WELL Building Standard
This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
WELL Building Standard (WELL) is a healthy building certification program, developed by the International WELL Building Institute PCB (IWBI), a California registered public benefit corporation.
History
The WELL Building Standard began in 2013 by Paul Scialla of Delos company, becoming the first well-being standard focused, administered by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). Green Business Certification Inc. from LEED certification is a third-party certified WELL. By the 2016, over 200 projects in 21 countries adopted the certification.[1]
Principles & concepts
WELL v2 met best practices on four tenets, evidence-based, verifiable, implementable, feedback focus. The principles in WELL v2 are equitable, global, evidence-based, technically robust, customer-focused, and resilient. WELL is a performance-based system which Performance Verification is completed by an authorized WELL Performance Testing Agent.
Certification
There are two types of certifications, the WELL Certification for Owner-occupied and the WELL Core Certification. The WELL Core is for the building that provide tenant occupation more than 75%, and not needed to achieve minimum points from every subjects.[2]
The WELL Silver, Gold, and Platinum level must achieve at least 1, 2, and 3 points per subject, but the WELL Bronze has no minimum points' rule. For WELL core, there are no minimum point.[2]
The optimization point requirement from the WELL Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum are ranging from 40, 50, 60, and 80 points. The rating system limits 12 points per subject, except the Innovation which limit under 10 points. Total points must not be over 100.[2]
Assessment
The WELL certificated buildings must pass all precondition requirements and they could get optimization points available from extension subjects.[2]
Assessment Area | Preconditions | Optimization Points |
---|---|---|
Air |
indoor air quality, smoke-free environment, adequate ventilation design, construction pollution management | 18 |
Water | water quality indicator, drinking water quality, water quality monitoring and legionella management | 14 |
Nourishment |
availability and visibility of fruit and vegetable | 16 |
Light | circadian lighting, provide visual comfort and enhance visual acuity |
18 |
Movement | facilitate ergonomic design workstation |
21 |
Thermal Comfort | acceptable thermal environment | 16 |
Sound | acoustic design plan and label of acoustic zones | 18 |
Material | restriction, management and addressing of hazardous material such as Chromated copper arsenate, asbestos, mercury, polychlorinated biphenyl and lead |
18 |
Mind | provide mental health support, integrate local nature art and culture | 19 |
Community | communication of WELL feature to users, integrative design by stakeholders, emergency management, occupant surveys | 43 |
Innovation | - | 28 |
Total Points | 229 |
Air
Because users spend 90% time in interior, they can expose to indoor air pollutions that lead to headaches, dry throat, eye irritation, runny nose, asthma attacks, infection with legionella bacteria and carbon monoxide poisoning. It leads to thousands of cancer death and 100,000 of respiratory issues annually. Avoidable costs in the U.S. could be over 100 billion dollars annually 45% from radon and tobacco and 45% from lost productivity, and 10% respiratory diseases. Combustion sources such as candles, tobacco, stoves, furnaces, fireplaces producing carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and small particles are common. Furnishings, fabrics, cleaning product emit volatile organic compound (VOCs). It could be resolved by eliminate problem sources and design solutions. Air pollution leads to 7 millions premature deaths, around 600,000 of those were children under 5 years old in 2012.
A01-A04 Precondition
A01
A02
A03
A04 Construction Pollution Management topic, the contractor is to ensure that ducts are cleaned and protected from contamination. Contractor shall filter with more than 70% efficiency for particles 3-10 micrometers on the installed ventilation system during construction. Contractor must implement dust and moisture management such as using of temporary barriers, dust guards for saws, walk-off mats on entryway.[2]
A05 - A14 Optimization
A05 Enhanced Air Quality topic, enhancing threshold of
A06 Enhanced Ventilation Design topic threshold of mechanical and natural ventilation or with demand controlled ventilation (DCV) or engineered natural ventilation system to keep CO2 levels low, or at least 50% of workstations are supplied in the breathing zone with an airspeed under 50 fpm at user's head receives 2 points. Displacement ventilation system implement or air diffusers located 2.8 m above the floor receives additional 1 points.[2]
A07 Operable Windows, providing openable windows to access to outdoor air, available to access outdoor air by 75% of regularly occupied areas or 4% of the occupied areas of there are many floors receives 1 point, another 1 point, if there is outdoor air quality for PM2.5, temperature, relative humidity display near windows.
