GRESB consultant for real estate ESG
Biofilico consultancy for environmental, social & governance (ESG) and GRESB assessment in real estate
consultancy for environmental, social & governance (ESG)
GRESB assessment
What is GRESB for real estate ESG?
As part of any progressive Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) strategy, we advise real estate development funds on the GRESB Real Estate Assessment.
This global benchmarking system now receives submissions from over 1200 property companies, real estate investment trusts (REITs), funds, and developers spread between 64 countries.
The annual reporting period from April 1st to July 1st was extended by one month due to the impact of COVID in 2020, with results released in November.
How can a real estate esg consultant help with the GRESB process?
First and foremost, GRESB is about reporting, it also provides a guideline for real estate developers to follow in terms of their ESG strategy.
By signing up for the first year of GRESB assessment free, a business can start the meaningful process of aligning itself with ESG objectives, prior to taking the assessment a second time, having had a practice year to improve their score. This is our recommended process in any case.
Can anyone manage the annual GRESB ESG assessment process?
There are various online training modules available, that we duly went through the first time but in practice, we see this as about integrating ESG policies into the heart of a real estate business, piece by piece until the entire enterprise is pointing in the same direction. That is the magic of GRESB!
By the time the GRESB assessment window opens up each year in April, the hard work should be done, it is then about collecting the necessary data to show what has been accomplished. And to be clear, GRESB require a lot of proof…
ESG strategy first, GRESB second
We consider the first step in this entire process for a real estate business to be the creation of solid ESG strategy that has the buy-in from the CEO and Board, as appropriate, otherwise it is never going to go anywhere fast.
Primarily the goal is for the business to proactively support people and planet in its work throughout the year, both internally and externally. There is simply no way to cheat this, no shortcuts are on offer, it is about ground-up sustainability policies, the health of employees, ethical business practices and good governance, amongst other things.
What will real estate developers need to show to GRESB?
GRESB is a rigorous online assessment process that requires equal parts thought leadership and commitment to the cause of ESG with sections on Management, Performance and Development.
Management in GRESB covers ESG strategy, policies and processes as well as risk management and stakeholder engagement, while Development focuses on how a business has implemented ESG in the design, construction and renovation of real estate projects.
Companies with operational projects under management on the other hand, use their building performance data to complete the GRESB Real Estate Benchmark encompassing Management and Performance components, with the latter analysing data around energy consumption, GHG emissions, water consumption and waste.
We completed this process for Black Mountain Partners in London, prior to them completing their first redevelopment project 68 King William Street. Once that project is officially occupied, there would the be scope to additionally completing the GRESB Performance component as well.
GRESB Management assessment
Management category measures the entity’s strategy and leadership management, policies and processes, risk management, and stakeholder engagement approach, composed of information collected at the entity level.
GRESB Performance assessment
Performance assessment measures the entity’s asset portfolio performance, composing of information collected at the asset portfolio level. It is suitable for any real estate company or fund with operational assets.
GRESB Development assessment
Development assessment measures the entity’s efforts to address ESG-issues during the design, construction, and renovation of buildings. This component is suitable for entities involved in new construction (building design, site selection and/or construction) and/or major renovation projects, with on-going projects or completed projects during the reporting year.
To enquire about how we can help you develop a GRESB-friendly ESG strategy for your real estate business, contact us here.
WELL building standard movement V07 active furnishings
A consultant’s response to the WELL healthy building standard feature ‘V07 active furnishings’
A consultant’s response to the WELL healthy building standard feature ‘V07 active furnishings’
our standing desk at Casa Biofilico, Barcelona, Spain - an example of active furnishing
What is the WELL Building Standard?
The WELL Certification process for WELL V2 is now widely established as the leading healthy building and wellness real estate standard in the world today. It is essentially a series of guidelines backed by rigorous scientific research, that when taken together, will guide a real estate project, whether new build construction or refurbishment and fit-out, towards a final product that is aligned with human health and wellness.
Sections of the V2 standard are dedicated to Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, Community & Innovation.
