A new standard is emerging into the design world. The WELL Building Standard focuses on the high demand of heathy workplaces. This is the world’s first building standard focused exclusively on human health and wellness, which aligns with our vision at Sensory Six and why we strive to follow this standard in each of our designs. One specialty area of Sensory Six is applying the best technology to provide our clients with spaces that are highly functional and contribute to health and wellness. This means everything from selecting health-conscious materials to incorporating automation systems.
Why was the WELL Building Standard created?
Did you know that 90% of our time is spent indoors? It’s true. Focusing efforts on health and wellness has become a major aspect in the design industry today. There are many reasons why the WELL Building Standard was developed, including lack of mobility, poor air quality, choice of food, and workplace stress. By not placing wellness as the main focus in design, especially in the workplace, people cannot fully benefit. At Sensory Six, we believe design must incorporate functionality, aesthetic, and wellness for people to truly take advantage of the space they work, live and play in.
Sensory Six & WELL
At Sensory Six, we always focus on the seven performance areas that are relevant to health: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind. The biggest concern of the WELL Building Standard is designing a space that is healthier for people. For example, building a staircase that is inviting, spacious, and makes people want to bypass the elevator to go up four floors of the building. This new standard helps persuade these kinds of concepts and helps show why these features should be important design elements. By building around social interaction, Sensory Six can create a space that allows people to participate and be exposed to the activity of others. We incorporate natural elements such as courtyards, outdoor spaces and use natural materials to create a naturally calming effect on both biological and neurological levels, reducing stress hormones and physical fatigue.
How does the WELL Building Standard work?
The WELL Building Standard consists of environmental health, building design, human health and behavioral factors. In a WELL certified space, the environment can help improve nutrition, fitness, mood, sleep patterns and the performance of its residents and occupants. There are three different typologies under the certification including New and Existing Buildings, New and Existing Interiors, and Core and Shell. Required elements in a WELL certified space include: the type of lighting used within the space, air filtration, activity incentive programs, acoustic controls, integrative design and biophilic design. For a space to be considered WELL certified, a Well Assessor needs to complete a thorough performance verification consisting of performance tests, spot-checks and measurements spanning all seven WELL concepts.
Interior design can be about many things like beauty, symmetry, and color. Though, one of the most powerful and important elements of building and designing a space is the opportunity to impact and improve the health and well-being of those living in it. Now, with the WELL Building Standard in place, we can design a space that encourages healthy living. Are you interested in the WELL Building Standard? Want to learn more about it, or have a project in mind? Please contact us at Info@SensorySix.com. We would love to create a space that is perfect for you in both form and function.
Content:
https://www.chargespot.com/workspaces/well-building-standard/
Photo:
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