As a more technical reference for the interested reader, let’s briefly summarize the light and lighting requirements of this standard, with the aim to give some basic clues about how to improve and reconsider lighting at our homes and workspaces:
-Circadian requirements (f54) are critical in the WELL Light concept. Circadian lighting design is a foundation to promote building occupant’s health and wellness. The concept of “equivalent melanopic lux” (EML) accounts for the stimulus that lighting provides to our circadian rhythms. A minimum value of 200 EML is required in 75% of the workstations, measured at the vertical plane facing forward at 4ft, from 9am to 1pm. Alternatively, 150 EML are required in all the workstations, exclusively generated by electric (artificial) light, during the whole day. This is the more difficult feature of WELL, and one of my research topics. It reinforces the fact that we need minimum melanopic levels of light at the right time. We are currently exposed to low levels of light, during too many hours, we do not wake up properly, and therefore we do not have a healthy sleep, primordial for our health.
-About visual requirements (f53), minimum illuminance levels of 300 to 500 lux have to be achieved at the workstations, with a minimum ambient level of 215 lux, and with the possibility of end-user adjustments. Illuminances of 215 lux are also required in frequently used stairs and walkways. These are minimum values that have to be adapted to local regulations through “equivalence proposals” or “localization”, to be incorporated in v2. Glare management is basic for visual comfort. A narrative (f53) is required for this purpose, and there are minimum glare requirements for electric light (f55, f57) and for daylight (f56, f57).
-About color quality (f58), a minimum color rendering index, CRI (R1-R8), of 80 is required, together with a R9 value (“red” color fidelity) of 50. “Red” color perception is one of the Achilles heel of artificial lighting, and particularly of (cheap) LED lights. Surface materials are also important (f59): ceilings, walls and furniture surfaces need to provide a high light reflectance value (LRV), not only to improve energy efficiency, but to increase homogeneous spectral reflectance. At the same time, these surfaces need to contribute to acoustic comfort (f80), providing adequate minimum values of noise reduction coefficients (NRC).
-Daylight exposure and contribution is also a key factor in WELL. Automatic daylight control systems (f60) are required to adjust electric light. “Right to Light” (f61) requires minimum workspaces distances to windows and views. Daylight simulations (f62) are also required to estimate proper daylight design practices and adequate Sunlight exposure. The last light feature is fenestration (f63) with specific wall to window ratios requirement and with adequate transmittance values.
-Finally, temporal artifacts, such as flicker, characterized by the recently introduced IEEE 1789, may have a major impact on health. They are not required in WELL v1, but expected in v2. In ongoing projects they can be introduced as innovations (f101-105), another way to improve certification levels.
Light is a major contributor to human health, wellness and wellbeing, and it is a major step forward to be recognized in the wellness real state philosophy. Proper light and lighting is a right and a responsibility that we should be aware of.