WELL Building Standard

The WELL Building Standard is an innovative certification program focused on occupant well-being, and it’s preparing for some exciting new changes. Founded by Delos and the International Well Building Institute (IWBI), WELL launched in 2014 with the goal of creating a universal standard that promoted healthier environments for humans, and since then it’s broken new ground by reimagining what a building certification program should look like.

In May 2018, the IWBI released WELL v2. This update takes the original WELL standard and implements a new body of knowledge and research. Many other elements have been reconceptualized and fine-tuned, and the result is an even more holistic certification program that’s sure to push the industry forward. Here’s a closer look at how the WELL Building Standard has changed and what it means for architects and designers.

What’s New in WELL v2

From WELL Online: The WELL Building Standard has changed the way we look at building design

WELL v2 comes with a suite of brand new changes that build on the original WELL standard. Many of these changes aim to make WELL more universal, a motive IWBI Chief Product Officer Rachel Gutter made clear: “WELL v2 is our effort to consolidate the latest knowledge, leading research, new technology and advanced building practice to extend the benefits of WELL buildings to more people in more places.” As such, WELL v2 consolidates previous iterations and creates one standard for all project types.

One of the most noticeable changes is the addition of new WELL concepts. WELL v1 was founded on seven concepts: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Fitness, Comfort, and Mind. WELL v2 removes Comfort and Fitness and adds Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, and Community. These additions reflect WELL’s widening scope, desire to evolve based on evidence and focus on taking WELL to the next level for occupant health.

From WELL Online: The Gold Certified TD23 building is one of the many projects using the WELL standard

In keeping with the theme of creating a more universal standard, WELL v2 has refined how it deals with preconditions and optimizations. In the first version of WELL, different project types had different preconditions. Now, there is a standard set of preconditions that applies to all project types. Optimizations are also more flexible.

On a more technical level, WELL v2 boasts a new scoring system. There are a total of 110 points that can be earned, with Silver, Gold, and Platinum Certification levels awarded at 50, 60, and 80 points respectively. In addition, there’s a dynamic WELL scorecard that helps tailor the scoring system to each individual project. WELL Online is used to recommend “a selection of features based on project-specific parameters that can be further defined and refined by the project team.” It’s remarkable that WELL v2 aims globally but is still able to be customized for each project, and it shows the commitment that the IWBI has for developing a truly universal certification program.

A New Take on Occupant Health

From WELL Online: WELL v2’s approach toward human health is more innovative and thorough than ever before

WELL v1 laid the foundation for a new outlook on enhancing health in the built environment. By promoting better Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) and prioritizing concepts like air and light, WELL challenged designers to rethink what healthy buildings look like. With the v2 standard, WELL is once again expanding on the definition of a healthy building: “Healthy spaces protect us from that which can make us sick, promote practices that can keep us well, and facilitate opportunities for us to connect with one another and live our lives to the fullest.” For WELL, health is a holistic cornerstone.

That vision is immediately apparent in the new concept additions to WELL. Some of the concepts have been altered; the Fitness concept in v1 was changed to Movement in v2, and Comfort became Thermal Comfort. Although these may seem like small changes, they demonstrate how WELL works to structure the standard to optimize indoor spaces. The Movement concept includes the prior Fitness concept and was expanded to include ergonomic requirements that had been part of the Comfort concept in v1. Additional strategies to promote physical activity were also added. These changes allowed the Comfort concept to be transformed for improved focus on thermal comfort.

From WELL Online: Hilson Moran’s Manchester office was awarded WELL Gold Certification

The new concepts – Sound, Materials, and Community – further indicate the changes present in WELL v2. Especially noteworthy is the Materials concept. Material choice has long been a part of many green building standards like LEED, and it proves to be just as important for the creation of healthy buildings. Some building materials can expose occupants to chemical toxins and hazards, reducing IEQ and even leading to issues like Sick Building Syndrome.

WELL is seeking to change this with the Materials concept, which “aims to reduce human exposure to hazardous building material ingredients through the restriction or elimination of compounds or products known to be toxic and the promotion of safer replacements.” The concept encourages the use of materials with low concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and free of legacy chemicals such as lead and arsenic. Healthier materials like reclaimed wood can earn points for the Materials concept as well as the Mind concept which supports cognitive and emotional health through a biophilic design emphasis.

