INTERVIEW
US real estate developer Delos has created the first set of building standards based on health and wellbeing and Leonardo DiCaprio has reportedly bought one of its new homes. We talk to founder Paul Scialla about pioneering a whole new way of building
PAUL SCIALLA
KATIE BARNES, MANAGING EDITOR, SPA BUSINESS I
n late November, actor Leonardo DiCaprio invested in Delos, the US real estate company, which has created the first building rating system focused not just on the environment but also on human health and wellness. He also became an advisor to the board. It’s
an obvious fit for the actor who’s a staunch supporter of sustainability. He says: “Delos’ wellness designs will change the way living spaces are built and will have a profound impact on the green building movement. Together, we are creating a better, more sustainable future for our planet.” This news follows DiCaprio’s reported pur-
chase – Delos will neither deny nor confirm speculations – of one of Delos’ first homes in New York City. The five new 66 East 11th Street residences offer over 50 amenities dedicated to aiding the owner’s wellbeing – from water purification systems and showers infused with vitamin C that neutralises chlorine, to floors which promote better posture.
The actor’s involvement has brought even more attention to the company that’s already connected to a string of well known names from Donna Karan and
will.i.am to Bill Clinton. But founder Paul Scialla is adamant that Delos’ developments aren’t just for celebrities and the high-end luxury market. “Everyone cares about their own health,” he says. “Whether it’s because they’ve been brought up differently or are more exposed to wellness: it’s not just water anymore is it? These days, it has to be vitamin water.” He’s excited about the possibilities ‘well- ness building’ presents, saying: “Real estate is the largest asset class in the world – it’s worth US$150 trillion [€111tn, £91tn] – and we’re looking to combine that with one of the fastest growing and, arguably, one of the most important industries in the world: health and wellness. More than US$2 trillion [€1.5tn, £1.2tn] a year is spent on preventa- tive medical intervention, so obviously – for Delos – there’s a massive economic play.”
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BIOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY There was no major trigger point for setting up Delos says 40-year-old Scialla, whose career had previously centred around banking – first in bond trading on Wall Street, then as a partner at Goldman Sachs. “Around five years ago, as a kind of an aside, I started getting interested in this notion of sustain- ability and real estate. Lots of great things had gone on in green building and I simply wondered if we could push the envelope so the focus wasn’t only on environmental sus- tainability, but also on human or biological sustainability when we build things. “The fact is we spend 92 per cent of our time indoors, so if we can introduce preventative medical intentions into the very spaces that we’re spending our time in, it’s a huge win.” His interest was shared by co-founder Morad Fareed, a former Starwood Hotels & Resorts executive who helped to initiate and develop one of the industry’s first green hotel brands – Element by Westin.
Spa Business 1 2014 ©Cybertrek 2014
Scialla feels much healthier after trialling the concept in his own home for three years
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