What is WELL consulting?
A WELL AP or WELL consultant is there to assist a project team through the certification process, ensuring maximum points are scored along the way by offering expert advice not just on how to lock-in points but also the principles that lie behind them. As a result, the project has every chance of becoming a model of health and wellness in the built environment.
Additionally, a WELL consultant’s skill set might include wellness interior design, biophilic design, knowledge in healthy buildings and consideration for sustainability / green buildings, a WELL building’s close cousin, as well as expertise in health and fitness, or as WELL like to call it ‘Physical Activity’, ‘Movement’ and ‘Nourishment’.
What problem does WELL Movement V07 active furnishings address?
In this Movement feature of the WELL Building Standard, the credit is focused on sit-stand desks and treadmill desks. The example from Casa Biofilico above shows a desk that can be used at variably heights, either seated or standing.
In reality, I tend to spend most of the morning standing and then alternate more between sitting / standing in the afternoons as my legs became a little more tired.
That said, I train for 90-minutes every morning before work so by the time I hit my desk, I have been pretty ‘active’ already and am ready for my first caffeine hit!. WELL are mostly concerned with pathologically sedentary behavior and those who spend 8 hours or more in a seated position five days per week, for years and years on end.
This has a direct correlation with obesity levels, Type 2 diabetes and premature mortality. We are simply not wired to spend our lives like this. Frequent ‘movement snacks’ during the day are essential to break up the workday and integrate modest amounts of movement at frequent intervals.
What are active furnishings?
Active workstations are those that offer multiple height options, allowing a worker to sit or stand, easily changing the height of the desk whilst maintaining a comfortable position, head up, shoulders back, not slouched in a chair.
Standing has been shown to burn more energy than being seated but that is not actually the point here, we’re looking to mix it up during the day, not just sitting, but not just standing either. We want workers to move around every hour or so, change position, stand for a bit, then sit, or take a break.
Treadmill desks are more common in the US than the UK or Europe but they are a valuable addition to a workspace, albeit a relatively expensive one. Certain tasks are better adapting to a treadmill desk than others. Deep work is not going to happen here, in my opinion, but lighter loads such as basic admin or responding to emails can certainly be done whilst walking slowly on a treadmill desk.
What do projects pursuing WELL certification need to do for 2 points in this movement feature?
Employers need to invest in active workstations for a minimum of 50% (1 point) or 90% (2 points) of the workforce. This does not mean that all those workers need to spend their time working standing up, far from it and in any case, it would be impossible to police that in practice.
The feature only specifies simply that the desks or workstations need to be provided, how they are used by employees is not reflected in the WELL score, that part then comes down to signage prompts, positive peer pressure / acceptability of working while standing or walking on a treadmill, and so on.
What type of active workstations are suitable for WELL V07 active furnishings?
In our home office, we currently use a manually adjustable desk, leaving it in a standing position permanently and then pairing it with an office stool rather than an office chair. This combo works well for us and encourages more standing than sitting.
Electrically powered sit-stand desks are of course more convenient and better suited to shared desk areas where a variety of different workers will use the desk each week, requiring a corresponding range of heights.
In the photo above from our Casa Biofilico project you can see what the WELL healthy building standard refers to as a ‘supplemental solution’, allowing “all or part of the work surface and all input devices (monitor or screen, keyboard, mouse) to be raised or lowered to seated or standing heights”. Effectively it is an extension of an existing desk, this works out to be a cost-effective solution.
Additionally, WELL also recognises treadmill desks, bicycle desks and stepper machine desks, although for us these would not replace a standard sit-stand desk, rather being supplement to the former.
We hope this article has proven useful! Contact us here to discuss how we can help you with workplace wellness programs and the WELL Building Certification process
Biofilico WELL Building Standard Consultants
Our expert consultant opinion on a growing list of WELL Building Certification features that we address individually in separate articles for those looking for insight on a wellness real estate project, healthy building or interior.
Below are a series of in-depth articles on various WELL certification features of particular interest to us.. with many more still to come!
