwel: no criterion | LEED v4.1: no criterion | Green Key: no criterion | EarthCheck: no criterion |
| Textile certification namedGOTS or OEKO-TEX turns "organic" from a word into a document. | Human Garage criteria: required | WELL v2: no criterion | Fitwel: no criterion | LEED v4.1: no criterion | Green Key: no criterion | EarthCheck: no criterion |
| Cleaning and laundry chemistryDetergent and laundry products are rarely named. | Human Garage criteria: required | WELL v2: optional, so a certificate proves nothing | Fitwel: optional, so a certificate proves nothing | LEED v4.1: no criterion | Green Key: no criterion | EarthCheck: no criterion |
| Food and kitchen | ||||||
| Cookware and food-contact plasticsCookware and food-contact materials sit outside sourcing policies and are rarely named. | Human Garage criteria: required | WELL v2: no criterion | Fitwel: no criterion | LEED v4.1: no criterion | Green Key: no criterion | EarthCheck: no criterion |
| Cooking oil typeWhat the kitchen fries in, every meal, for everyone. Almost nobody publishes it. | Human Garage criteria: required | WELL v2: no criterion | Fitwel: no criterion | LEED v4.1: no criterion | Green Key: no criterion | EarthCheck: no criterion |
| Air and sound | ||||||
| Air measured against thresholdsParticulates, VOCs, radon: numbers rather than a filter brand. | Human Garage criteria: required | WELL v2: required | Fitwel: optional, so a certificate proves nothing | LEED v4.1: optional, so a certificate proves nothing | Green Key: no criterion | EarthCheck: no criterion |
| Fragrance diffused into roomsDiffused scent is rarely named or labelled. | Human Garage criteria: required | WELL v2: no criterion | Fitwel: no criterion | LEED v4.1: no criterion | Green Key: no criterion | EarthCheck: no criterion |
| EMF | ||||||
| Field measurement in sleeping areasThe one thing no other hospitality standard measures at all. | Human Garage criteria: required | WELL v2: no criterion | Fitwel: no criterion | LEED v4.1: no criterion | Green Key: no criterion | EarthCheck: no criterion |
| Hardwired option or demand switchEngineering the guest can control, rather than a request to turn the router off. | Human Garage criteria: required | WELL v2: no criterion | Fitwel: no criterion | LEED v4.1: no criterion | Green Key: no criterion | EarthCheck: no criterion |
The Human Garage Certified Spaces criteria ask for all 19. No stay on this index holds that certification, and the stays Human Garage has visited carry a visit note with no instrument readings. A property can hold a respected certification and still leave many of these questions unanswered, which is why this index asks them.
The leaders, side by side
6 certifications, 8 pathways each, every covered cell quoted
Each certification standard, against the eight pathways. Eight dots per standard, one per pathway, filled where its own published criteria reach. Every covered cell in our reviews quotes the criterion it rests on, so open any fold and check.
Human Garage Certified SpacesCriteria cover all eight pathways, not yet awarded to any stay
Human Garage’s own criteria, which cover all eight pathways down to the level the exhibits above describe: flicker and spectrum rather than “circadian”, mineral profiles rather than “filtered”, fibre and fill rather than “natural”. No stay on this index holds it: the stays Human Garage has visited carry a visit note, not a certification, and none has instrument readings on record. Our own standard, a disclosed commercial interest, and it never moves an evidence score except through the measurements it publishes. How certification works →
WELL Building Standard v2International WELL Building Institute
In its own terms, WELL v2 is "a vehicle for buildings and organizations to deliver more thoughtful and intentional spaces that enhance human health and well-being", organised into ten concepts: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind and Community.
- Air and ventilationcoveredAir is the first of the ten concepts and carries four preconditions.
- WatercoveredWater carries three preconditions.
- LightingcoveredLight carries two preconditions, L01 Light Exposure (daylight simulation, interior layout or building design routes to daylight access) and L02 Visual Lighting Design.
- EMF environmentnot coveredThe WELL v2 rating system document, Q4 2020 edition, contains no criterion addressing radiofrequency exposure, electromagnetic fields, wired versus wireless network topology, shielded cabling, demand switches, field measurement in sleeping areas, or router, access point or smart meter placement.