A08
A09 Pollution Infiltration Management topic, entrance way design such as 3 meters' air door and to slow movement of air from outdoor to indoor by building vestibule or revolving doors, air curtain and management by wet cleaning once a week, vacuuming once a day provides 1 point and envelope of building that is designed to mitigate outside air pollution provides another 1 point.
A10 Combustion Minimization topic, combustion restriction indoor or keeping away from building 3.3 meter and vehicle running limitation of 30 seconds.
A11 Source Separation topic by to remove the sources by design separately closed door, negatively pressurized or exhaust fans such as the return air to outdoor of all bathrooms, kitchens, cleaning and chemical storage, high-volume printers and copiers provides 1 point.
A12 Air Filtration topic by using media filters in ventilation system or standalone device by appropriate efficiency to filter
A13 Enhanced Supply Air topic by ventilating occupied spaces with all outdoor air or cleaning devices such as activated carbon filter with efficiency of 75% or media filter or Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) under UL 2998 Zero Ozone Emissions Validation or Intertek Zero Ozone Verification provides 1 point.
A14 Microbe and Mold Control topic by implement ultraviolet radiation system for HVAC coil each provides 1 point.[2]
Water
WELL Water aims to increase the rate of adequate hydration in building and reduce risks due to
W01 - W03 Precondition
For W01
For W02 Drinking Water Quality, the project requires
.For W03, Basic Water Management, annually monitoring is required such as turbidity, pH, residual free chlorine. Legionella management must be determined in the building.
W04 - W08 Optimization
For W04, Enhanced Water Quality, enhancing threshold of drinking water contamination level provides 1 point.
W05, Drinking Water Quality Management provides total 3 points. For 2 points, the project needs pre-testing water quality on the farthest water dispenser for every 10 floors such as turbidity, coliform bacteria, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), chlorine, residual (free) chlorine, arsenic, lead, copper, nitrate, benzene at least one month before Performance Verification and monitoring piped water that delivers drinking water, testing water from dispensers quarterly. Turbidity must be equal or less than 1.0 NTU. pH must be between 6.5 and 9.0. TDS must be equal or less than 500 mg/L. Total Chlorine must be equal or less than 5 mg. L. Residual (free) chlorine must be equal or less than 5 mg/L. Total Coliforms must not be detected in a 100 ml sample. Lead must be equal or less than 1 micro gram/L. Sampling frequency can be reduced to once a year, if the results are under limit two consecutive times. Copper must be equal or less than 2 mg/L. Sampling frequency can be reduced to two a year. If the results are under limit four consecutive times, then there is no need to monitor anymore. The test result must be submitted to WELL annually. Last part is display of water management information to promote drinking water transparency provides another 1 point.
For W06, Drinking Water Promotion, encouraging people to drink water easily by provide water dispenser minimum one per floor within 30 meter of all users and in all dining areas, designing for water bottle-refilling with maintenance provides 1 point.
W07,
W08
Nourishment
WELL Nourishment concept supports healthy and sustainable eating patterns by accessing to fruits and vegetables more and limiting highly processed foods, nudging users to choose better choices. Poor nutrition responses to one in five people death globally. Unhealthy eating is worse than combining of drug, alcohol, and tobacco. Diets usually is low in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, but instead flood with highly processed foods such as refined sugars and oils. In 2019, the EAT-Lancet Commission developed best food option. By developing environment conditions that influence users to change diets with holistic approach, supportive policies.
N01 - N02 Precondition
N01 Fruits and Vegetables, WELL ensures to operate food outlet for at least two varieties of fruits and non-fried vegetables that would be clearly be seen by users. Each food outlets are at least 50% of food options are fruits or non-fried vegetables.
