International standards help to generate well-being

Updated 03/20/2021 00:00

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The time has come when designers, developers, administrators and the general public have to ask ourselves if being inside our homes, offices, commercial premises and institutions, compromises our health. The least we hope is that these places do not cause us any disease and the best thing would be that they generate health and well-being.

And it is in this argument where the international standard ‘Well Building Standard’ shows us a frame of reference like no other. It breaks down the definition of wellness into its ten important parts: air, water, light, nutrition, mobility, sound, materials, wind chill, mental health, and community. It helps to understand how pollutants, pathogens, material selection, or poor construction or operating practices can affect our physical and mental health to the point of producing chronic diseases.

The ‘Well Building Standard’ is managed and administered by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), whose mission is to improve the health and well-being of human beings through built environments. This standard, which came out in 2014, was the result of seven years of studies conducted by a broad group of engineers, architects, doctors and scientists from various branches who have made a commitment to continuously research, collect and implement the best practices in design and construction that come together for disease prevention and health promotion.

The International Well Building Institute joined forces with Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), the same organization that manages the LEED certification process, to provide a third-party verified certification.

It is applicable for buildings, offices, institutions, schools, communities, residential buildings and kitchens, among others. Among the companies that have opted for any of the certifications in their facilities are the Empire State Realty Trust, the New York Yankees, JP Morgan, Cleveland Clinic, and many others.

Well also certifies people who have acquired the knowledge to manage the standard and apply its good practices. These people are known as the ‘Well ap’ and they are certified by passing an exam also administered by Green Business Certification Inc. To date there are more than 7,000 Well aps in the world.

In Panama, this standard is beginning to be introduced and in some corporate offices its good practices are being implemented and in others the certification process is taking place. For offices, the wellness argument is very clear: healthy and happy workers mean healthy and profitable businesses. Issues such as absenteeism, low productivity, stress, increased insurance premiums, and the perception of organizational culture have a higher cost when compared to the cost of implementing healthy adjustments. Additionally, and now with the consequences of the pandemic, employees are going to demand to be and work in environments that guarantee “at least” that it does not harm them. Under this same argument, it should be added to other facilities such as schools, public institutions or other commercial premises.

The reaction of the authorities and some unions to the rapid and unexpected pandemic was understandable. Recommendations and protocols were listed demanding their compliance. However, many of these have opportunities to review and complement them with new information that has emerged and will continue to emerge from studies focused on the development and construction of safe environments.

It is precisely at this point that the knowledge and revision of international standards such as Well is important. Its validation by many technical guilds around the world makes it the frame of reference for many wellness topics.

In the residential real estate sector in Panama, there are several projects that in the last 10 years have developed gestures aligned to promote the physical and mental health of their future buyers. Here the new opportunities are many and the market that will demand wellness attributes in their homes continues to grow, according to national and international market studies.

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