- Materials and textilescoveredMaterials carries three preconditions.
- Food and sourcingcoveredNourishment carries two preconditions, N01 Fruits and Vegetables and N02 Nutritional Transparency, the latter covering nutritional labelling and allergy information.
- Nature and designcoveredM02 Nature and Place is a precondition, so every certified project must integrate natural materials, patterns, shapes, colours, images or sounds together with plants, water or nature views, and must address celebration of culture, celebration of place, integration of art and human delight.
- Sound and sensory environmentcoveredSound carries one precondition, S01 Sound Mapping, which requires labelled loud, quiet, mixed and circulation zones and an acoustic design plan.
FitwelCenter for Active Design
A points based certification of health promoting design and operational strategies. The published rating system states that "all strategies are voluntary, with no individual prerequisites", and certification is awarded on a point total: 90 to 104 points for 1 Star, 105 to 124 for 2 Star, 125 to 144 for 3 Star.
- Air and ventilationpartialThree strategies address air directly: Indoor Air Quality Policy (quoted here), Indoor Air Quality Assessment, which requires testing against the limits in the Fitwel IAQ Assessment Protocol, and Air Quality Assessment Results.
- WaterpartialThe Water Quality Testing strategy names a contaminant panel with numeric limits and a separate PFAS test, and a Water Management Program strategy addresses Legionella risk.
- LightingpartialThe Optimal Lighting strategy addresses dimmable or tunable fixtures, glare and flicker, and states a circadian rationale.
- EMF environmentnot coveredThe 88 published strategies of the Fitwel v3 Multifamily Residential scorecard contain no strategy addressing radiofrequency exposure, electromagnetic fields, wired versus wireless network topology, shielded cabling, field measurement in sleeping areas, or router, access point or smart meter placement.
- Materials and textilespartialThe Chemical Purchasing Policy strategy, quoted here, binds procurement to the published Fitwel Chemical Purchasing Policy and requires materials transparency information to be shared with occupants.
- Food and sourcingpartialSection 10 contains Healthy Food and Beverage Provision Policy, Fresh Produce Provision (quoted here), Produce Vendor, Healthy Grocery Stores and Design for Healthier Choices strategies, and section 03 contains a Fruit or Vegetable Garden strategy covering on site growing.
- Nature and designpartialViews from Dwelling Units (quoted here) and Views of Nature set distance and line of sight tests for outdoor natural elements.
- Sound and sensory environmentpartialTwo acoustic strategies are published.
LEED v4.1 (BD+C and O+M)U.S. Green Building Council
A green building rating system organised into Location and Transportation, Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, Innovation and Regional Priority. Points earn Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum; prerequisites are mandatory and credits are optional.
- Air and ventilationcoveredAir is the one guest biology pathway LEED addresses through a mandatory prerequisite.
- WaterpartialWater Efficiency carries three prerequisites, Outdoor Water Use Reduction, Indoor Water Use Reduction (quoted here) and Building-Level Water Metering, and all three are about volume.
- LightingpartialLight is addressed only through optional credits.
- EMF environmentnot coveredThe LEED v4.1 BD+C rating system of 10 July 2020 and the LEED v4.1 O+M beta guide of July 2019 were read in full.
- Materials and textilescoveredEQ Credit Low-Emitting Materials, quoted here, is the most detailed low emission materials requirement in this matrix, covering paints and coatings, adhesives and sealants, flooring, wall panels, ceilings, insulation, furniture and composite wood, and naming CDPH Standard Method v1.2-2017 as the emissions test.
- Food and sourcingpartialThe only text in either rating system that touches food production is one qualifying option inside the optional SS Credit Open Space, quoted here.
- Nature and designpartialViews are addressed in EQ Credit Quality Views, quoted here, worth 1 point for Hospitality, and nature access in SS Credit Open Space, which requires outdoor space of at least 30 percent of site area with a quarter of it vegetated.
- Sound and sensory environmentpartialThe mandatory acoustic prerequisite, EQ Prerequisite Minimum Acoustic Performance, applies to Schools only.
