Background and Overview Flashcards
The WELL Building Standard (WELL) focuses on the people in the building. True or False?
True.
It is the first standard of its kind that focuses solely on:
health and wellness of building occupants.
WELL idenOfies 100 performance metrics, design strategies, and policies that can be implemented by:
owners, designers, engineers, contractors, users and operators of a building.
WELL is based on a thorough review of the existing research on the effects of spaces on individuals and has been advanced through a thorough scientific and technical review. True or False?
True.
In order to achieve the requirements of the WELL Building Standard, the space must undergo a process that includes:
on-site assessment, documentation review and performance testing by a third party.
The WELL Building Standard v1 is applicable for commercial and institutional office buildings and can be applied to three types of projects, otherwise known as typologies:
- New and Existing Buildings, for WELL Certification
- New and Existing Interiors, for WELL Certification
- Core and Shell developments, for WELL Compliance
The WELL Building Standard was pioneered by:
Delos
The WELL Building Standard is administered by the:
International WELL Building Institute (IWBI)
The WELL Building Standard is third-party certified through:
IWBI’s collaboration with Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI)- the cert body for the WELL Rating System.
International WELL Building Institute, (IWBI)
IWBI is a public benefit corporation whose mission is to improve human health and well-being through the built environment. IWBI directs 51% of net profits received from WELL Certification project fees towards charitable contributions and impact investment focused on health, wellness and the built environment. It was established by Delos in 2013.
Delos Living LLC
Delos is pioneering the integration of health and wellness technologies into the places we live, work and learn. It is transforming homes, offices, schools and other indoor environments into spaces that actively contribute to human health and well-being.
Green Business CerHficaHon Inc (GBCI)
GBCI is the only certification and credentialing body within the green business and sustainability industry to exclusively administer project certifications and professional credentials and certificates of LEED, EDGE, PEER, WELL, SITES, and GRESB.
The WELL Building Standard is also in alignment with:
Green Building Standards set forth by the Living Building Challenge and other leading global green building standards addressing environmental sustainability.
The WELL Building Standard is organized into 7 categories of wellness called Concepts:
Air Water Nourishment Light Fitness Comfort Mind
The 7 concepts are comprised of _____ features.
102
Each feature is intended to address specific aspects of 3 items: occupant health, comfort or knowledge.
occupant health, comfort or knowledge.
Each feature is divided into parts, which are often tailored to a specific building type. This means that depending on the building type (e.g., New and Existing Interiors or Core and Shell):
only certain parts of a given feature may be applicable.
WELL features are categorized as:
Preconditions–necessary for all levels of WELL Certification and/or WELL Core and Shell Compliance. For certification or compliance to be awarded, all applicable Preconditions must be met.
Are Optimizations required to achieve Silver level certification?
Optimizations are not required to achieve Silver level certification, but create a flexible pathway towards Gold and Platinum level certification.
WELL Core and Shell Compliance requires at least ___ Optimization per Concept.
one
Body Systems
Each feature of the WELL Building Standard is ascribed to the ____ (number) human body systems that are intended to benefit from its implementation.
11
While it is not necessary to study all of the 11 body systems, they include the following:
1- Cardiovascular System 2- Digestive System 3- Endocrine System 4- Immune System 5- Integumentary System 6- Muscular System 7- Nervous System 8- Reproductive System 9- Respiratory System 10- Skeletal System 11- Urinary System
Project Typologies
There are 3 project typologies for WELL v1, each of which requires a certain number of Preconditions and Optimizations.
1- New and Existing Buildings Certification
2- New and Existing Interiors Certification
3- Core and Shell Compliance
Do all WELL features apply to all office buildings?
No- it depends on the stage of their construction.
The New and Existing Buildings project typology applies to:
new and existing buildings and addresses the full scope of project design and construction as well as aspects of building operations. It is relevant for office buildings where a minimum of 90% of the total floor area is occupied by the building owner and is operated by the same management.
The New and Existing Interiors project typology is relevant for office projects occupying:
1- a portion of the space in a building, or
2- an entire existing building not undergoing major renovation.
