WELL Building Standard

WELL conducts to limit level of particulate matter both PM2.5 and PM10, and thresholds for volatile organic compound such as benzene, formaldehyde, toluene. Inorganic gases such as carbon monoxide and ozone are also included. Some threholds are separated into kitchen space and industrial area. Radon mitigation shall be incorporated in project. WELL makes sure that all air quality shall be monitored with a digital platform, except for radon parameter.[2]

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.[2]

WELL assured building to have existing or new mechanical ventilation systems following ASHRAE 62.1-2 or EN standard 16798-1 or AS 1668.2 or CIBSE Guide A: Environmental Design. Naturally ventilation can also be used without mechanical ventilation system if the design follows Natural Ventilation Procedure in ASHRAE 62.1, CIBSE AM10, AS 1668.4 at least 90% of the project area. Ventilation monitoring can be only solution if carbon dioxide level is met under 900 ppm indoor and 500 ppm outdoor.[2]

Contractor is to ensure that ducts are cleaned and protected from contamination. Contractor shall filter the installed ventilation system during construction. Contractor must implement dust and moisture management such as using of dust guards, walk-off mats.[2]

WELL conducts by performance test to limit turbidity of water under 1.0 Nephelometric Turbidity Unit or Formazin Turbidity Unit or Formazin Nephelometric Units. Water sample of any 100 ml shall have zero coliform bacteria.[2]

The project requires drinking water that limits chemical contamination of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, fluoride, lead, mercury, nickel, nitrate, nitrite, chlorine, trihalomethane, and haloacetic acids. Pesticide contamination has to be controlled such as aldrin and dieldrin, atrazine, carbofuran, chlordane, 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, DDT, lindane, pentachlorophenol. 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.

Annually monitoring is required such as turbidity, pH, residual free chlorine. Legionella management must be determined in the building.

WELL ensures the project to operate food outlet for at least two varieties of fruits and non-fried vegetables that would be clearly be seen by users. Other type of foods such as packaged foods and beverages must display the total calories per serving, macronutrient content, and sugar content. Owner must communicates users on food allergy issue. High sugar foods or over than 25 grams of sugar foods per serving is banned from the menu in dining spaces or at least identified in the items for users to make a decision.[2]

Daylighting design hugely integrates in the project by daylight simulation technique such as the Spatial Daylight Analysis that shows how much daylight illuminates throughout working hours. Adequate daylighting level can be decided on the interior layout or the building design such as a distance from windows. For the project that finds it difficult for daylight access, circadian lighting design can replace daylight such as an Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell (ipRGC) receiving enough light at least 150 Melanopic Lux (EML) or 275 EML.[2]

WELL still keeps visual lighting design which is conventional lighting method for user's visual comfort and acuity. Lighting design standard in WELL follows Illuminating Engineering Society Lighting Library or EN standard 12464-1&2 or ISO 8995-1 or Chinese Standard GB 50034 or CIBSE SLL Code for Lighting. Alternately WELL allows light level threshold from U.S. General Services Administration's facilities standards.[2]

This subject is the summary of optimization points which WELL requires the project to achieve as least one point from four optimization features specifically stair circulation, cycling network with bike parking or showers, lockers and changing rooms, pedestrian-friendly environment or mass transit within walking distance, free sport facilities or green space for outdoor activities.[2]

Ergonomic workstation design intended for users to adjust freely such as monitor, work surface, chair, and foot support.[2]

WELL ensures thermal indoor environment to be controlled. For HVAC control system (mechanically conditioned space), acceptable thermal comfort by PMV/PPD must be in between -0.5 and 0.5 over 90% of regularly occupied spaces. For naturally conditioned system, the minimum prevailing mean outdoor temperature (PMA) must be 10 degrees celsius and indoor temperature of 31% of PMA plus 14.3 degrees celsius. The maximum PMA must be under 33.5 degrees celsius and indoor temperature of 31% of PMA plus 21.3 degrees celsius. For example, PMA 33.5 degrees celsius, the indoor temperature shall not be over 31.7 degrees celsius. If PMA is over than 33.5 degrees celsius then a mechanically conditioned space would be in place.[2]

WELL allows the project to use optimization points from the thermal comfort monitoring feature. Dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity shall be monitored with a display screen or a mobile application in each 500 sqm of regularly occupied space, that annually reports to a digital platform. 80% satisfaction survey of thermal comfort in the building is considered to replace as preconditioned subject.[2]

Monitoring system are mandatory such as dry-bulb temperature, relative humidity, air speed, and mean radiant temperature.[2]

Interior design must has an acoustic zoning such as loud zone, quiet zone, mixed zone, circulation zone to mitigate a sound transmission from loud zones to quiet zones. The design concept shall incorporate acoustical comfort, background noise, speech privacy.[2]

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 REACH Restriction and SHVC lists. Drinking water pipes are limit to 0.25% of lead, or labeled as American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or NSF.[2]

If the building was constructed before the enactment of asbestos banning law, an inspector must qualifies for asbestos containing materials (ACM) and performs polarized light microscopy (PLM) or transmission electron microscopy (TEM). ACM must be removed from the project if it was found. Same as an asbestos management, removing process needs to be done if lead containing materials were found in paints. Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) is restricted especially in a caulk, it needs to be removed.[2]

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]

WELL ensures that users receive a mental health program or a space for relaxation or healthy working hours by some form of communication such as onboarding time. Common spaces, rooms, and circulation routes must integrate nature related subjects such as natural shape material, plants, water, nature views. The project must designed to provide a celebration of culture and social cognition, senses of place, integration of art.[2]

The project provides WELL feature guide and regularly communicates to the users. It needs to incorporated all stakeholders to set the health and well-being goals for the project. Emergency management planning and post-occupancy evaluation are also required.[2]

Enhanced threshold of particulate matter both PM2.5 and PM10, volatile organic compound such as benzene, formaldehyde, toluene, and inorganic gases such as carbon monoxide receives additional 4 points. Enhanced threshold of mechanical and natural ventilation receives additional 3 points.[2]

The project receives 1 points for operable windows available to access outdoor air by 75% of areas or 4% of the occupied spaces, and another 1 points if there is outdoor air quality display near windows. Air quality data management and display screens available in the building provides 2 points. Entrance way design and management such as air door to mitigate outside air pollution provides 2 points.

Combustion restriction indoor and vehicle running limitation of 30 seconds, separation or negatively pressurized of all bathrooms, kitchens, cleaning and chemical storage, high-volume printers and copiers, air filter for ventilated spaces, occupied spaces ventilated with all outdoor air, and ultraviolet radiation system for HVAC coil each provide 1 point.[2]

Enhancing threshold of drinking water contamination level and encouraging people to drink water easily receives 1 point. On-site Non potable reuse receives 2 points.