EarthCheck CertifiedEarthCheck Pty Limited
In its own terms: "The purpose of EarthCheck Company Standard is to provide organisations with a framework for environmental and social sustainability. The EarthCheck Company Standard can apply to all travel and tourism related organisations, and the systems and processes can be applied to any organisation." Ten key performance areas cover greenhouse gas emissions, energy, freshwater, ecosystems, social and cultural management, land use, air quality, wastewater, solid waste and environmentally harmful substances.
- Air and ventilationpartialClause 2.3.6 requires gaseous and particulate emissions to be measured, monitored and recorded, which is a real measurement requirement, but the clause frames it as emissions to the environment from combustion systems, HVAC equipment and other mechanical operations rather than as indoor air quality for occupants.
- WaterpartialClause 2.3.3 addresses freshwater sourcing, risk assessment and consumption, and Potable Water Consumption is a benchmarked indicator, but it is a quantity indicator rather than a quality one.
- LightingpartialExterior light discipline is addressed directly in clause 2.3.6, quoted here, and natural lighting appears as an energy checklist item at 2.3.2.i.
- EMF environmentnot coveredThe EarthCheck Company Standard v4.2 (90 pages) and v4.1 (70 pages) were read in full, together with the public Sector Benchmarking Indicators for Companies v4.0.
- Materials and textilespartialChemical inventory, handling, storage and disposal are addressed in detail in clause 2.5, and the proportion of biodegradable or ecolabelled interior surface cleaners is a benchmarked indicator.
- Food and sourcingpartialLocal food procurement is named in the purchasing policy clause quoted here, and clause 2.4.6 requires the proportion of local goods and services procured to be monitored, measured and reported at least annually.
- Nature and designpartialClause 2.3.5 addresses siting, land use planning, native planting and habitat restoration, and cross refers at 2.3.5.a to the separate EarthCheck Building Planning and Design Standard.
- Sound and sensory environmentpartialClause 2.3.6 requires noise emissions to be measured against applicable national or local standards, which is the most specific noise requirement in any of the hospitality sustainability standards read here, but it is framed outward toward community and wildlife rather than as a background level inside a guest room.
Green GlobeGreen Certifications Inc., dba Green Globe Certification
In its own terms: "The Green Globe Standard provides organizations with a framework to conduct a comprehensive assessment of their environmental sustainability performance, through which they can monitor improvements and achieve certification." Four pillars: Sustainable Management, Social and Economic, Cultural Heritage, Environmental.
- Air and ventilationpartialAir appears in the published criteria only inside D.2.5 Other Pollutants, quoted here, and only as an outward pollution source to be reduced.
- WaterpartialD.1.4 addresses water risk, consumption measurement, source identification and environmental flows, and D.2.4 Harmful Substances names swimming pool disinfectants among substances to minimise.
- LightingpartialLight appears in the published criteria only as one item in the D.2.5 Other Pollutants list quoted here, with the explanatory note referring to light pollution of marine nesting sites.
- EMF environmentnot coveredThe 44 published criteria of the Green Globe Certification Standard, Hotels and Resorts V.2.3 contain no criterion addressing radiofrequency or electromagnetic exposure, wired versus wireless network topology, shielded cabling, field measurement in sleeping areas, or router, access point or smart meter placement.
- Materials and textilespartialD.1.1 Purchasing Policy names building materials, and D.2.4 requires harmful substances to be minimised, substituted where possible and properly managed.
- Food and sourcingpartialD.1.5 is a food and beverage criterion, quoted here, and B.3 Fair Trade and D.1.1 Purchasing Policy add local and fair trade preference for goods.
- Nature and designpartialA.6.2 addresses sustainable design and construction with respect for natural and cultural surroundings, and D.3.2 requires native species in landscaping and restoration.
- Sound and sensory environmentpartialNoise appears in the published criteria only as one item in the D.2.5 Other Pollutants list quoted here, framed as outward emission from the business.
Green KeyFoundation for Environmental Education
An eco-label for accommodation, structured into seven criteria areas: Sustainable Management, Guest Awareness and Involvement, Water, Energy and Carbon, Waste, Procurement, and Living Environment. Criteria are marked (I) imperative or (G) guideline.
