From immersive entertainment to next-gen housing, industry leaders will explore how a $548B sector is reshaping the built environment through a wellness lens
MIAMI, March 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Global Wellness Summit™ (GWS) today announced new speakers for its fifth annual Wellness Real Estate & Communities Symposium, taking place May 12, 2026, in New York City.
With this year’s theme, “Real Estate Through a Wellness Lens,” the symposium will convene leaders across real estate, investment, architecture, design, public policy, technology, medicine and sustainability for an exploration of the ideas and innovations transforming the rapidly expanding $548 billion wellness real estate market.
Global Wellness Summit Expands 2026 Wellness Real Estate Symposium Lineup with Visionary Speakers
The three new speakers are each exploring how the built environment can support human health, performance and experience.
Tyler Jones, CEO and Founder of Blue Heron, will share how his firm is reimagining residential design through a wellness-first approach—creating homes that actively enhance sleep, recovery, focus and emotional wellbeing through biophilic design, advanced building systems and evidence-based performance strategies.
Richard King, founder of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon, will join Dennis Steigerwalt, president of the Housing Innovation Alliance, and Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki, co-chair of the GWI’s Wellness Communities & Real Estate Initiative, for a conversation on “innovation sandboxes”—bold public-private pilot platforms designed to break down barriers and accelerate the delivery of attainable, healthier housing at scale.
Deron Triff, known for scaling TED Talks into a global media phenomenon and for launching PBS KIDS Sprout, will discuss his latest endeavor, Project VELUM—an ambitious research initiative exploring how immersive, location-based experiences originally designed for entertainment may also produce measurable physiological benefits. This opens the door to a new category of experiences intentionally rich in nervous-system regulatory cues that can be deployed across a number of different venues, from wellness destinations to healthcare institutions.
“This year’s symposium is about a fundamental shift in how we think about the built environment—not just as places where we live and work, but as powerful drivers of human health, performance and longevity,” said Nancy Davis, executive director and chief creative officer of the Global Wellness Summit. “The leaders joining us aren’t just responding to trends—they’re actively redefining what real estate can do, at a scale that is already impacting millions of lives around the world.”
More About the Speakers
Tyler Jones is the CEO and Founder of Blue Heron, an award-winning design-build firm known for pioneering wellness-driven residential design. A fourth-generation Nevadan, he founded the company in 2004 and developed its signature “Vegas Modern™” philosophy, integrating biophilic design, sustainability and performance-focused living environments. Under his leadership, Blue Heron has earned numerous industry awards, including LEED Platinum certification.
Richard King is the founder of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon and a global leader in sustainable housing innovation. Over a 30-year career with the DOE, he led major photovoltaic R&D initiatives and directed seven Solar Decathlon competitions in the U.S., engaging more than 20,000 students across 170 universities. His work has expanded internationally, inspiring new approaches to energy-efficient and attainable housing worldwide.
Deron Triff is a media innovator focused on how platforms and experiences can support human wellbeing. Formerly a leader at TED during its rapid global expansion to over one billion annual views, he now leads Project VELUM, a research initiative investigating how immersive, location-based experiences can deliver measurable physiological and emotional benefits.
Register here to attend, with discounted rates until April 1.
Accredited media can apply to attend here.
About the Global Wellness Summit: The Global Wellness Summit brings together leaders and visionaries to positively shape the future of the $6.8 trillion global wellness economy. In addition to an annual conference held at a different location around the globe, GWS also hosts annual in-person events such as the Wellness Real Estate & Communities Symposium, along with virtual gatherings, including Wellness Master Classes and Wellness Sector Spotlights. The organization’s Future of Wellness report forecasts the top wellness trends for the year ahead and is oft-quoted in the media. The 20th annual Global Wellness Summit will be held in Phuket, Thailand, November 10-13, 2026.
SOURCE Global Wellness Summit