WELL Building Standard: Movement V10 Self-Monitoring
What does the WELL Building Certification Feature ‘Movement V10 Self-monitoring’ require and how should a real estate development or workplace respond to it?
a WELL consultant’s response to WELL Building Certification Feature ‘Movement V10 Self-monitoring’
What is the WELL Building Standard?
The WELL Certification process for WELL V2 is now widely established as the leading healthy building and wellness real estate standard in the world today. It is essentially a series of guidelines backed by rigorous scientific research, that when taken together, will guide a real estate project, whether new build construction or refurbishment and fit-out, towards a final product that is aligned with human health and wellness.
Sections of the V2 standard are dedicated to Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, Community & Innovation.
What is WELL consulting?
A WELL AP or WELL consultant is there to assist a project team through the certification process, ensuring maximum points are scored along the way by offering expert advice not just on how to lock-in points but also the principles that lie behind them. As a result, the project has every chance of becoming a model of health and wellness in the built environment.
Additionally, a WELL consultant’s skill set might include wellness interior design, biophilic design, knowledge in healthy buildings and consideration for sustainability / green buildings, a WELL building’s close cousin, as well as expertise in health and fitness, or as WELL like to call it ‘Physical Activity’, ‘Movement’ and ‘Nourishment’.
What does this WELL healthy building feature focus on?
A developer, employer or landlord provides wearable fitness monitors for physical activity and healthy behaviors at a subsidized cost to all employees / regular building occupants.
What good is a wearable in promoting a healthy building? It provides reliable, or at least more reliable than ‘self reported data’ from building occupants on how active a lifestyle they lead during the working week.
This is not to pry into their personal lives but simply to gauge whether the facilities provided within the healthy building, such as physical activity spaces are being put to good use.
What can tech do in promoting physical activity in a healthy building?
Yes, this can seem an intangible argument and clearly an apple watch or Fitbit alone is not going to make much difference by itself however within the context of a suite of measures that combine hardware and software, physical activity programming for workplace wellness as well as an on-site fitness room with fitness equipment, the wearables can be a valuable part of the package.
To answer the privacy concern head on, WELL Feature V10 suggests selecting a piece of tech that has adequate privacy measures in place - to be clear, the purpose is not for individuals to upload their data for the HR department or external workplace wellness consultant to review, although we believe that there are potential gains in some form of gamification of workplace activity with, for example, prizes for those who take more than 10,000 steps inside the building in a month, etc.
The point here is not any one individual’s performance, quite the opposite, we’re simply looking to use the wearables to promote activity and monitor successes at an individual level, there is no requisite to share this info at all within the WELL standard. Each business / employer is then free to take additional steps as they see fit, or indeed employees may choose to form their own social groups for sharing limited amounts of data amongst themselves, assuming they all have the same piece of tech or software.
How to use wearable tech in WELL V10 self-monitoring
The WELL standard specifies that ALL eligible employees should be provided with a wearable fitness monitor device with the following requirements:
Available at no cost or subsidized by at least 50%.
Allow users to monitor their own metrics over time (i.e., provides a dashboard where individual metrics are aggregated).
Measure at least two physical activity metrics (e.g., steps, floors climbed, activity minutes).
Measure at least one additional health behavior (e.g., mindfulness practice, sleep).
As WELL consultants, how do we respond to this feature?
At least in its current format, the problem we have with this feature of the WELL healthy building standard is that it is better suited to smaller scale buildings or workforces, assuming that no allowance is made for a project looking to take a random sample of the workforce as a trial to test the impact of their investment in wearables.
Many people will already have their own wearable tech, or use smartphone apps that do some or all of the same work for them. One question we’d raise with WELL on that basis is whether we could use a hybrid approach of a client sponsoring wearables only for those people who do not have suitable tech already.
Going one step further, we would in future like to explore opportunities to take a sample of data from amongst a workforce to analyse the impact of new active design features in a building for example (with each individual’s consent, or perhaps while wearing the monitor only in the office).
