the role of water in a Healthy Building strategy

the importance of water in sustainable buildings and healthy buildings

Water within the built environment is often considered from a sustainability or sustainable buildings perspective, covering subjects such as water efficiency, reuse, and reduction strategies. However, water is also, clearly, an important aspect of human health and therefore forms part of a healthy building strategy too. 

The convenient availability and consistent quality of potable water is important for building occupants in an office environment for example as it helps promote healthy hydration levels during the workday and all of the cognitive performance factors that go hand in hand with that.

Moisture management, especially in areas within the building that are prone to damp or high levels of humidity, such as bathrooms or shower areas say, need to be monitored for issues such as mold growth, that in turn negatively affect indoor air quality (IAQ) and have detrimental effects on human health.

In addition to these elements of the WELL Healthy Building Standard’s “Water” concept, there are also specific products and practical solutions that can be integrated into real estate projects to help with healthy water management practices. Read on to find out more…

Water Quality in healthy building plans

In order for potable water to be made available in buildings, it must first meet health thresholds for a variety of chemicals and substances, as outlined in the WELL Healthy Building Standard’s “Water” concept. 

First up, some basics that you might not otherwise think about. In order to even approach a tap in a building, water must travel from its source to a treatment plant to be filtered, where it then is distributed through an extensive system of pipes.

This multi-stage process introduces a number of variables, meaning it can be difficult to track and regulate the quality of water as it moves to a site - regulations vary based on location and water quality may fluctuate based on a variety of external factors. Consequently water within buildings must be regularly managed and tested for the prevalence of contaminants to ensure its compliance with health parameters. 

monitoring for water contaminants in healthy buildings

Turbidity and coliforms are two commonly used indicators that are used to measure water contaminants. Turbidity essentially denotes the “cloudiness” of water, which on its own does not mean that the quality is poor per se but as it allows for masking and easier growth of microbes, it can suggest the presence of contaminants, making it harder to treat the water.

Coliforms are a naturally present bacteria, and are generally harmless, although some are related to fecal contamination and can cause serious health concerns if consumed. 

There are many other contaminants that can be present in drinking water, and these vary greatly based on location and local water management.

Dissolved metals from pipes, organic pollutants, herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers leached from soils, public water additives, and disinfectant byproducts can all be present in drinking water, negatively impacting its quality. 

In addition to the regulation of numerous water contaminants, the WELL standard also notes the importance of managing Legionella colonization. This bacterium can cause lung disease and even death if inhaled in hot water systems such as spas, hot tubs, fountains, or humidifiers. As with many other bacteria, Legionella can be regulated through regular turbidity measurements, as well as residual chlorine and pH monitoring. 

Water quality is the most essential characteristic to promote a healthy human relationship to water within buildings. The WELL standard thereby requires regular testing, monitoring, and reporting of various indicators to ensure high quality water throughout a building. 

Promoting hydration in a healthy building plan

Hydration is intimately linked to the accessibility and quality of water. Essentially, in those places with low tap water quality there is likely to be lower levels of hydration and a higher prevalence of bottled water purchased in plastic containers, causing other issues at an environmental level such as excess single-use plastic use and waste production. This is one obvious example of the interconnectedness of human health and environmental health in the built environment.

The availability of drinking fountains and other water dispensers throughout a building, be it an office, cultural or educational facility, provides enhanced opportunities for occupants to stay well hydrated. without recourse to purchasing bottled water.

Such ‘hydration stations’ should also contain water that is appealing in terms of aesthetics and taste. Although drinking water must reach technical health-based thresholds, it is important that it is desirable in terms of color and taste for the user. If the color appears redder due to iron prevalence or tastes saltier due to high chloride levels, for example, people may be less inclined to drink the water and stay hydrated. 

Moisture Management in a healthy building strategy

In addition to the water that is purposefully being brought into the building, it is also important to recognize that unwanted moisture and water may be present as well. Excess moisture affects around 20% of buildings across the U.S., Europe, and Canada. This dampness can lead to the growth of mold, which causes a variety of health issues for building occupants, as well as inviting in other pests, in turn causing additional building problems. 

One fifth of asthma problems in the U.S. have been linked to excess moisture in buildings. In addition to these building-related respiratory issues, trapped water in building envelopes can host small creatures that lead to the degradation of building materials and their integrity. Corrosion of building materials and structure can lead to a variety of other problems in addition to the negative health impacts of unwanted moisture. 

Regular inspections should be completed to eliminate the fear of mold and excess moisture, and the building envelope should be carefully designed to reduce the amount of water that enters the building as much as possible. In addition, mold and trapped moisture can arise from interior water sources, especially in places where water is present in surplus such as bathrooms, showers, or indoor pools. These spaces should be especially closely monitored. 

