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RESET Healthy Buildings

July 2018

RESET Indoor Air Quality

Now, indoor air quality is something that we have discussed previously on our blog. In fact, indoor air quality is the foundation of FutureAir, so the RESET Air Standard is right up our alley. RESET is an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) certification administered by GIGA. GIGA is an organization that measures the effect of the built environment on human health. RESET, like WELL, places human health at the center of building design. However, RESET is specifically focused on clean indoor air.

Let us refresh about the importance of indoor air quality. First of all, we spend 90% of our time indoors! Research has shown that improving indoor air quality can improve human health. Additionally, improving indoor air quality serves to improve productivity amongst workers. Cleaning our indoor air is a preventative measure that results in a healthier community and a more efficient economy.

RESET’s air quality measurements come from data accumulated over a three month period. Other green building certifications rely on data from a single day–perhaps even a few hours of a day. The three-month long data collection paints a more accurate picture of the long-term indoor air environment. Furthermore, the ongoing data collection allows for occupants to understand the air quality fluctuations within their space and learn how to improve air quality. This ongoing quality control suits the human learning curve and encourages behavior change.

How Does It Work?

The RESET air standard is broken down into two categories–Commercial Interiors (CI) and Core&Shell (CS). The RESET Air CI focuses on individual interiors and their health effects on occupants. The RESET Air CS monitors the health performance of entire buildings.

Unlike other green building certifications, RESET does not have a fixed certification standard. Instead, RESET is performance-based driven by technological measurements. The certification takes into consideration the fluctuations within spaces. Therefore, the certification accounts for the ebb and flow of air quality over time. The certification falls to the individuals to make a case for their projects. Additionally, the certification must be renewed annually.

In order to achieve certification, a project must meet air quality standards as defined by industry best-practices and international standards. Indoor air quality is tracked by RESET certified monitors and averaged for a daily measurement. The average must fall within RESET’s parameters.

RESET IAQ Measurements

RESET evaluates the PM2.5 (Particulate Matter 2.5), TVOC (Total Volatile Organic Compounds), CO2 (Carbon Dioxide), CO (Carbon Monoxide), Temperature, and Relative Humidity. The acceptable measurement for PM2.5 is less than 35 μg/m3 and for TVOC is less than 500 μg/m3. CO2 must fall below 1000 parts per million and CO below 900 parts per million. If a building meets these measurement standards on average it meets certification. RESET also lists High-Performance targets for buildings that meet a more rigorous standard.

In order to measure IAQ, buildings must use Grade A (calibration grade) or Grade B (commercial grade) monitors. In other words, the RESET certification is separate from the technology used to monitor the air. The technology is a third-party resource and expenditure. The certification reviews the IAQ measurements in relation to the defined space and the total number of occupants of the building.

RESET in the Built Environment

RESET has human health benefits as well as economic benefits. RESET certified buildings attract more tenants, retain more employees, and reduce building insurance costs. Recently, as of October 2018, RESET and WELL partnered up to align certification processes in order to capitalize on each certifications strengths. Anjanette Green, of RESET, stated, “This cooperative spirit is exactly what makes me so excited and optimistic for the future of architecture and design.” This collaboration makes human health improvements more accessible and achievable!

Written by Mollie Wodenshek for FutureAir

Resources:
“About GIGA,” GIGA.
PureLiving, “LEED, WELL, RESET – What is the Difference?”, PureLiving: Indoor Environmental Solutions.
“RESET Air v2.0: How to Meet New Standards for Commerical Interiors,” Kaiterra.
“RESET Air Standard for Commercial Interiors v2.0,” RESET.
“WELL and RESET align to make both certifications easier for project teams,” International WELL Building Institute.

Photos:
RESET

WELL Building Standard

July 2018

The WELL Theory

The International WELL Building Institue (IBWI) launched the WELL Building Standard in 2015. The WELL mission is to promote human health within the built environment. We spend ninety percent of our time indoors and health conditions are related to environmental exposure. Health research has begun to evaluate indoor conditions as they affect human health. WELL is founded on this relationship between buildings and their occupants.

WELL is closely related to green building certifications. The Green Building Certification Institue, which administers LEED certification, is a third-party certifier for WELL. However, WELL’s commitment to the betterment of human health and wellbeing sets the WELL standard apart.

The WELL certification evaluates seven environmental conditions, of the built environment, known as Concepts. These concepts are air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind. The WELL Building Standard “lays out optimal conditions for each [Concept] in an effort to encourage a holistic, integrated approach to sustainability,” according to the Green Building Alliance. Each Concept and its conditions aim to improve specific health areas such as focus, energy, sleep, stress, longevity, development, beauty, alignment and more.

Where does WELL fit in?

Much like the LEED green building certification, WELL uses a stratified certification system. There are two versions of certification: The WELL Pilot Standard and the WELL Building Standard. Each of these categories is then divided into silver, gold, and platinum.

In order to achieve silver certification, a building must fulfill preconditions for each of the seven concepts. To achieve gold or platinum, a building must meet a certain percentage of optimizations for each certification respectively. No certification is considered until all preconditions are met.

Part of the WELL mission is to encourage behavior change. Through WELL, health and wellbeing are incorporated into infrastructure. This building standard requires a commitment from the occupants to ascribe to healthier work routines.

The WELL pamphlet even explains how building conditions directly affect the human body. This information details how WELL standards counter detrimental health effects from indoor building conditions.

Additionally, each of the Concepts and their conditions is fully described in the WELL addenda. The abundance of information available for WELL certification helps to educate people on what constitutes a healthy building. Often, knowledge is the foundation of change.

Ultimately, the IWBI believes “that buildings should be developed with people’s health and wellness at the center of design.”

WELL also stands out amongst other green building certifications because of certification renewals. Every three years buildings must be reevaluated for WELL. This ensures that buildings still have a positive effect on health. Otherwise, it is common for buildings to deteriorate and begin to negatively impact health.

Furthermore, WELL certification can be applied to a variety of building types–multiple family residences, restaurants, or educational facilities.

WELL and the Built Environment

The WELL focus is on human health in the built environment. It incentivizes health and wellbeing over tax breaks. This sets WELL apart from the green building industry. In comparison to LEED, it seems that WELL does a better job at incentivizing behavior change. However, in focusing inward, WELL neglects the effect of buildings on the outdoor environment. Perhaps the administration of WELL certification by the GBI suggests that LEED and WELL are meant to be applied collaboratively.

Written by Mollie Wodenshek for FutureAir

Resources
Knox, Nora, “What is WELL?”, USGBC.
“WELL Building Standard,” Green Building Alliance.
“WELL Building Standard: v1 with May 2016 addenda,” International WELL Building Institute.

Photos
Ellenzweig (Featured)
International WELL Building Institute (in text)