Excel Dryer’s headquarters earns WELL Silver Certification, setting a new standard for workplace wellness

FM Architecture chosen to drive innovation showing how wellness-centered design creates healthy sustainable workplaces while serving as an educational resource

EAST LONGMEADOW, MA, UNITED STATES, October 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Excel Dryer’s newly renovated corporate headquarters has earned WELL Silver Certification, recognizing the company’s ambitious effort to create a workplace centered on sustainability and employee health, comfort, collaboration and productivity. When Excel Dryer set out to transform its East Longmeadow headquarters, the company wanted to create a workplace that put those principles into practice and needed the right architecture and design partner to bring that vision to life.

“I sent out a request for proposal to multiple architecture firms with one very clear and lofty goal for this project: design the most beautiful, healthiest and sustainable office space in the world!” said William Gagnon, executive vice president and COO of Excel Dryer, Inc. “Ultimately, FM Architecture was selected, and they delivered an amazing space.”

Boston-based Fennick McCredie Architecture (FM Architecture) led the design of the renovation, working closely with Excel Dryer to turn that vision into a functional workplace. From the beginning, both teams approached the project as an opportunity to demonstrate how thoughtful architecture can support the people who use the space every day.

“From the beginning, Excel Dryer challenged us to think beyond a traditional office renovation. They wanted a workplace that would embody their commitment to innovation and sustainability while creating an exceptional and healthy environment for their employees,” said Deborah Fennick, cofounder and design principal at FM Architecture. “That shared ambition gave us the opportunity to design a space where wellness and design excellence are truly interconnected.”

Following guidelines established by the International WELL Building Institute, the completed Excel Dryer Healthy Office Oasis project has earned WELL Silver Certification. The WELL Building Standard recognizes spaces designed to support occupant health and well-being through strategies addressing areas including air, water, light, movement, materials, comfort and mind.

“WELL gave us a framework for looking at the workplace holistically, not simply as a collection of sustainable features, but as an environment that can actively support the people who use it every day,” said Katherine Brekka, senior associate and sustainability practice leader at FM Architecture. “From air quality and natural light to materials, acoustics and ergonomics, each decision was considered through the lens of occupant health and well-being. Achieving WELL Silver Certification validates that comprehensive approach.”

Throughout the 5,000-square-foot renovation, FM Architecture incorporated design elements intended to support indoor environmental quality, comfort and employee experience. Features include a LifeAire air purification system with MERV 13 filters and activated carbon, a vegetative roof, living walls, floor-to-ceiling windows, daylight-optimized and self-tuning lighting, ergonomic workstations, acoustic ceilings, modular glass partitions and sound masking systems. Flooring made from recycled fishing nets collected in developing countries further supports the project’s emphasis on thoughtful material selection and sustainability.

The renovation also gave Excel Dryer an opportunity to put into practice many of the healthy building and sustainability principles it advocates within the built environment. The headquarters restrooms include the D|13 Integrated Sink System featuring the XLERATORsync Hand Dryer, incorporating touchless hand drying directly into the sink area as part of the overall workplace design, reducing reliance on single-use paper towels.

For employees, the result is a workplace intentionally designed around their daily experience. For visiting architects, designers, engineers, distributors, representatives and customers, the headquarters serves as a working demonstration of how healthy building principles can move from specification and design goals into a completed commercial space.

The project also extends beyond the physical renovation. Excel Dryer offers approved continuing education courses centered on the renovation and the WELL Building Standard, giving architects and designers opportunities to explore healthy buildings, sustainable restroom design and strategies that support occupant wellness while earning continuing education credits.

For Excel Dryer, achieving WELL Silver Certification represents both validation of the completed project and a milestone in the collaboration between the company and FM Architecture. The Healthy Office Oasis now provides a tangible example of how wellness, sustainability, innovation and thoughtful design can come together in a modern workplace. Visit www.exceldryer.com to learn more.

About Excel Dryer, Inc.
Excel Dryer is a family-owned and operated company that revolutionized the industry with the invention of the XLERATOR^® Hand Dryer, which set a new standard for performance, reliability and customer satisfaction. For more than 50 years, Excel has been manufacturing American-made hand drying solutions that are dependable, cost effective, safe and sustainable. Backed by the best customer service, Excel Dryer products can be purchased through an established network of sales representatives and distributors globally. Learn more about Excel Dryer at exceldryer.com.
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Christina Hager
Market Mentors
617-686-5030 ext.
Chager@marketmentors.com

Excel Dryer Office Renovation – The WELL Building Standard

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