N02, Nutritional Transparency, other type of foods such as
N03 - N13 Optimization
N03 Refined Ingredients, restriction of
N04
N05
N06
N07
N08 Mindful Eating provides 2 points by dedicating eating space within 200 meters walking distance of the boundary of the project that contains tables and chairs to 25% of users at peak, protects from outdoor
N09 Special Diets, alternative food providing to
N10 Food Preparation, providing space for user's meal such as cold storage, countertop, sink for dish and hand washing, microwave or toaster, reusable plates, garbage bin receives 1 point.
N11 Responsible Food Sourcing, sourcing 50% foods that are
N12 Food Production receives 2 points by providing
N13 Local Food Environment, supporting local food by locating the project near fruit and vegetable supermarket or farmers' market that open at least once a week within 400 meters walk distance, or serving local agriculture program or hosting weekly sale of fruits and vegetables receives 1 point.
Light
WELL Light concept aims to create lighting that reduces circadian disruption to improve sleep quality and mood and productivity. Humans are diurnal driving by circadian systems or internal clock. Disruption of it leads to obesity, diabetes, depression, breast cancer, metabolic and sleep disorders. Insufficient light can lead to disruption.
L01 - L02 Precondition
L01 Light Exposure,
L02 Visual Lighting Design, WELL still keeps visual
L03 - L09 Optimization
L03 Circadian Lighting Design, if the project chose precondition part of circadian lighting, the project receives 1 point automatically. For the project that achieves at least 275 Melanopic Lux (EML) it will add more 2 points.
L04 Electric Light
L05 Daylight Design Strategies, providing daylight exposure indoors through design strategies. Daylight plan for the project receives 1 point for workstations near the window within 7.5 meters, but if positioned within 5.5 meters, it receives 2 points instead. Integrating of solar shading system with manual control receives 1 point, or with automated control system throughout year receives 2 points instead.
L06 Daylight Simulation, daylight calculation that results equal or higher than 55% of project occupancy area that receives 300 lux more than 50% of annual time of use will receive 1 point, but if it results equal or higher than 75%, then it will receive 2 points.
L07 Visual Balance receives 1 point by either design by at least three of five parameters of luminance ratio of horizontal and vertical plane at maximum 10 times, 0.4 ratio of minimum illuminance and average illuminance on horizontal task plane, using automation system by changing light characters at least light levels over a period at least 10 minutes, using consistent Correlated color temperature (CCT) plus and minus 200 Kelvin, or the project is designed by lighting professional that takes those ratios in account.
L08 Electric Light Quality, for quality of light fixtures, total 3 points, all light fixture, except decorative lights and emergency lights, that color rendering is equal or over color rendering index (CRI) of 90 or CRI of 80 with R9 equal or over than 50 or TM-30 of color rendering fidelity (Rf) equal or more than 78 and color rendering gamut (Rg) equal or more than 100 with Rcs,h1 from -1% to 15%, will receive 1 point, and that flicker of luminaires classified as "reduced flicker operation" or defined 1, 2, 3 recommended practices by IEEE standard 1789-2015 LED or short term light flicker (Pst LM) and Stroboscopic Visibility Measure (SVM) equal or under 1.0 and 0.6 per NEMA 77-2017, will receive 2 points.
L09 Occupant Lighting Control, providing individual control of light for one per 60 sq. m or one per 10 occupants receives 1 point, but if there are one per 30 sq. m or one per 5 occupants, then it receives 2 point, with the project has lighting control in each zone was setup at least three lighting levels, able to change group of lights with different light beams or color or CCT, all users be able to control light manually by keypad or digital interface, and separately control of lighting for presentation. Task light provided with no cost to employees and light levels and direction can be controlled by users independently under shielded light source receives 1 point.
Movement
To promote physical activity by creating opportunities through spaces is a substantial impact to decrease risk of death by 10% and 25%, which more than half a million and one million people globally would not have died because of inactivity. Global lifespan could increase by 0.68 years. Physical inactivity leads to pre-mature
V01 - V02 Precondition
V01 Active Buildings and Communities, the summary of optimization points which WELL requires the project to achieve as least one point from four optimization features specifically V03 Circulation Network for visible, open to access and aesthetic
V02,
V03 - V10 Optimization
V03 Circulation Network provides total 3 points, designing aesthetic staircase by music, artwork, designed to have light levels of at least 215 lux in use, windows or skylights that provide daylight or nature views, natural design elements, gamification receives 1 point. Integrating point-of-decision signage on stair area such as motivational element receives 1 point. Promoting visible stair that close to the entrance receives 1 point.
