My monthly lighting column for ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR covers the WELL Building Standard, which aims to promote building design that supports human health and wellness.
Similar to LEED, WELL is a building rating system, covering new and existing buildings, new and existing interiors, and core and shell projects. Designers achieve a WELL rating based on satisfying preconditions and then realizing points through optimization features. It works well with LEED, though its focus again is people instead of systems. In its first three years, more than 120 million square feet of projects in 31 countries were registered or certified through the WELL. In May 2018, the IWBI released the version 2 pilot of the standard.
The WELL standard is based on seven categories, with various features or specifications in each category. One such category is light, including 13 specifications for light output and levels, lighting controls, reflectances, visual comfort, and daylighting. The goal is to improve alertness, mood and productivity while minimizing disruption to the body’s circadian rhythms.
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