The Connection Between Community & Design

The aspect of community is prevalent in WELL v2. Following the release of the WELL Community Standard pilot in 2017, an initiative designed to bring WELL standards to the district level, the IWBI migrated much of that philosophy to WELL v2. As a result, v2 introduces the Community concept, which focuses on “establishing an inclusive, integrated community through social equity, civic engagement and accessible design.”

Community is one part of the WELL Building Standard that goes beyond buildings. Buildings are more than just their materials, and WELL believes that certification programs should acknowledge that. As such, the Community concept addresses the importance of healthcare and the promotion of healthy living. At the same time, this is deeply tied to design. One of the preconditions for Community is Integrative Design, which requires projects to “integrate beauty and design” into the environment.

From Phipps: The Phipps Center for Sustainable Landscapes was the first project to be awarded WELL Platinum Certification

Community also underscores the importance of design that reflects the purpose of a space. Since community relies on participation, designers must ensure that all occupants can fully participate. WELL states that “designing built spaces in a way that enables all individuals to access, participate and thrive within the systems and structures of each community is essential to shaping individual and collective health outcomes.” In other words, it’s critical to consider how to fully optimize spaces so that they fulfill their purpose and also maximize occupant health. This sort of approach parallels that of experiential design in which user experience and cultural relevance are the critical design factors. The idea of Community is a vital one, and it’s inspiring to see WELL place such an emphasis on it.

Conclusion

The WELL v2 Building Standard is more than a cosmetic update. It represents the IWBI taking steps to create a universal certification program that’s founded on the importance of human health in the built environment. It hones many of the ideas in WELL v1 and makes it easier for projects to receive certification. Human-first design is more crucial than ever, and WELL is one of its most powerful advocates. Expect to see even more WELL Certified projects around the globe working together to usher in a new era of design and improve the relationship between people and buildings.

The homepage of the Well Living Lab’s site poses a simple yet thought-provoking question. “How much time do you spend indoors every day?” The American average is quite surprising: over 21 hours.

While spending more time outdoors is an ideal solution, for millions of people––everyone from office workers to students––getting plenty of outside time isn’t always practical. Thus it’s important to examine interior spaces so that they might be better for occupants. That people are spending 90% of their days indoors emphasizes the need for more optimized indoor environments.

That’s the purpose behind the Well Living Lab, a collaborative project by Delos and Mayo Clinic. The Lab’s pedigree is outstanding; Delos created the WELL Building Standard to promote better spaces for people, and the Mayo Clinic has a long relationship with the A&D community. The Clinic has called on renowned firms such as Perkins+Will and HGA to create built environments that facilitate wellness. Together, Delos and the Mayo Clinic aim to “research the real-world impact of indoor environments on human health and well-being, and generate evidence-based information that can be used in practical ways to create healthier indoor spaces”. Although the Lab is a fairly new initiative, it’s already one of the most exciting developments in health-first interior design.

At the Well Living Lab, Evidence-Based Design Is Leading the Way

The Mayo Clinic is well known for its focus on evidence-based practice and conducting “evidence synthesis.” The idea is that a larger corpus of academic studies and scientific information is more useful than a smaller body of research. The Mayo Clinic has long worked to compile available research to further the greater world of medical knowledge, and they’re bringing this ethic to the Well Living Lab in the form of evidence-based design. As the Lab’s medical director Brent Bauer summed it up in the Journal on Active Aging, “The goal across all of these studies, whether they’re residential, office, hospitality or hospital-room space, is to find elements that are changeable, so people know what to do the next time they model a building or upgrade an existing structure.” This quest for fully optimized indoor spaces is what’s ultimately driving the Lab’s various research projects.