We have heard of problems at other organizations where wearables given to staff were seen as a way to monitor them, or check if they were working at their desks, so there are many hurdles to overcome here in order to leverage occupant movement data in a way that respects privacy.
We shall continue to explore this theme and propose creative solutions to our clients!
We hope this article has proven useful! Contact us here to discuss how we can help you with workplace wellness programs and the WELL Building Certification process
WELL MOVEMENT V04 Facilities for Active Occupants
Here we look at what a healthy building requires in terms of WELL / Movement / V04 / Facilities for Active Occupants
a consultant’s response to WELL Building Certification Feature ‘Movement V04 / Facilities for Active Occupants’
What is the WELL Building Standard?
The WELL Certification process for WELL V2 is now widely established as the leading healthy building and wellness real estate standard in the world today. It is essentially a series of guidelines backed by rigorous scientific research, that when taken together, will guide a real estate project, whether new build construction or refurbishment and fit-out, towards a final product that is aligned with human health and wellness.
Sections of the V2 standard are dedicated to Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, Community & Innovation.
What is WELL consulting?
A WELL AP or WELL consultant is there to assist a project team through the certification process, ensuring maximum points are scored along the way by offering expert advice not just on how to lock-in points but also the principles that lie behind them. As a result, the project has every chance of becoming a model of health and wellness in the built environment.
Additionally, a WELL consultant’s skill set might include wellness interior design, biophilic design, knowledge in healthy buildings and consideration for sustainability / green buildings, a WELL building’s close cousin, as well as expertise in health and fitness, or as WELL like to call it ‘Physical Activity’, ‘Movement’ and ‘Nourishment’.
What is main focus of WELL Movement V04 Facilities for Active Occupants?
Essentially we are looking at bike storage facilities for those wishing to travel to their workplace by bike, as well as changing facilities and lockers for all those arriving by other forms of active transport, whether it be jogging or simply in need of a shower after a long, hot commute into the office in summer!
Nowadays these are essential components in a healthy building, either with or without a WELL certification.
The target audience here is active commuters but also active occupants - those showers can also encourage employees to go for a run after work, take a shower and then head out for a social appointment with friends, for example.
What issue is WELL Movement V04 Facilities for Active Occupants addressing?
On one level, it is about facilitating the lives of those who wish to travel under their own steam, by jogging or cycling into work, an active commuter in other words. These employees will be generally fitter, healthier and more productive in the workplace, with less days off (unless they end up hitting the IronMan circuit of course!) and less sick days. We can imagine this being especially important in the US where car culture and the lateral spread of cities makes a cycle commute more of a challenge.
In another sense, these active commuters are also placing less pressure on the road networks, they are not polluting, nor are they using public transport, so it is a win-win for both sides.
WELL Movement V04 Cycling Network & Bike Parking
Cycling infrastructure for a healthy building going for WELL Certification can be linked to location, tapping into the cycling network such as cycle lanes and bike sharing schemes.
Additionally, bike parking can be split into short-term (i.e. a public bike rack) for 2.5% of peak visitors, with a minimum of four spaces per building.
Long-term parking would be something like a dedicated bike room or bike wall with space for 5% of regular building occupants and a minimum of four per building. Finally, this same bike room, should provide a basic set of tools for cyclists to fix a tyre. Basic stuff but any cyclist will be glad to find a repair kit one day!
An extension of this we have seen in some healthy building case studies is to bring in a local bike mechanic every three months or so to give the regular cyclists a free bike tuning to ensure they are riding on safe tyres, brakes and so on.
All of the above simply needs to be verified by on-site photographs and a Letter of Assurance – by an architect or designer.
WELL Movement V04 On-site Shower Facilities
Showers, lockers and changing facilities come as a cluster for obvious reasons, and these elements need to be co-located next to each other, with five lockers per shower and the only other variable being the total requisite number of showers on offer within the healthy building to secure another point within WELL V04.
Essentially the calculation is 1 + 1 extra shower for 150 occupants above 100 for any WELL project below 1000 regular occupants.