V04 Facilities for Active Occupants, providing cycling network and parking for bikes with shortterm and longterm with basic bike maintenance tools and minimum Bike Score® of 50, 200 m walk distance of an existing cycling network receives 2 points, and with showers, lockers, and changing facilities 16 places plus one for every 1,000 occupants receives another 1 point.
V05 Site Planning and Selection, site planning for walking and connection to
V06 Physical Activity Opportunities, providing physical activity for occupants at no cost, by qualified professional, not in form of punishment by at least one 30-minute event per week or one 60-minute per week for school students receives 1 point, and for not less than total 150 minutes per week or not less 60 minutes per day for school students receive 2 points.
V07 Active Furnishings, providing at least manual or electric work surface or
V08 Physical Activity Spaces and Equipment, providing indoor fitness space at no cost receives 2 points either the space includes two types of exercises or equipment that allow use by at least 5% of occupants at any time or has minimum size of 25 sq. m plus 0.1 sq. m per occupant until 930 sq. m, but WELL also allows if the project gives free pass to access fitness facility within 200 meters walking distance instead.
V09
V10 Self-Monitoring Support, receive only 1 point by providing free
Thermal comfort
T01 Thermal Performance Precondition
The first part, WELL ensures thermal indoor environment to be controlled. For
The second part, semi-annual testing on summer and winter for
T02 - T07 Optimization
T02 Verified Thermal Comfort, if surveying from user results in 80% satisfaction receives 2 points, and 90% satisfaction receives 3 points, with responses significant 35% of 45 users or 15 from 20 users or 80% of 20 users with sample template.
T03 Thermal Zoning, providing thermostat control point one per 60 sq. m and per 30 sq. m or one per 10 users and 5 users would receives 1 and 2 points, by presenting with digital interface on computer or phone, with temperature sensors apart from exterior wall, windows, doors, direct sunlight, air supply diffusers, mechanical fans, heaters, other significant sources of heat or cold.
T04 Individual Thermal Control, giving personal thermal control for both heating and cooling receives each 1 point, for cooling, implementing user-adjustable
T05 Radiant Thermal Comfort, radiant thermal comfort management for both heating and cooling receives each 1 point by implement radiant ceilings, walls, floors, radiant panels at least 50% of regularly occupied project area.
T06 Thermal Comfort Monitoring such as
T07 Humidity Control, control of humidity receives 1 point by having mechanical system that can maintain
Sound
Providing
S01 Sound Mapping Precondition
For labeling acoustic zone, interior design must have a design of acoustics zoning label such as loud zone, quiet zone, mixed zone, and circulation zone to mitigate a sound transmission from loud zones to quiet zones.
For providing acoustic design plan, the design concept shall incorporate acoustical comfort, background noise, speech privacy, and reverberation time and/or impact noise within the project boundary, or it can be an acoustical engineering professional in acoustic to evaluate existing sounds and to recommend solutions and measurements.[2]
S02 - S06 Optimization
S02 Maximum Noise Levels, limiting background noise levels over period of five minutes and average sound pressure levels do not exceed tier 1, receiving 1 point, that average
S03 Sound Barriers, sound barriers that designed for sound isolation at walls and doors meets Sound transmission class (STC) or Weighted Sound Reduction (Rw) values from minimum 40 STC to 60 STC, and doors with minimum 30 STC would receives 1 point. Achieving minimum Noise Isolation Class (NIC) or Weight Difference Level (Dw) for each wall type from minimum 35 NIC to 55 NIC, or the sum of NIC or Dw combined with Noise Criteria Rating (NC) or Weighted Sound Pressure Level (LAeq) with minimum 70 to 85 NIC + NC or Dw + LAeq would receive 2 points.
S04 Reverberation Time, maintain persistence of voices in the room receives 2 points, for example, area for music rehearsal for maximum 1.1 seconds, area for learning for maximum 0.6 seconds that could be verified by technical document or performance test.
