The ROI of Wellness: Why Healthy Homes Are Smart Investments

When people think about investing in their homes, they often look at what is visible: the finishes, the fixtures, the square footage. But the real return comes from what you do not see: the quality of the air you breathe, the balance of light, and the materials that quietly support your wellbeing every day.

We spend close to 90 percent of our time indoors. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than what is outside. Poor air quality costs the U.S. economy billions each year in healthcare expenses and lost productivity. The numbers are striking, but the message is simple: a healthier home is also a wiser investment.

Image Courtesy of: WLLW

Lisa Sternfeld, Founder of the platform WLLW and A WELL Accredited Professional with two decades of high-end residential experience, is available to give ideas and tips on how to make wellness not just an amenity but as an essential form of value for the home. A few key points include:

• How healthcare really does begin at home: when a home is designed to support your health, it gives back every single day in comfort, clarity, and peace of mind.
• What is good for the planet, it turns out, is good for your bottom line too – A 2024 study from Rewiring America found that replacing fossil-fuel heating systems with electric heat pumps produces annual health savings of $367 to $1,044 per household
• Choosing quality over quantity is not indulgence, it is longevity: Particleboard furniture and synthetic flooring release chemicals that affect indoor air and wear out quickly. Natural materials like solid wood, wool, and stone cost more at the start but last longer, age beautifully, and help maintain cleaner air.
• Prevention also protects value: Moisture is one of the most overlooked risks in a home. The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimates that dampness and mold account for up to $17 billion in asthma-related medical costs every year, while a 2024 study in Microbiome places the total economic impact of mold-related illness above $22 billion annually.
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ABOUT LISA STERNFELD

Lisa Sternfeld is a wellness-driven designer and founder of WLLW (Well Life, Lived Well), a platform at the intersection of design, health, and sustainability. A WELL Accredited Professional with two decades of high-end residential experience, she is redefining what it means to live well at home, proving that beauty and wellbeing can coexist through thoughtful materials, clean air, pure water, and sensory design. Her work and philosophy have made her a leading voice in the healthy home movement, inspiring a new generation of homeowners to see design as an act of self-care.