The International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) and the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) have launched guidelines for lighting manufacturers to help lighting designers more easily determine if their designs meet the WELL Building Standard criteria.
The WELL v2 pilot is the latest version of the WELL Building Standard, a rating system that focuses exclusively on the way that buildings and everything in them—including lighting—can improve our comfort and enhance our health and wellness.
“With the increasing number of projects seeking WELL certification, providing designers with the information they need in a consistent format is an important step in helping ensure lighting products are easily and correctly specified,” stated Grant Harlow of Cooledge, chair of the LIRC sub-committee who led the effort in developing the guidelines. “The IALD and the Lighting Industry Resource Council (LIRC) believe that this document accomplishes that goal.”
The WELL v2 pilot was launched in 2018 and included a revised section for light, one of the 10 concepts covered by the standard. The WELL light concept promotes exposure to light and aims to create environments that are optimal for visual, mental, and physical health.
“Well-designed lighting systems can help improve productivity, support a restful night’s sleep and enhance the overall experience of being in a space,” said IWBI president Rachel Gutter. “Through WELL, and with the support of industry leaders like IALD, we aim to make it as easy as possible for designers, manufacturers and building operators to create spaces that help people thrive.”
Eight features (L01-L08) comprise the light concept and define specific technical requirements. Some of these features require documentation and validation from lighting manufacturers to assist specifiers in determining if their designs will meet the criteria. IALD and LIRC provide guidelines for best practices on technical requirements of four features requiring documentation: circadian lighting, glare, colour rendering, and flicker.
View the guidelines at iald.me/2019WELLGuidelines.
In the field of Ergonomics and Human Factors Design, Ergonomic experts sit at the table with Product Engineers and Designers, and with Industrial Engineers. At this same table sits Human Resources, IT, EOH&S, Operations. This approach leads to job demands and design of the workplace and products being centrally about the human factor? Why? Because design for the humans who will use a product, design or service of all abilities makes for intuitive, safe products and services which everyone can use and enjoy. And for those employees who are building the product, service, software, their job demands are such that they are productive, make fewer errors and are healthy at the end of each day’s work. The question of the day is: why has this same proven, cost efficient and effective design process not translated to the design of built environments and offices? This would make for a great discussion at one level and more important, workplaces that are efficient, free from errors and accidents and greater inclusion.