Page 46 - Yellow by TCW Issue 4

Q&A
WELL For a Healthier Built Environment
Interview conducted by Tracy Backus, Director of Sustainable Programs Imagery provided by Teknion
Tracy Backus, Teknion’s Director of Sustainable Programs, interviews Paul Scialla, Founder of the International WELL Building Institute, about the human-centered approach of the WELL Building Standard, its relationship to LEED, and how architects, interior designers and furniture manufacturers can follow its guidelines to create a healthier built environment.
Was there a single moment or situation that presented itself to you where you realized a health standard for green buildings was a necessity? Why WELL?
When the International WELL Building Institute
was first launched several years ago, green building certifications like LEED had set out a baseline for how green building practices could impact human health. But there was no certification devoted specifically to the impact a building would have
on the people who use buildings every day. WELL therefore takes a much deeper dive into these impacts. WELL consists of 100 features within the seven concepts of air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind, requiring projects to incorporate features from lighting that supports the body’s sleep/wake cycles to designs that promote physical activity by enhancing the walkability of a space.
What is the most important change that 44 Interior Designers can do for their clients?
Interior design has the power to impact our health and wellness and the human experience in a tremendously positive way. For example, biophilic design strategies can introduce natural elements into a space to help reduce stress and increase air quality. There are also little things that you can do that can have a big impact. For example, instead of placing printers at every desk,
things like a central print station can force employees to leave their desks to gather materials.Other design elements like a circadian lighting system can expand efficiency by helping to regulate the body’s physiological processes. These design foundations coupled with policies and procedures that emphasize employee health and productivity can contribute to a person’s overall wellness and happiness. Sit/stand desks at workstations
and designing a wellness room to provide mental breaks are just a few more examples of the countless interior design decisions that can contribute to a person’s overall wellness.
What is the most important change that Architects can do for their buildings?
The WELL Building Standard sets best practice guidelines for building design and organizational policies – the goal being that the interior architecture, as well as the continued operations of the space, support occupant well-being. Approximately half of the WELL features relate to building design and the rest focus on continued building operations and wellness policies. There are many ways to use architecture
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