LARQ pitchers use UV light and a plant-based filter cartridge

Water Management Products in a healthy building

There are a variety of water management strategies, systems, and products that can aid healthy building managers with the upkeep of healthy potable water in buildings. The most basic strategy is to install water filtration devices, using technologies such as carbon filters, reverse osmosis (RO) systems, and ion exchange resins. I

There are also other newer technologies such as ultraviolet (UV) light devices, which disinfect at the point of use and can be effective at killing microbes. 

UV disinfection systems claim to eliminate 99.9% of waterborne living organism in water and can therefore greatly increase the quality of water. However, it is important to note the difference between traditional filters and UV systems—filters physically remove contaminants from the water through their processes, while UV treatments kill the bacteria without removing them from the water.

It is therefore important to have clear water when using UV systems to ensure the light can reach all organisms in the water. Ideally, some sort of filter and a UV light disinfection system should be used in tandem to ensure the healthiest, cleanest water in a building. 

UV disinfection systems can be installed at building level through built-in systems, all the way down to a personal level, through hand-held products. Several manufacturers provide building level UV systems that can be easily installed at the point of entry and help with the disinfection process.

For the individual user, the LARQ Bottle is an exciting self-cleaning water bottle product, which eliminates bacteria in your bottle with the press of a UV light button. In addition, the SteriPen is a handheld device that can be placed in a water source and works to eliminate bacteria through UV light, producing a smiley face when done to indicate success. 

for our guide to the essential principles of a healthy building strategy, see here.

Healthy building design strategies for nutrition & hydration

Healthy Building Interiors That Promote Nutrition & Hydration 

Just like adequate sleep and regular movement, nutrition and hydration play a key role in human health, meaning healthy building consultants need to consider how these elements of the building occupant experience will be affected by architectural, engineering and facilities management decisions made during the construction or refurbishment process.

While there are of course any number of external socio-cultural and psychological influences at play in occupant health, a building’s interiors can indeed should play a positive role in promoting healthy habits and behaviors. The leading healthy building standard ‘WELL’ even has an entire section devoted to the subject.

So how can healthy building consultants positively impact nutrition and hydration in particular for residents, office workers and students? The design of a healthy building should seamlessly integrate design strategies, policies and practices to encourage positive behavioral change.

The availability of healthy food choices and adequate numbers of filtered water stations on each floor can go a long way in this sense but we can go well beyond that into the layout of eating spaces, what is known as ‘strategic dining design’, educational signage and promotional messaging, the specification of rooftop gardens and vegetable boxes, even policies that specify the local sourcing of ingredients used in canteens, or healthy snack options in vending machines, for example.

Mindful Eating Spaces and Strategic Dining Design in Healthy Buildings

The design and layout of eating spaces in a healthy building as well as access to specific types of food and beverage options can have a tangible impact on occupant dietary choices over the long-term.

For example, communal eating spaces help to encourage a more mindful approach to eating, as well as social engagement, as opposed to eating alone in front of the TV say.

The WELL building standard is particularly committed to this idea of designated places for food intake as a key driver of overall occupant mental health and wellbeing.

Design of eating areas in healthy buildings

In addition, the WELL standard encourages designating eating times to increase the likelihood that people will eat in groups and reap the full benefits of a shared, collective experience one or more times each day (see WELL Nutrition section). 

Within healthy buildings, several other wellness interior design strategies can be put in place to promote nutrition and hydration further.

For example, eating away from home in an office or educational environment is often associated with poorer dietary habits, so including basic kitchen fixtures such as chopping boards, colanders and food prep knives, a microwave and generously sized refrigerators for storing food can all help make small, incremental improvements to occupant diets (see WELL Nutrition). 

Food display strategies in healthy buildings

In addition, in the case that food or drink is provided by a workplace or school cafeteria, for example, the display of this food can impact consumption habits.

In the context of a healthy building plan, an increase in the visibility of healthy food options makes such options convenient and top-of-mind. This can be done through strategies such as providing easily reachable fruits and vegetables in the line of site for each diner, by placing clearly visible drinking water access points, or even through a “healthy convenience” rapid checkout line. All of this helps reduce tendencies for sugary drinks, junk food options and sweet snacks.

Finally, the ambiance of the healthy interior space itself can impact how people interact with their food. For example, glaring lights and loud noises can cause frustration or low level anxiety, leading to reduced eating times, and overeating as a result (by not allowing the body time to recognize it has reached a point of satiety), both detrimental to nutrition, digestion and weight management (Anthes). 