S05 Sound Reducing Surfaces, furnishing quality surfaces of room that meets criteria of tier 1 or 2, receiving 1 or 2 points, for example, open workspaces, minimum noise reduction coefficient (NRC) OR Alpha-w of 0.75 or 0.90 and minimum furniture height and NRC OR Alpha-w with minimum height of 1.2 m above finished floor and minimum 0.70, cumulatively at least 10% of occupied project area.
S06 Minimum Background Sound, artificial background sound by making
Materials
Promoting the use of low-hazard cleaning products and practices that reduce health impact, mitigation of contamination and public health, management of waste, low-hazard pesticides. For some toxic, prone to
X01 - X03 Precondition
For X01 Material Restrictions, Asbestos level in newly installed products is limit under 1,000 ppm by weight or area. Mercury content for fluorescent lamp and sodium-vapor lamp is limit to 2.5 mg to 32 mg or passed the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS). For fire alarms, meters, sensors, relays, thermostats, and load break switches is limit to no more than 1000 ppm of mercury by weight and 100 ppm of lead or certified the RoHS. For newly installed paints, lead content shall not be over than 100 ppm by weight and certified by the Living Building Challenge's Red List or the Cradle-to-cradle design list or Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SHVC) lists. Drinking water pipes are limit to 0.25% of lead, or labeled as American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or NSF.[2]
For X02 Interior Hazardous Materials Management, if the building was constructed before the enactment of
For X03 CCA and Lead Management, outdoor materials such as chromated copper arsenate (CCA) is banned. Lead hazard over the limit in bare soil, turf, artificial turf, recycled tire, and paint shall be examined and be removed or replaced.[2]
X04 - X11 Optimization
X04 Site Remediation, assess and mitigate site hazards by remediation process of a risk-based approach to sustainable remediation receives 1 point.
X05 Enhanced Material Restrictions, material of at least 50% of furniture,
X06 VOC Restrictions, Volatile organic compound restriction from wet-applied products and furniture, architectural and interior products receives 4 points.
X07 Materials Transparency, selecting products with disclosed ingredients, enhanced ingredient disclosure, and third-party verified ingredients receives 1 point for each, total 3 points.
X08 Materials Optimization, at least 25 distinct products having ingredients inventoried to 100 ppm and free of compound listed in the
X09 Waste Management, implementing a waste management plan by identification of roles, sources, protocols to clean and track wastes receives 1 point.
X10 Pest Management and Pesticide Use, implementing integrated pest management (IPM) for indoor and outdoor space receives 1 point.
X11 Cleaning Products and Protocols, developing cleaning plan receives 2 points.
Mind
Mental health issue is estimated 14.3% of deaths worldwide, 8 million death per year, including substance use affect 13% of the
Global economy lost from depression and anxiety 1 trillion dollars due to lost productivity, 18% of adults experience the condition, over 30% of adults will experience it during their lifetime, despite that, spending to fight the issue were less than 2 dollars per person. High income and low income country, people experience the issue 35-50% and 76-85% without treatment which causes suicide more than 800,000 deaths per years worldwide. Even that, people with the issue have mortality rate 2.2 times higher than normal and a median lost of 10 years life.
The issue could be mitigated by policies, programs, design in workplace promotion, prevention, interventions. Reducing stigma, promoting positive work environments, stress management programs, and strategies, substance services and treatment, optimal sleep, increasing nature contact can improve overall mental health.
M01 - M02 Precondition
For M01
For M02 Nature and Place, common spaces, rooms, and circulation routes must integrate natural elements related subjects such as natural shape material, plants, water, nature views. The project must designed to provide a celebration of culture and social cognition, celebration of place, integration of art, and human delight that connect to place, by Living Building Challenge 4.0, Core Imperative 19 - Beauty + Biophilia hypothesis topic.[2]
M03 - M11 Optimization
M03 Mental Health Services, offering mental health screening for
M04 Mental Health Education, mental health education for regular occupants by managing personal mental health at work, providing in-person or virtually education receives 1 point, and health education for managers by reducing workplace stress, burnout, motivation receives additional 1 point.
M05 Stress Management, develop stress management plan by assessing overwork by more than 48 hours per week, absenteeism, not using paid time off, performance, turnover rates, survey results, improvement of employee stress to change of organization, employee participation receives 2 points.