- Air and ventilationpartialCriterion 7.4, quoted here, is the most specific indoor air criterion in any hospitality sustainability standard read for this matrix.
- WaterpartialHow drinking water reaches the guest is addressed imperatively at 6.16, quoted here, whose implementation notes encourage activated carbon or reverse osmosis filtration where water quality requires it and a certified water analysis where potability is disputed.
- LightingpartialCriterion 4.15 on outdoor lighting is imperative and its implementation notes name a colour temperature figure, quoted here, but the stated purpose is energy use and biodiversity rather than guest circadian rhythm.
- EMF environmentnot coveredAll seven criteria areas of the Green Key Hotels and Hostels 2026 to 2031 document (158 pages) and all thirteen criteria areas of the 2022 to 2026 document (81 pages) were read.
- Materials and textilespartialCriterion 7.7 on sustainable materials is a guideline criterion whose implementation notes, quoted here, name low VOC emissions and freedom from heavy metals for paints and coatings, and recognised eco-labels or low chemical emissions for flooring, insulation, adhesives and sealants.
- Food and sourcingcoveredSix imperative and four guideline criteria address food and beverage sourcing with percentage thresholds and menu labelling, including 6.12 quoted here, 6.18 setting a 25 percent threshold and 6.6 requiring 50 percent of suppliers to be eco-certified.
- Nature and designpartialCriterion 7.11 imperatively requires initiatives to protect and support local biodiversity on or around the premises, 7.6 requires biodiversity impacts to be assessed before development, and 7.5, quoted here, addresses incorporation of local culture in the operation or in refurbishment.
- Sound and sensory environmentpartialCriterion 6.31 is the only criterion in any standard read for this matrix that addresses fragrance load in guest areas directly, and it applies to guest rooms, laundry, public areas and conference rooms whether cleaning is in house or outsourced.
Categories are claims
8 categories, and the rule that earns each one
A category is a promise about what a stay is, and a listing that claims one it does not fit pays for the gap the moment a guest arrives. So no category here is ever chosen, by the property or by us. Each one is a rule computed from the record: a stay carries the label because its data qualifies, and loses it on the next build if the data stops qualifying. There is deliberately no category for a setting or a style, no Beachfront, no Design, because those would have to be read out of marketing photography, and we do not score marketing.
| Category | The rule that earns it |
|---|---|
| Measured | At least one pathway is backed by a published measurement, a number from a lab or a third party, not a claim. |
| Fully documented | Six or more pathways assessed and something published on every one of them. No blank rows. |
| Intimate scale | Twenty keys or fewer. Read from the published room count, so a resort cannot opt in. |
| Opening soon | Not yet operating. The build is underway and the specification window is still open. |
| Materials with air or water details | Materials and Textiles at Specified or better, plus Air Ecology or Water Integrity at the same level. This describes documentation, not a non-toxic certification. |
| Sauna, plunge and recovery | The property publishes a sauna, a cold plunge or a dedicated movement space. |
| Nature in the design | Biophilic and Healing Design at Specified or better. |
| Tropical | Latitude within 23.44 degrees of the equator, from the coordinates we hold. |
Conflicts, and what we do not do
Who owns this, what we take, and what we refuse
A project of Certified Spaces. We earn from courses, and from a commission on retreats and stays booked through Human Garage. Human Garage visited four of the stays marked HGCS Certified at no cost, in exchange for filming and content collaboration. It may earn 15% of the bookings it refers to them. The other two are paying clients. Listings are free, and nothing we earn changes a record, a visit note or a place in the directory.
A low score means a property has not published information. It does not mean the property is unsafe, unhealthy or poorly run. Of the 127 stays published on this index, 99 publish nothing at all about the wireless environment in a bedroom, and 2 publish at least one measurement somewhere. A further 10 have not been read for EMF yet, and they are not in that first figure. Those are facts about what is published today, not about the buildings.
Found something out of date or wrong? corrections@verifiedwellnessspaces.com. We correct it and log the change.