By 2024, WELL is being used across more than 5 billion square feet of space in 130 countries, supporting an estimated 25 million occupants in nearly 74,000 commercial and residential locations.
[3] 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.
Combustion sources such as candles, tobacco, stoves, furnaces, fireplaces producing carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and small particles are common.
[3] A02 Smoke-free Environment topic, smoking and using of electronic cigarette indoor is not allowed, except for outdoors at only ground level further than 7.5 m from project apertures including air-intake area.
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.
Organic contaminants are also limit, such as benzene, benzo(a)pyrene, carbon tetrachloride, 1,2-Dichloroethane, tetrachloroethene, toluene, trichloroethylene, 2,4,6-Tribromophenol, vinyl chloride, and xylene.
W07, Moisture Management provides total 3 points, to limit the bacteria and mold growth, the project needs building envelope that incorporates site drainage and storm water management, air tightness testing, vapor pressure differentials, entryway strategies to minimize water permeation, drainage plane from interior to exterior cladding, limiting wicking in porous materials by using non-porous materials such as closed-cell foams, waterproofing membranes, metal between porous meterials or free-draining spaces, provides 1 point.
[3] 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.
Diets usually is low in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, but instead flood with highly processed foods such as refined sugars and oils.
For part 2, 1 point, clearly labeling on packaging, menus, signage that the food contains peanut, fish, shellfish, soy, milk, egg, wheat, tree nuts, sesame, gluten.
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.
N12 Food Production receives 2 points by providing garden or greenhouse with food-bearing plants or edible landscape or hydroponic or aeroponic farming which is accessible to users in regular hours and growing area both horizontal and vertical at least 0.09 sq.
m per student, except hydroponic and aeroponic farming can be half of normal system, and users can access to food growing tools, in which the area is within 400 meter walking distance.
Physical inactivity leads to pre-mature death and chronic illness, type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, depression, stroke, dementia and cancer.
T04 Individual Thermal Control, giving personal thermal control for both heating and cooling receives each 1 point, for cooling, implementing user-adjustable thermostat, desk fan or ceiling fan, chair with mechanical cooling system, other solution that affecting PMV change of -0.5 within 15 minutes without changing the PMV for other occupants, for heating, implementing user-adjustable thermostat, electric parabolic space heater, electric heated chair or foot warmers, personal or shared blankets, other solution that affecting PMV change of -0.5 within 15 minutes without changing the PMV for other occupants, thus allowing flexible dress code receives another 1 point.
T06 Thermal Comfort Monitoring such as dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity receives 1 point with display screen and website or mobile application every 500 sq.
Bad reverberation times and background sound levels can affect speech intelligibility in educational areas where aural comprehension is vital for memory retention.
The planning and commissioning of an isolated and balanced HVAC system is firm baseline for anticipated background noise level.
Adding facade elements such as mass and glazing, sealing gaps and providing airspace between enclosed spaces can increase occupant comfort.
New materials such as perfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFCs), orthophthalates, some heavy metals and halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) are superior but cause negative health impact.
Volatile organic compound (VOCs) are so common in insulation, paints, coatings, adhesives, furniture and furnishings, composite wood products and flooring that cause respiratory issue and cancer risks.
Drinking water pipes are limit to 0.25% of lead, or labeled as American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or NSF.
X05 Enhanced Material Restrictions, material of at least 50% of furniture, millwork, fixture is limited 100 Parts-per notation (ppm) of halogenated flame retardants (HFR), polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), lead, cadmium, mercury, or do not contain textiles and plastic at all, and all electrical products have RoHS restrictions would be awarded 1 point.
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.
Mental health recovery by trauma-focus psychotherapy, psychological first aid (PFA), bereavement counseling, information on benefits coverage to additional services receives 1 point.
Estimated 235 million urban families live in low standard housing, leading to poor health outcomes like asthma, infectious disease and cardiovascular.
The certification requires post-occupancy evaluation, which allows occupants to provide feedback to building owners and management on these IEQ parameters.
[8] In 2023, researchers analyzed 1,403 post-occupancy evaluation surveys from 14 open-plan offices (10 of which were WELL-certified and four of which were uncertified) in Australia, New Zealand, and Hong Kong.
[9] The five offices that achieved the highest satisfaction in interior design, indoor air quality, privacy and connection to the outdoor environment were WELL-certified.