M06 Restorative Opportunities, supporting healthy working hours by provide minimum 11 consecutive resting hours per day, 24 consecutive hours off per week, 48 hours for those who in shift work, and for eligible employees, minimum 20 days paid time off per year, no work during time off, sick to vacation clearly defined, accrual policy is defined, and for school, do not start earlier than 8:30 am receives 1 point, and additional 1 point for nap allowing and good acoustically separated nap area for 1% of eligible employee at least 30 minutes.
M07 Restorative Spaces, providing break space for users to restorative and encourage relief from fatigue with minimum 7 sqm plus 0.1 sqm per regular users or 186 sqm, with calming adjustable lighting, sound intervention of natural features, thermal control, movable lightweight chars, cushions, natural elements, subdued colors, visual privacy including signage explaining its purpose receives 1 point.
M08 Restorative Programming, for restorative programming such as mindfulness training course, yoga, digital mindfulness offering receives 1 point.
M09 Enhanced Access to Nature, floor plan that at least 75% of workstations have a sight to natural elements winthin 10 meters receives 1 point, and providing outdoor nature access and to one green space or blue space within 200 meter walk distance from boundary, and total green space at least 0.5 hectare receives additional 1 point.
M10 Tobacco Cessation, providing resources and motivation, rewarding, counseling, tobacco prescription for tobacco quitting and limiting of tobacco receives 3 points.
M11 Substance Use Services, education of drug use receives 1 point, and additional 1 point for clinical services.
Community
Estimated 235 million urban families live in low standard housing, leading to poor health outcomes like asthma, infectious disease and cardiovascular. Only 55% of U.S. companies see diversity as a priority, in UK, women earns 80.2% of men's. Spaces usually are not design for diverse needs. Surveying can bring more returns on investment. Fostering civic engagement and espouse can increase employee rentiontion and attraction and financial returns. Design plays critical role to let all users access.
C01 - C04 Precondition
C01 Health and well-being promotion by provides WELL feature guide and regularly communicates to the users. C02 Integrative design by incorporating all stakeholders to set the health and well-being goals for the project. C03
C05 - C14 Optimization
C05 Enhanced Occupant Survey, total 4 points by using additional survey and analysis for 1 point, using comparison pre and post survey for 1 point, implementing aspirational satisfaction and unmet satisfaction plan for 1 point, focus group activity by interview and evaluate result for 1 point.
C06 Health Services and Benefits, providing employees with a
C07 Enhanced Health and Well-Being Promotion, promoting culture of health by communications and promotion group receives 1 point. Having at least one dedicated executive-level employee to plan and promote heathy activities receives 1 point.
C08 New Parent Support, offering new parent leave support receives 1, 2, 3 points for paid leave at least 12, 18, 30 weeks. For breastfeeding support, such as break time and giving insulated cooler or refrigerator access receives 1 point. C09 New Mother Support, providing lactation room at least 2.1 x 2.1 m with appropriated elements in the building receives 2 points.
C10 Family Support, childcare support services, offering family leave, offering
C11 Civic Engagement, promoting community engagement and community space for employees receives each 1 point, total 2 points.
C12 Diversity and Inclusion by creating Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) assessment and action plan, DEI system, DEI hiring practives each receives 1 point, total 3 points.
C13 Accessibility and Universal Design, implementing universal design receives 2 points.
C14 Emergency Resources, providing emergency information or procedures, building notification system, Automated external defibrillator (AEDs), first aid kit, and emergency training for medical emergencies and security team or Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), first aid, AED usage trainings receives 1 point. Providing opioid pain relieve kit for emergency such as naloxone receives 1 point.
Innovation
I01 - I05 Optimization
This category has no requirement but it can provide additional points such as new intervention for maximum 10 topics, each receives 1 point. If one member of the project team has WELL AP, it automatically receives 1 point. Offering WELL educational tours at least six times per year receives 1 point. If the project commits in any well-being or health program that approved by IWBI and it was completed within three years, it receives 1 point. If the project achieve any green building certification that approved by IWBI, it receives 5 points of rating.