WELL AP cheat sheet

A01 Air Quality is a precondition: occupiable spaces must meet the minimum outdoor-air rates of ASHRAE 62.1 (ASHRAE 62.2 for residential), and indoor smoking is prohibited anywhere in the project.

A02 Smoke-Free Environment: smoking is banned indoors and within 7.5 m (25 ft) of entrances, operable windows, and outdoor air intakes.

Entryway systems (grilles, grates, or mats) must cover every main entrance and extend at least 3 m (10 ft) in the direction of travel, with a documented cleaning schedule.

Reference indoor performance thresholds: PM2.5 at or below 15 ug/m3, PM10 at or below 50 ug/m3, CO at or below 10 ppm, TVOC at or below 500 ug/m3, and formaldehyde at or below 27 ppb (33 ug/m3).

A12 Air Filtration: filters rated MERV 13 or higher (ISO ePM1 50% or better), in labelled and accessible housings, with a documented replacement schedule.

A06 Enhanced Ventilation: outdoor air supply increased by 30% above the ASHRAE 62.1 minimum, or an equivalent documented increase in effective ventilation rate.

Product emissions: interior paints, adhesives, sealants, flooring, insulation, and furniture are tested with the CDPH Standard Method v1.2 (Section 01350); wet-applied products also meet SCAQMD or CARB VOC content limits.

A08 Air Quality Monitoring: sensors measuring PM2.5 and CO2 in regularly occupied spaces, a visible display of readings, and alerts when thresholds are exceeded.

W01 Water Quality is a precondition: drinking water meets national standards (US EPA or EU) for coliform bacteria, turbidity, residual disinfectant, and pH, verified at the point of use.

W02 Water Contaminants: lead at or below 0.01 mg/L (10 ppb), arsenic at or below 0.01 mg/L, copper at or below 1.3 mg/L, and total chlorine residual at or below 4 mg/L.

W03 Water Quality Maintenance: a Legionella management plan aligned with ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 188, covering a building water system survey, control measures, and monitoring.

W04 Drinking Water Promotion: free drinking water within 30 m (100 ft) of all occupants on every floor, supported by signage and bottle-filling stations.

Sediment plus carbon filtration, or reverse osmosis, is the standard point-of-use strategy for meeting lead and turbidity thresholds in older buildings.

Handwashing support: soap, running water, and drying supplies in all restrooms and food-preparation areas, with posted handwashing signage.

Moisture control: keep relative humidity below 60%, prevent condensation on cold surfaces, and repair leaks and water intrusion promptly to limit microbial growth.

N01 Fruits and Vegetables is a precondition: at least one fruit and one vegetable option available and visibly accessible wherever food is sold or provided.

N02 Nutritional Transparency is a precondition: calories, macronutrients, serving size, and ingredients displayed or readily available for every food item offered.

N03 Processed Foods is a precondition: WELL distinguishes whole, minimally processed, and highly processed foods and limits the highly processed share of what is offered.

Allergen labelling: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soy must be identified on menus and on packaged items.

Sodium and added-sugar criteria apply per serving to snacks and beverages; lower-sodium and unsweetened options must be available at every service point.

Food safety temperatures: cold holding at or below 4 C (40 F), hot holding at or above 60 C (140 F), with calibrated thermometers in all prep areas.

Supportive food environment: designated eating areas with seating, refrigeration, and a microwave, plus at least one 30-minute break per 8-hour shift.

L02 Visual Lighting Design: at least 215 lux (20 fc) of ambient light at work surfaces in regularly occupied spaces, with dimmable and zone-controlled electric lighting.

Equivalent melanopic lux (EML) weights illuminance by the ipRGC response, peaking near 490 nm; circadian strategies target roughly 200 EML or more at eye level by day and low melanopic levels at night.

L04 Electric Light Glare Control: luminaires in regularly occupied spaces at a UGR of 19 or lower, with no bright source in the normal field of view.

Daylight metrics reported by simulation: spatial daylight autonomy (sDA300/50%) and annual sunlight exposure (ASE1000,250); ASE above 10% of occupied hours signals glare risk.

L08 Electric Light Quality: lamps with a colour rendering index (Ra) of at least 90 and low flicker, generally percent flicker under 5% at frequencies below 90 Hz.

Correlated colour temperature of 2700-6500 K is acceptable; keep one CCT per space and avoid mixing CCTs within a single view.

Daylight delivery: windows, light shelves, and interior glazing bring daylight into the regularly occupied floor area, and all view windows have operable glare controls.

Lighting controls: occupancy or vacancy sensors in restrooms and rarely used rooms, plus daylight-responsive dimming in perimeter zones.

Activity benchmark referenced by WELL: 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week plus two muscle-strengthening sessions (WHO and US HHS guidance).

Point-of-decision prompts: motivational signage at elevators and escalators, with stairs visible, well-lit, finished to occupied-space standards, open to all occupants, and closer than the elevator from the main entrance.

Bicycle support: secure bicycle parking plus showers and lockers sized to the occupant count for occupants who commute actively.

Active furnishings: height-adjustable (sit-stand) workstations and treadmill or bike desks reduce continuous occupational sitting time.

