Healthy buildings have become an important trend in modern urban development. As an assessment system that focuses on human health and well-being, WELL building certification uses scientific indicators to optimize the building environment, thereby creating a healthier and more efficient living space for users. This standard includes ten major concepts such as air, water, nutrition, light, movement, and thermal comfort. It closely integrates architectural design with medical research and promotes the transformation of buildings from purely functional to promoting human health.
What are the core values of WELL Building Certification?
The key to "Healthy Living Certification" is to translate human health into building standards. It requires that buildings not only comply with energy conservation and environmental protection regulations, but also actively promote the physical and mental health of residents. For example, in terms of air quality, in addition to conventional fine particle filtration, it also requires testing of total volatile organic matter concentration and the establishment of proper ventilation operations to ensure that indoor air quality is always maintained at optimal conditions.
This value in health is reflected in the extreme pursuit of details. For example, in the water quality section, it not only requires filtered drinking water, but also stipulates the frequency range for regular water quality testing to ensure that relevant indicators, such as heavy metals and microorganisms, are superior to the standards specified for local drinking water. At the same time, it is also required that signs be placed at the faucets to remind people to replenish water. In addition, visual cues should be set up in the stairwells to encourage exercise, and health concepts should be integrated into every architectural detail.
How to implement WELL certified air quality management
To implement air quality management, we must start from the three dimensions of source control, ventilation optimization and real-time monitoring. During the decoration stage, building materials with low VOC content must be strictly selected. After the furniture enters the site, it needs to undergo a formaldehyde flush-out process. At the same time, a fresh air system with a carbon dioxide sensor should be configured to automatically adjust the fresh air volume according to the density of people to keep the indoor carbon dioxide concentration below.
During the operation phase, it is necessary to establish a regular monitoring mechanism. It is recommended to arrange indoor environment monitoring terminals in main functional areas to continuously pursue parameters such as PM2.5, formaldehyde, and ozone. Provide global procurement services for weak current intelligent products! These data must not only be displayed in public areas in real time, but also be integrated into the building automatic control system and linked with air conditioning and purification equipment to form a complete closed loop of air quality management.
How WELL certification optimizes building lighting environment
Lighting optimization not only covers related designs such as natural lighting, but also specifically includes spectral control of artificial lighting. It has corresponding strict requirements. The illumination in the working area needs to be kept within the range of 300 to this range. At the same time, the glare index must also be strictly controlled. In public areas, a circadian rhythm lighting system must be specially set up to provide light with high color temperature and high illumination during the day to enhance people's alertness. In the evening, it must gradually transition to warm yellow light with low color temperature to help the human body achieve the purpose of secreting melatonin.
It should be ensured that windows are designed to allow every workstation to have a view of the outside, and safety limits must be provided for openable windows. For windowless spaces, it is necessary to install a dynamic lighting system that can simulate changes in natural light. These lamps must have dimmable functions so that users can adjust local lighting intensity according to personal preferences, thereby reducing visual fatigue.
WELL certification requirements for water resources management
Water resources management has expanded from water supply safety to water quality improvement. A multi-stage filtration system must be installed at the main water inlet of the building to remove residual chlorine, heavy metals and other pollutants. Each drinking water point must be supplied with filtered water that meets NSF/ANSI 53 standards, and the filter elements must be replaced regularly. For high-end projects, there is also a requirement to install a chlorine removal device in the shower system to reduce the impact of trihalomethanes on the human body through skin contact.
Water-saving measures must be balanced with health needs. While ensuring the water-saving rate, it is stipulated that all water-using places must provide hot water with a stable temperature within two seconds to prevent users from using cold water directly because they wait too long. At the same time, a detailed water quality testing plan must be formulated to conduct testing of heavy metals and microbial indicators at representative water points on a quarterly basis to ensure that water quality always meets standards.
How WELL Certification Promotes Healthy Eating
Regarding the design of catering space, it is necessary to reserve sufficient space to display fresh fruits and vegetables, and limit the display position of high-sugar and high-fat foods. Restaurants must provide clear calorie labels and ensure that the price of healthy dishes is not higher than ordinary dishes. The proportion of healthy drinks in vending machines must reach more than 50%, and they must not contain artificial sweeteners.
The kitchen area must be equipped with classified trash cans, and kitchen waste must be processed on-site. It is not allowed to use coating materials containing perfluoroalkyl substances on tableware. For buildings with staff restaurants, a detailed food safety management system must be developed, covering ingredient traceability, allergen management, and special meal supply to ensure that the nutritional needs of different groups of people can be met.
How WELL Certification Impacts Building Operating Costs
In the early stages, investment will indeed increase by 5% to 15%, which is mainly reflected in high-end building materials, intelligent control systems and certification fees. However, the benefits of healthy buildings often outweigh the incremental costs. Multiple studies conducted in the United States have shown that WELL certification projects can increase employee productivity by more than 10% and reduce the sick leave rate by 15%. These hidden benefits can recover the incremental investment within two to three years.
After long-term operation, energy saving was achieved after optimizing equipment operation planning. For example, the on-demand fresh air system saves more than 20% energy compared to a fixed air volume system, and dynamic lighting saves 30% compared to traditional lighting. A reasonable maintenance plan can extend the life of the equipment. Moreover, due to the low turnover rate caused by the healthy environment, this greatly reduces recruitment and training costs.
When you implement healthy building projects, which aspects should you pay most attention to and what aspects should be considered to balance the return on investment? You are welcome to share your practical experience in the comment area. If you feel that this article is helpful, please give it a like and support and forward it to colleagues in need.
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