New building standards aim for wellness indoors
As Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) status becomes more prevalent in the design and construction world, a new building standard has emerged as a potential successor.
The WELL Building Standard was developed by Delos Living, a New York City-based research, consulting and development company dedicated to promoting well-being in buildings, and is increasingly being incorporated into properties both in the U.S. and abroad.
The program is administered by the International WELL Building Institute, a public-benefit corporation launched in 2013 by Delos following an investment by the Clinton Global Initiative.
In order to be certified, buildings must meet requirements for air cleanliness, water filtration, lighting that supports circadian rhythms and building features that incorporate movement and exercise into everyday life, among other standards.
There are about 23 million square feet of WELL Building-certified buildings in 13 countries, said Chad Riley of the Green Building Certification Institute at a recent panel held by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Colorado chapter.
Incorporating the certification allows for more marketing opportunities and increased building value, Riley said.
Brian Levitt of Denver-based NAVA Real Estate Development is hoping that’s the case, as his company is busy building WELL Building standards into its Sloan’s Lake Block 1, a 226-unit condominium project on Sloan’s Lake in northwest Denver.
While the standard was initially developed for offices, Levitt said, the model has been adapted for other kinds of buildings.
At the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, for example, a number of rooms were upgraded to “Stay Well rooms,” incorporating technologies from Delos and others to include air purification, a vitamin C-infused shower and dawn-simulator alarm clocks.
The rooms were eventually bringing in a 30 percent premium over other rooms at the MGM Grand and had a 90 percent occupancy rate, Levitt said.
In addition to physical health, the standards also include elements catering to mental health, said Rachel Bannon-Godfrey of RNL Design, the architect on Nava’s Sloan’s Lake project.
“That’s what elevates it from wellness to well-being,” she said.