Nutrition – promoting dining strategies for healthy interiors:

• Designated eating spaces

• Adequate food preparation and storage areas

• Priority given to healthy food in terms of visibility and convenience

• A comfortable, stress-free ambiance to encourage slow, mindful eating

Use of Signage Prompts and Labeling in healthy design interiors

The use of food-related signage and promotional messaging has been shown to impact our nutritional choices. Strategies such as including nutritional information, deliberately promoting healthy products, or using signage to guide consumers towards healthy products are all useful interventions that leverage environmental psychology principles. 

Including nutritional information and health warnings on food can increase a healthy building occupant’s chances of making an informed food consumption decision. Whether that be allergy related, vitamin content, or calorie-based, the information can be subtly communicated without being overpowering or didactic.

In addition, food advertising has been shown to have direct and indirect impacts on consumers and nutrition. Children are especially susceptible to advertising, which may suggest that in places such as schools, promoting and marketing healthy options may have a positive impact over say, the extreme alternative of selling out to big brands pushing their sweetened products to children for example.

Healthy food advertising has been proven to increase the selection of healthy food choices. Although this concept is often applied to places like grocery stores, it can be used in cafeterias and workplace eating rooms to encourage healthy habits as well.

Along the vein of advertising, smart signage and visual guides can help nudge more nutritious food and drink choices. Visual aids can be used in and around eating areas to encourage the consumption of fruits, vegetables, and healthier drinking sources such as water.

Something as simple as an arrow guiding consumers towards healthier options can influence decisions. Educational signage can also be placed in locations outside of the eating areas—for example, colorful signs denoting the benefits of water consumption and healthy meals. 

Nutrition-promoting visuals and signage in healthy interiors: 

• Include nutritional information on and near food

• Advertise healthy options (rather than processed food products)

• Use signage and visual guides to promote nutrition

Local Sourcing of Food for healthy building occupants

Locally grown food not only increases access to healthy nutrition options for a healthy building occupant, it also provides social and environmental benefits. When possible, community or educational gardens should be integrated into wellness real estate projects, be they residential, workplace or learning environments.

It has been shown that people who are engaged in gardening have higher levels of fruit and vegetable consumption, as well as improving other aspects of life—such as community connectivity, educational opportunities, and anxiety reduction (WELL). So a communal rooftop garden, no matter how small, can be a modest investment with tangible impacts for the overall healthy building strategy.

Gardens on a project site can provide opportunities for building occupants to connect with the land and the food they eat through learning, as well as acting as a local source of produce for cafeterias, if delivered at scale.

In the case of children, gardening can increase food knowledge and increase their willingness to try more vegetables, breaking down the barrier between the food on their plate and the natural cycle of growing / harvesting (Anthes). Eating habits are learned through our environmental cues—making gardening a very powerful tool to increase our knowledge and connection to nutrition, especially in students and children. 

Depending on density constraints, the inclusion of rooftop gardens is becoming more popular in healthy buildings as they can be used even in high-density urban locations, while also providing a wealth of environmental benefits such as cooling / reducing the urban heat island effect, increased biodiversity and direct access to the calming, restorative benefits of nature for the building occupants. 

Local Food Sourcing Strategies for Healthy Buildings: 

• Source food locally and provide healthy produce to cafeterias and building occupants

• Include gardening to connect occupants to food

• Use gardens as an educational and community fostering opportunity

Healthy Building Certification Systems on design for Nutrition and Hydration

Various healthy building certification systems provide a guide to nutrition-based health and design strategies. Most notably, WELL, Fitwel, and the Living Building Challenge offer insight and place varying levels of importance on nutrition and hydration. 

The WELL Building Standard contains an entire concept, ‘Nourishment’ that discusses the importance of healthy diets and how our environments can promote this goal.

This standard focuses on factors such as increasing access to fruits and vegetables, nutritional transparency, food advertising, production, and preparation, as well as the concept of mindful eating (WELL). More information on the nourishment concept within the WELL healthy building standard can be found here. 

Fitwel contains a ‘Food and Beverage’ Standard and a ‘Health Programming’ section that mention strategies to promote healthy eating.

This standard recommends certain types of on-site dining services and what food should be available, as well as implementing policies such as nutrition programs, healthy cooking classes or gardening workshops. More information on the Fitwel healthy building standard can be found here. 

Although the Living Building Challenge green building standard doesn’t have a section specifically focused on nutrition, it has an imperative that focuses on urban agriculture.

This section mentions the importance of dedicating a space for growing food on site, connecting people to locally grown healthy nourishment options. More about the Place Petal and urban agriculture imperative can be found here. 

Sources:

WELL v2 Wellness Real Esatte Standard

Fitwel healthy building standard

Living Building Challenge green building standard

Anthes, Emily. “3. STAIR MASTERS.” The Great Indoors: The Surprising Science of How Buildings Shape Our Behavior, Health, and Happiness, Scientific American/Picador, New York, 2021.