From Well Living Lab: The Lab’s first study researched the impact of acoustic, lighting, and thermal conditions on office workers

In January 2017, the Lab completed its first study Acoustic, Lighting and Thermal Conditions in Offices and Their Effects on the Health and Wellness of Adult Office Workers, shortened to ALTCO. A medical records office at the Mayo Clinic temporarily relocated to experimental work modules within the Lab itself, where researchers changed environmental conditions to observe their impact. The study found that varying the conditions affected a wide range of factors in participants from their ability to work to their satisfaction with the work environment. Some changes even impacted the way participants slept, which emphasized the lasting effects that a workplace has on its employees. This sort of evidence-based methodology is the cornerstone for the Lab, offering a detailed look into how our indoor environments affect us.

From Well Living Lab: The Lab measures the effects that environmental factors have on indoor built environments

The Lab currently has one facility in Rochester, MN, but a second facility is being constructed in Beijing. In addition, the Lab “intends to establish several satellite research facilities in major Chinese cities.” That the Lab would choose the infamously toxic Beijing as the location for its second facility speaks to its goals of creating better environments for humans around the world.

From Well Living Lab: The 25,000 square foot facility in Beijing will bring the Lab’s human-first building research to Asia

Innovative Initiatives

At its core, the Lab is based on the WELL Building Standard, which sets performance requirements for seven concepts: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind. Naturally, these form the bedrock of the Lab’s philosophy and guide its work to make the indoors a better place for people to live and work. Partnered with the ethos of evidence-based design, these concepts place the spotlight on an exciting new area of experience design.

From HOK: The Well Living Lab is partnering with companies such as HOK to sit at the crossroads of indoor wellness and experience design

One of the Lab’s latest initiatives is a landmark three-year study that will focus on five aspects of how humans interact with indoor environments: health, performance, stress and resiliency, sleep, and comfort. This study will build on the ALTCO findings to observe how the interplay of various elements including light and air quality affect occupants. Bauer reported in the press release, “Our responsibility is to advance the science by conducting human-centered research that can be used in practical ways.”

The Lab’s Design Offers a Sneak Peek at the Future of Indoor Wellness

The Lab’s vision for indoor environments is obvious from a glance at its facility. Connecting concepts like biophilic design and experience design, the Lab’s workspace is specifically built with human wellness in mind. The space consists of modules that can be rearranged to form a range of indoor spaces. In the ALTCO study, three modules were set up in an open office configuration. Architect Magazine’s look into the Lab reveals that each module features a raised floor, programmable window shades, tintable windows, and a fully modular layout––even the plumbing is adjustable! The objective is to use the Lab to mimic a variety of commercial and residential indoor layouts.

In addition, the Lab is set up to closely monitor its occupants. ALTCO participants were outfitted with biometric wearables that sent data to a central control system, allowing researchers to monitor in real time how the participants were affected by changes in the environment.

From Architect Magazine: The Well Living Lab’s traditional appearance belies its flexible modular design

Strength In Numbers: The Lab’s Membership Alliance Promotes Corporate Wellness

While Delos and the Mayo Clinic spearheaded creation of the Well Living Lab, they’re not the only companies working to make indoor environments better. The Lab’s Membership Alliance is a network of companies “that want to help generate new knowledge, and interact with Lab experts from a wide range of scientific, medical and technical backgrounds.” Currently, the Lab has 17 founding Alliance members. Partnering companies include industry titans like IBM and Panasonic, A&D firms like HOK and HKS, and environmental leaders like Structure Tone and the International WELL Building Institute.

This robust lineup is excellent not only for the Well Living Lab but also for the general future of corporate wellness. Notably, HOK sustainable design leader Mara Baum says the company will be “implementing research findings that advance the way we design spaces with health and wellness principles in mind.” Structure Tone’s partnership with the Well Living Lab is also a promising collaboration, and the company has already taken steps to enhance wellness, such as gaining WELL Silver certification for its headquarters.

The Well Living Lab and the Future of Indoor Design

So what does the future hold for the Well Living Lab? In addition to its three-year study, the Lab will have access to a greater range of resources and technology thanks to its Membership Alliance, which will lead to more accurate and useful research. The upcoming China facility is another leap forward for wellness in the built environment in a place where such a focus is desperately needed. Aside from the actual research it’s conducting, the Lab is drawing attention to wellness, which has been lacking in indoor design. Hopefully, wellness will become a priority for A&D firms the world over, and if the Lab has anything to say about it, that will certainly be the case.