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.