International WELL Building Institute - WELL Health & Safety Rating introduction
International Well Building Institute Health Safety Rating
A healthy building certification for the post-Covid world
The WELL Health & Safety rating is an evidence-based pathway to addressing physical and mental health threats within buildings.
This performance based system includes strategies to help keep spaces clean and sanitized, provide essential health benefits and services, communicate health and safety efforts, prepare for emergencies, and assess air and water quality.
Ideal for a project team promoting human health in new and existing buildings
This certification takes a comprehensive approach, covering not only physical health but also mental and emotional well-being, encompassing factors like stress reduction, mental health support, and community engagement.
What makes the HSR different to full WELL certification by the International Well Building Institute?
Unlike the full WELL Building Standard, this solution adopts a far narrower set of criteria. It is a more amenable option that can be immediately implemented by building owners and facility managers without the need for significant capital expenditure.
It's an adaptable solution tailored to various building types and sizes, making it suitable as a health and wellbeing building standard for a wide range of industries and sectors.
How does the Health & Safety Rating respond to COVID in the interests of human health?
WELL Health and Safety is largely relevant and critical in the post-COVID-19 world. Transmission of diseases has been proven repeatedly to occur mainly within indoor and enclosed environments, where people spend 90% of their time.
Facilities operations and management are given strategies to address the urgent need to meet high health and safety standards.
Having this certification isn't just about compliance; it's about promoting the overall well-being and wellness of employees and occupants, enhancing productivity and satisfaction.
Being able to put this safety seal on the doors of a company marks a solid commitment to health and safety for anyone who walks through the facility's doors. It instills trust and confidence in employees and visitors, showing that the organization is dedicated to their well-being.
Enrollments for this certification are done online through their cloud-based management tool, ensuring convenience and accessibility for all applicants.
The third-party review and verification process, which takes up to 25 business days to complete, assures that the standards are rigorously upheld.
Ratings, like the Health and Safety, start at $5000 per location, offering cost transparency and clarity for organizations considering this investment in health and safety.
What type of building is the human health in buildings certification aimed at?
It is aimed at various types of existing buildings here, encompassing both commercial and residential spaces.
The WELL Health-Safety Rating is designed to address the urgent need for building owners and operators to implement specific health and safety measures to mitigate the spread of infectious diseases, particularly focusing on airborne and surface transmission.
It is applicable to a wide range of building types, including:
Commercial Spaces:
Office development of office building: The Health-Safety Rating is applicable to office spaces, aiming to enhance health and safety measures for office occupants.
Retail Spaces: It can be applied to retail environments to ensure safe and healthy experiences for customers and employees.
Hotels: Hotels can implement these protocols to provide a safer environment for guests and staff.
Residential Spaces:
Multifamily Residential Buildings: The Health-Safety Rating can be applied to apartment buildings and condominiums to ensure health and safety measures for residents that reduce disease transmission indoors.
Single-Family Homes: It can also be considered for individual homes to prioritize the health and wellbeing of occupants and building users.
Public Spaces and Institutions:
Schools and Universities: Educational buildings can adopt these guidelines to create a safer environment for students and faculty.
Civic Buildings: Public buildings can implement these measures to ensure health and safety for occupants.
What healthy building strategies and protocols does the HSR recommend?
The WELL Health-Safety Rating from the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) incorporates a range of strategies and protocols designed to address and mitigate health and safety risks within indoor environments, particularly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The rating encompasses a series of features and measures that new and existing buildings can implement to create safer and healthier spaces. Here are some of the key strategies and protocols included in the WELL Health-Safety Rating:
Cleaning and Sanitization Protocols:
Guidelines for frequent and effective cleaning and disinfection of high-touch surfaces using EPA-approved products.
Protocols for proper sanitation and cleaning procedures in accordance with health guidelines.
Air and Water Quality Management:
Improved ventilation strategies and air quality measures to enhance indoor air quality and reduce the spread of airborne pathogens.
Water quality management to ensure safe and clean water supply within buildings.
Health Service Resources:
Providing access to health services, including access to COVID-19 testing and health information for building occupants.
Emergency Preparedness Programs:
Development of emergency preparedness plans to respond to potential health crises or infectious disease outbreaks.
Stakeholder Engagement and Communication:
Communication strategies to engage and inform building occupants about health and safety measures, protocols, and updates.
Health and Safety Policies:
Establishment of policies and procedures to enforce social distancing, occupancy limits, mask mandates, and other preventive measures.
Design and Operational Strategies:
Implementation of design and operational changes to reduce transmission risks, such as physical barriers, touchless technology, and reconfiguration of spaces.
Community and Stakeholder Collaboration:
Collaboration with local health officials, stakeholders, and communities to address health and safety concerns collectively.
Occupant Education and Awareness:
Providing educational materials and resources to occupants about health, hygiene, and best practices to mitigate the spread of infectious diseases.
Monitoring and Feedback:
Regular monitoring, evaluation, and feedback mechanisms to adapt to evolving health and safety standards.
These strategies and protocols are designed to address immediate health and safety concerns, particularly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
They aim to create safer and healthier indoor environments by reducing health risks and enhancing the overall well-being of occupants.
The rating provides a comprehensive framework to help building owners and operators implement measures in interior design that prioritize health and safety in various types of indoor spaces.
Indoor Air Quality and virus transmission indoors in this version of the WELL standard
Indoor air quality (IAQ) plays a significant role in virus transmission within enclosed spaces. Proper management of IAQ can impact the spread of viruses and other pathogens. How do we do it?
Airborne Transmission:
Viruses can spread through respiratory droplets released when an infected person talks, coughs, or sneezes. These droplets can contain virus particles. Good IAQ can help dilute and remove these particles from the air, reducing the risk of transmission.
Aerosol Transmission:
Smaller particles, called aerosols, can remain suspended in the air for longer periods. These particles can carry viruses and contribute to airborne transmission. Effective ventilation and air filtration can reduce aerosol concentrations.
Ventilation:
Proper ventilation, which involves introducing outdoor air and removing indoor air, helps dilute and remove contaminants, including viruses. Increased ventilation rates can reduce the concentration of virus particles in the air and thereby improve air quality.
Air Filtration:
High-efficiency air filtration systems can capture and remove airborne particles, including viruses, from indoor air. Medical research shows that filters with a high Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating in healthy buildings are more effective in capturing smaller particles.
Humidity Levels:
Maintaining appropriate humidity levels is crucial. Low humidity can dry out mucous membranes, making individuals more susceptible to respiratory infections. On the other hand, high humidity can foster mold growth, which can negatively affect respiratory health.
Indoor Contaminant Removal:
In addition to viruses, IAQ management addresses other indoor pollutants, such as dust, pollen, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can impact respiratory health and immune responses. This is more to do with building operations standards and procedures.
Occupancy and Ventilation Rates:
The number of people in an enclosed space and their activities influence the rate of virus transmission. Adequate ventilation based on occupancy is critical for diluting and removing virus particles.
Building Design and Layout:
Proper design, including space layout, air circulation patterns, and the use of physical barriers, can help control the movement of air and reduce the risk of transmission between individuals.
Enhancing IAQ through improved ventilation, efficient air filtration, and proper humidity control can reduce the concentration of virus particles in the air and positively impact human health in the built environment.
These air quality measures, combined with other preventive strategies such as mask-wearing and maintaining physical distance, contribute to creating safer indoor environments by lowering the risk of virus transmission.