INS Air Quality
How the WELL Building Standard affect your air conditioning design
With air conditioning systems intended to enhance the wellbeing of the inhabitants of any building, the introduction of the WELL Building Standard for air quality in international building design, has a direct impact on the construction of your air conditioning system.
For hospitals, GP surgeries, the NHS, dentists, clinics and other healthcare provision across London and the UK, air quality has always been of critical importance to the care of their patients, visitors and staff.
As air quality moves further and further up the global agenda, the responsibility to design buildings that promote the highest standards of air quality for the wellbeing of their inhabitants and the environment is greater than ever.
Whether you are thinking about the design of an air conditioning system for a healthcare
provider, domestic setting or commercial building, let’s take a look at what the WELL
Building Standards are and how they could shape the creation of your air conditioning
system.
What is the WELL Building Standard?
The WELL Being Standard was established by the International WELL Building Institute in 2014. The purpose of the standard is to promote the creation of buildings, internal spaces and communities that elevate the people that use them, with a specific focus on how the
building contributes to health and wellness. The WELL Building Standard has created a way for buildings to gain certification for the degree to which the building or space promotes overall health and wellbeing.
The final goal is to achieve a WELL Building Award which can be awarded at a Silver, Gold or Platinum level.
One of the standard’s seven factors that are used to grade a building or space is air quality. The standard will measure the air quality of the space in terms of the health, wellness, knowledge and comfort it provides for the occupants of the building.
The standard for air quality requires buildings to ‘promote clean air and reduce or minimise the sources of indoor air pollution’. 1
The WELL Building Institute’s intent is to reduce the occurrence of poor or contaminated air inside buildings that can cause a range of ill health, affect wellbeing and lower productivity.
According to the International WELL Building Institute ‘air pollution is the number one
environmental cause of premature mortality’ 1 .
We all know air pollution is high on the agendas of governments across the world, including the UK so it is no surprise that the WELL Building Standard is such a big success.
The Institute say that improving the air inside our buildings will also enhance the air quality in the wider outdoor environment.
As a result, when we design air conditioning systems for any type of building, health and wellbeing should be at the centre of our plans for every aspect of the build, from the types of materials we use to our filter choices.
In order to meet the air quality standard, you will need to meet 30 requirements covering
things like filtration, air purification and cleanability. Visit wellcertified.com to find out more.
The WELL Building Standard is a thriving innovation and one that is set to grow as we
become increasingly aware of the importance of our wellbeing and our relationship with the environment around us.
How does the WELL Building Standard impact my air conditioning design?
Beyond the WELL Building Standard, there are already set standards and compliance for air conditioning in certain settings such as hospitals.
The Infection Control Standard of HBN
00-09 and the Health Memorandum for example, already set out clear guidance for system design to ensure the highest standards of air quality are met.
These pre-existing standards for air conditioning are recognised by the WELL Building Institute, who themselves say that existing compliance measures informed their own standard for air quality.
The WELL Building Standard does present something novel because it is international and explicitly focused on wellbeing although in terms of your air conditioning design, the impact on the work we do for you is not huge.
We already work to extremely high standards and the requirements for air conditioning
services in hospitals and other healthcare provision is already high.
What the standards do give you is a range of really specific, contemporary guidance from a more modern perspective of your occupant’s wellbeing which is a key focus for all contemporary business activity.
The standard also provides an internationally recognised way to prove the environmentally friendly credentials of your building which will ultimately add value to once the project is complete.
As we continue to think about the built environment and our responsibilities within it, it is
likely we will see more innovative guidance like this. Improving the air quality inside and
outside our buildings can only be a good thing.
Quality air conditioning plays an important role in much building design so it is only right that air conditioning forms part of our general rethinking about our approach to air quality.
Air Conditioning Services, London
To discuss more about the WELL Building Standards and what they mean for you. Give us a call today on 01895 540 565.
We’ve worked across London and the South East for over 24 years, providing servicing, installation, maintenance and repairs to air conditioning in hospitals, GP surgeries, dentists, clinics, domestic properties, commercial businesses and mor.
Whether you are a business, home or healthcare provision in Ruislip, London, Essex, Slough or another part of the South East, give us a call today on 01895 540 565 or visit our home page now, for expert air conditioning services you can trust.
