Now Is the Time for WELL Building Standards

The way we interact with space and people has changed forever. The built environment now plays an even greater role in promoting public health on a global scale.

The WELL Building Standard (WELL) is a certification system that places people at the heart of design. Reinventing the built environment around its occupants WELL provides a framework of human-centered performance requirements designed to transform the places we occupy into systems that promote and improve human health and well-being.

WELL Performance Verification Testing

Performance verification is one of the most important milestones in the WELL certification process. Every WELL certified project is verified through on-site performance testing. Our Performance Testing Agents provide third-party, quality assurance that your building is performing as intended and achieving optimal health benefits for occupants.

Our WELL PVT agents conduct various tests related to air, water, light, thermal comfort, and acoustic measurements within the project boundary to ensure compliance.

Air quality: Pollutants generated indoors can lead to a variety of symptoms and health conditions. Indoor air quality can be degraded by outdoor sources, as well as by off-gassing from building materials, indoor combustion sources, and water leaks. By checking local outdoor air quality data and performing internal air quality testing, we expose any potential contaminants that the project team is not certain will be in compliance.

Water quality: Contaminants like lead, arsenic, glyphosate, atrazine, and microbes that are naturally occurring or inadvertently introduced into the water can pose serious health threats. Our agents review local water quality data and compare levels of municipal water quality to the WELL requirements.

Light: In addition to facilitating vision, light influences the human body in non-visual ways. Humans and animals have internal clocks that synchronize physiological functions on roughly a 24-hour cycle called the circadian rhythm. WELL guidelines minimize disruption to the body’s circadian system, enhance productivity, support good sleep quality, and provide appropriate visual acuity.

Thermal Comfort: Aims to promote human productivity and ensure a maximum level of thermal comfort among all building users through improved HVAC system design and control and by meeting individual thermal preferences. Our agents review the existing systems and data to ensure optimal comfort that meets the WELL feature guidelines.

Acoustics: The acoustical comfort of a space can be quantified by the overall level of satisfaction of a user in the space. Strategies include identification and mitigation of acoustical comfort parameters that shape occupant experiences in the built environment.

Now Is the Time for WELL Building

Responding to the challenges facing our communities across the globe, we have expanded our testing services to Europe. With a local presence in the Netherlands, we can collaborate with teams locally and offer these testing services at a lower premium than competitors.

We also provide pre-testing services to get an early indication of whether the WELL requirements are met, offering more certainty around testing results.

Learn more about WELL Performance Verification Testing.

Let us help your projects achieve WELL v2 Certification. Contact our agents: in@epstengroup.com.

About the Author

Lauren Wallace

Lauren, Principal and Director of Certifications and Consulting, has trained and managed leaders in sustainability and consulting on thousands of inspiring projects. She has been an active member of the sustainable design community for more than ten years and a leading sustainability consultant who is passionate about incorporating sustainable practices throughout the design-build industry. Aligning with the firm’s convictions, she works alongside her clients to integrate widespread sustainability practices, saving them time and money, and ultimately attracting and retaining much-needed talent.

Lauren regularly speaks to large audiences about implementing change in the building industry, focusing on technical information and application. She is a USGBC and WELL Faculty member, the leader of the Epsten Group Wellness Committee, and has spoken on building sustainability and Wellness issues throughout the country. In 2019, she was honored in becoming a LEED Fellow. She is a proud Living Future Accredited professional, WELL AP, Fitwel Ambassador, Parksmart Advisor, and TRUE Advisor. Lauren is also a WELL Performance Testing Agent and BREEAM USA Assessor.

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