The Core and Shell typology is applicable to buildings where:
at least 30% of the space has the expected use as a commercial or institutional office. No matter what portion of the building will be used for office space, 100% of the building must adhere to the requirements of Core and Shell Compliance.
For projects to be WELL Core and Shell Compliant, all Preconditions are required, as well as at least _____ Optimization from every Concept.
one
Pilot Program:
The following pilot standards have been released in an effort to test and refine how WELL can best apply to different space types:
- Multifamily Residential
- Educational Facilities
- Retail
- Restaurant
- Commercial Kitchens
- Exercise Facilities
- Public Assembly
- Healthcare
KEY FACT: Multifamily Residential applies specifically to projects with at least _____ dwelling units in a single building with common structural elements.
five
WELL Certification:
Projects may become certified or compliant if a sufficient number of features are satisfied. The 4 Certification Steps include:
- Project Registration
- Documentation Submission & Review
- Performance Verification
- Scoring / WELL Report
Scoring:
The final WELL Score is calculated based on the total Preconditions and Optimizations achieved across the board. Failure to achieve any Precondition in any Concept precludes the award of WELL Certification or Core and Shell Compliance. If all Preconditions are satisfied, higher levels of certification are possible, including:
1- Silver,
2- Gold,
3- Platinum.
Scoring:
The WELL Report list which features were approved as well as any deficiencies that still exist. It is typically available on WELL Online 40-45 business days after the site visit. Once the WELL Report has been issued, the project team is required to either:
1- accept their WELL report via WELL Online, or
2- initiate curative actions or an appeal within 180 calendar days.
Scoring:
If the curative action plan is accepted, the project team ultimately schedules another:
Performance Verification with their WELL Assessor.
Project Team Roles:
1 of 3: Project Administrator:
Acts as project manager and oversees the WELL process.
Project Team Roles:
2 of 3: Owner:
Responsible for validating various documents used to demonstrate WELL Features are satisfied.
Project Team Roles:
3 of 3: WELL Assessor:
Responsible for reviewing WELL documentation and coordinating on-site testing. WELL Assessor can not serve as the Project Administrator for the same WELL project.
Documentation Requirements:
There are three types of documentation for WELL projects:
1- Annotated Documents (Drawings, Operations Schedules, Policy Documents, Narratives)
2- Letters of Assurance (from the Architects, Contractors and Engineers)
3- General Documentation (Lighting Drawings, Mechanical Drawings)
Documentation Requirements:
Four types of annotated documents (existing project documents that are marked up to provide additional information to indicate how WELL features and constituent parts have been met):
1- Design drawings (with pertinent information marked or highlighted);
2- Operations schedules (with time log templates, if appropriate);
3- Policy documents (e.g., employee handbooks;
4- Other materials, including narratives and balancing reports.
Annotated documents:
How are Spot Checks different from Visual Inspections?
Spot Checks serve to merely support another form of documentation.
Alternative Adherence Paths allow for:
innovative, alternate solutions for meeting requirements of features, as long as proposals still meet the intent and are supported by industry research.
WELL Recertification - Key Facts to Know:
Spaces must recertified a minimum of every ____ years to maintain WELL Certification.
3
WELL Recertification - Key Facts to Know:
Certain features require ongoing documentation
and performance data submitted how often?
annually
WELL Recertification - Key Facts to Know:
Recertification includes review of newly validated letters of assurance and a full site visit for Performance Verification. Projects may submit additional WELL features to improve their score and:
achieve higher levels of Certification.
WELL Recertification - Key Facts to Know:
For the first recertification event following initial certification, a project can elect to be reviewed under either version of WELL for which it achieved initial certification or any subsequently released version. For all subsequent recertification events, a project will be reviewed under the version of the rating system that is in place ____ months prior to expiration of their certification.
12
WELL Recertification - Key Facts to Know:
Is recertification available for WELL Core and Shell Compliance?
WELL Core and Shell Compliance is a one-time evaluation; therefore, recertification is not available.