Physical activity spaces: dedicated indoor or outdoor exercise area with equipment scaled to occupant count, or documented access to an adjacent fitness facility.

Walking routes: a mapped indoor or outdoor route of at least 1 km (0.6 mi) with wayfinding, lighting, and safe crossings.

Emergency-only stairs do not count toward stair-promotion features; the credited stair must be a usable everyday route.

T01 Thermal Performance is a precondition: the HVAC system satisfies ASHRAE 55, keeping predicted mean vote (PMV) between -0.5 and +0.5 and predicted percentage dissatisfied (PPD) at or below 10%.

ASHRAE 55 comfort zones are approximately 23-26 C (73-79 F) in summer at 0.5 clo and 20-24 C (68-75 F) in winter at 1.0 clo.

Relative humidity is held between 30% and 60%; below 30% increases eye and respiratory irritation and above 60% supports condensation and microbial growth.

Draft limit: mean air speed at or below 0.2 m/s in heating mode; higher speeds are acceptable only with occupant control or elevated operative temperature.

Radiant surfaces: occupied floor temperatures between 19 C and 29 C (66-84 F), per ASHRAE 55.

Thermal zoning: separate control zones for spaces differing in orientation, glazing ratio, occupancy density, or function.

Personal control: individual or group adjustability of temperature, air speed, or radiant heat, plus a documented comfort complaint and response process.

S02 Maximum Noise Levels: background noise from building systems at or below about 35 dBA in enclosed offices and classrooms, and 40-45 dBA in open or multipurpose spaces.

Reverberation time (RT60) targets of about 0.6 s in enclosed rooms and 0.8 s or less in open-plan areas control speech intelligibility and noise build-up.

Sound absorption: acoustic ceiling tiles, wall panels, and carpet measured by NRC are added until the target reverberation time is met.

Sound masking: a continuous broadband signal, roughly 40-45 dBA in open offices, that raises the noise floor and reduces speech intelligibility.

Sound isolation: partitions, floors, and doors rated STC 45-50 between enclosed rooms and noisy spaces, with sealed penetrations and acoustic door seals.

Hearing conservation: an 85 dBA 8-hour exposure limit; NIOSH uses a 3 dB exchange rate (so 88 dBA halves allowable exposure time), OSHA uses 5 dB.

Sound mapping: noise sources and sensitive zones (quiet, circulation, mechanical) are identified and mapped before mitigation strategies are selected.

VOC content limits apply to wet-applied products: paints and coatings per SCAQMD Rule 1113, adhesives and sealants per SCAQMD Rule 1168, typically in the 30-50 g/L range.

Composite wood must meet CARB ATCM Phase 2 or TSCA Title VI formaldehyde limits, or use no-added-formaldehyde resins.

Emissions testing: interior products are tested with the CDPH Standard Method v1.2 (Section 01350) and compared with WELL's TVOC and formaldehyde thresholds.

Transparency documents that earn Materials points: Declare labels, Health Product Declarations (HPDs), Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), and Cradle to Cradle certification.

The Living Building Challenge Red List names chemicals to avoid (lead, mercury, formaldehyde, PVC, CFCs); WELL rewards documented reduction of Red List substances.

Hazard controls: no asbestos-containing materials, no added lead in paint, plumbing, or roofing, and low-mercury or mercury-free lamps.

Cleaning and pest management: certified cleaning products (for example Green Seal GS-37 or UL EcoLogo) and integrated pest management reduce hazardous chemical exposure.

Construction waste: divert at least 75% of construction and demolition debris from landfill through source separation and documented hauls.

Biophilic design is the core Mind intervention: nature views, daylight, indoor planting, water, natural materials, and patterns or textures that reduce stress.

Mental health policy: written organizational commitments covering mental health coverage, employee assistance programs, and flexible scheduling.

Restorative spaces: quiet rooms, nap rooms, and meditation areas set apart from work zones and acoustically and visually separated.

Nature and place: indoor planting, direct or simulated nature views from workstations, and regional or cultural references in art and materials.

Mindfulness programs: free or subsidized meditation and mindfulness training, delivered on site or virtually, tracked through attendance records.

Sleep support: low melanopic light at night, acoustic and thermal control in rest areas, and fatigue-management policies for shift workers.

Occupant feedback loops: anonymous surveys and a documented response process feed both the Mind and Thermal Comfort concepts.

Occupant survey: a third-party validated survey covering comfort, health, and satisfaction, administered at least annually with results shared back to occupants.

Integrative design: an early charrette with owner, design team, facilities staff, and occupants sets and documents health and wellness goals.

Emergency preparedness: stocked first aid kits, automated external defibrillators (AEDs), a written emergency response plan, and documented drills.

Health promotion: wellness resources, screenings, and communications provided to occupants, measured through participation records.

Universal design: accessible routes, restrooms, and controls meeting ADA and ICC A117.1 so occupants of all abilities can use the spaces.

Family and social support: lactation rooms, paid parental leave policies, and flexible work arrangements.

Community connectivity: parks, grocery, and transit within walking distance, documented through a walkability audit and supported by paths and wayfinding.