WELL Building Standard and St. Paul’s Groundbreaking Endeavor
Launched in October of 2014, the WELL Building Standard is a people-centric approach to building and design. International WELL Building Institute European Director of Operations Ann Marie Aguilar states that “Our environment is changing how we live and work. From our changing views and exposure to nature to how food is produced and packaged and how we get around within offices, our physical and social environment has a huge impact on our health.” Moreover, our health and wellbeing directly correlate with our job performance.
The WELL Building Standard stands on seven wellness-centered pillars and addresses all 11 major body systems:
Air: WELL considers...smoking, VOCs, air filtration, mold and other air-related concerns and requires strict clean air standards
Water: WELL considers...water quality and possible contaminants and mandates clean water solutions
Nourishment: WELL considers...processed foods, food allergies, artificial ingredients and hand sanitation among other food-related scenarios building-wide to ensure that cite-supplied food is both safe and healthy
Light: WELL considers...glare control and other lighting specifications to protect occupants from visual distress
Fitness: WELL considers...fitness needs of occupants, recognizing that physical activity is essential for mental and physical wellbeing
Comfort: WELL considers...exterior and interior noise intrusion, thermal comfort and ergonomics for optimal comfort of occupants
Mind: WELL considers...health and wellness by instituting policies that positively impact mood, sleep, stress level and psychological status
What are the benefits of WELL Building Standard certification?
When new construction or renovations comply with the stringent WELL Building Standard, their occupants benefit by default - from breathing cleaner air from plants and trees to having the opportunity to make healthier food choices...from better, natural lighting to increased comfort at their desks…In fact, 92% of employees at a WELL-certified office report that the space creates a positive impact on their health and wellbeing. What’s more? 94% report that the space has a positive impact on their business performance and 83% feel more productive.
Also, personnel costs account for a whopping 92% of corporate expenses over the course of 30 years! This includes salaries, sick time, etc. When the health of employees is built into the environment of the building itself, employers’ expenses are greatly reduced. Clearly, the health and wellness benefits for WELL employees have a positive effect on productivity and the company as a whole.
There are three levels of WELL certification for new and existing buildings - Silver, Gold and Platinum. Core and Shell and/or Interiors may be certified. Performance Verification is required every 3 years to maintain certification.
The Well Living Lab
To date, there are nine WELL-certified and 257 WELL-registered (in the process of becoming certified) buildings worldwide. Minnesota is home to the Well Living Lab, a collaboration of Delos and Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation: the first human-centered research facility dedicated to identifying how buildings—and everything that goes in them—impacts human health and well-being. The purpose of the Well Living Lab is to study these indoor environments and create healthier indoor spaces in which to work, live and play. A world-class, multi-disciplinary research approach guides the work of the Well Living Lab, as scientific and medical experts from Mayo Clinic and around the world conduct and translate research that leads to solutions for healthier indoor environments. The Well Living Lab is unique in that research is conducted on real people, in real-world settings. This is made possible by the revolutionary infrastructure of the Well Living Lab, which features 7,500 square feet of sensory-rich, reconfigurable space where researchers can monitor and test products and systems on human subjects in simulated, real-world, built environments.
KimbleCo is proud to partner with Minnesota’s first WELL and LEED Building
What WELL is for a building’s occupants, LEED is for the environment. LEED is an environment-centric approach to building and design. When combined, these two certifications yield a building of the highest caliber - one that is both sustainable for the environment and healthy and safe for its occupants.
Introducing The 428. Located on Minnesota Street in downtown St. Paul, this newly constructed office building is registered to pursue both WELL Core & Shell and LEED Silver certifications. KimbleCo is providing development services to the owners of The 428 and is co-brokering the property for lease which is ready for occupancy now.
The 428 is a revolutionary office space designed for companies who prioritize the health and wellness of their employees and the sustainability of the environment. Its first occupant, Wellworth, is a light, airy and modern co-working space with two outdoor patios. Wellworth members will benefit from the building’s LEED and WELL certifications. Wellworth is taking membership applications now.
See more on The 428 at https://the428.com/ or sign up to become a Wellworth member at https://wellworthcowork.com/en
If you would like to learn more about WELL or LEED certification, The 428 project or have any commercial real estate needs, we would be happy to talk with you! Please contact us at juliekimble@kimbleconsult.com or call 612-670-8552.