If you are interested in our services helping you create a physical activity space / equipped gym for WELL Movement V08, contact us here.
WELL Building Standard: V06 Physical Activity Opportunities
Biofilico specialises in group training classes to meet the certification 'WELL Building Standard: V06 Physical Activity Opportunities' for workplaces and schools.
We specialise in group training classes to meet the certification of WELL Building V06 Physical Activity Opportunities for workplaces and schools.
What is the WELL Building Standard?
The WELL Certification process for WELL V2 is now widely established as the leading healthy building and wellness real estate standard in the world today. It is essentially a series of guidelines backed by rigorous scientific research, that when taken together, will guide a real estate project, whether new build construction or refurbishment and fit-out, towards a final product that is aligned with human health and wellness.
Sections of the V2 standard are dedicated to Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, Community & Innovation.
What is WELL consulting?
A WELL AP or WELL consultant is there to assist a project team through the certification process, ensuring maximum points are scored along the way by offering expert advice not just on how to lock-in points but also the principles that lie behind them. As a result, the project has every chance of becoming a model of health and wellness in the built environment.
Additionally, a WELL consultant’s skill set might include wellness interior design, biophilic design, knowledge in healthy buildings and consideration for sustainability / green buildings, a WELL building’s close cousin, as well as expertise in health and fitness, or as WELL like to call it ‘Physical Activity’, ‘Movement’ and ‘Nourishment’.
What is the WELL certification looking for in Movement V06?
In short, the focus here is “no-cost physical activity opportunities led by a qualified physical activity professional” but as ever the devil is in the detail so let’s look at exactly how mied-use real estate, workplace and school projects can secure maximum points for this particular credit of the WELL healthy building standard.
Why is physical activity at work or school important?
It is well known that gym membership rates in most countries hover around 10-15%, and that is just membership, not even usage! WELL reference the fact that around 25% of the global population is considered physically inactive.
On the positive side, a more active workforce or student population has been shown to reduce healthcare costs and absenteeism whilst improving productivity.
Biofit carried out one study into the benefits of indoor green exercise on mental wellbeing showing similarly encouraging results as well as a similar study focused specifically on the mental health benefits of spending time in a green ‘Vitamin Nature’ restorative space (no physical activity this time) during a workday, again with highly positive results. See the results of those studies here.
The role of workplace wellness programs in WELL V06
Simply put, the workplace and businesses in general are are powerful platform from which to reach the adult working population, just as schools are for the younger generations.
There are various factors at play here such as giving ‘permission’ to take time out during a paid work day, the positive benefits of peer pressure and collective group activity (rather than trying to train solo at home in for example).
Employers also have the opportunity of sponsoring gym memberships, providing onsite physical activity spaces with equipment at the workplace (whether indoor or outdoor) and promoting physical activity programming.
What do we mean by Physical Activity Opportunities in the workplace?
Firstly these need to be free of charge for employees and regular occupants of the workplace. The type of activity on offer should also match the demographics of the target audience.
Group physical activity classes should also take place either on-site or within 650ft walking distance from the project boundary and last for at least 30-minutes but ideally for 60-minutes for a total of up to 150 minutes in total of the physical activity programming each week.
Examples of Physical Activity Opportunities for WELL standard V06
So, for example that might equate to a free weekly 45-minute yoga class in a dedicated recharge room or restorative space within the building, at no cost to participants.
Or it could be a bi-weekly natural fitness group class held in an adjacent park or indeed on a vacant rooftop of the building, using bodyweight only for simplicity an to make it accessible to all, again with those costs covered by the employer and the class lasting for 60-minutes.
The WELL standard specifies that classes need be given by a qualified professional, be that a certified yoga instructor, a certified Biofit training coach or someone with a REPS Level 2 or higher qualification in the UK (or local equivalent for group fitness classes in other countries).
NB: the training can also be delivered virtually, via a large screen and Zoom, for example, if there are issues bringing in a qualified teacher to the workplace due to health concerns, availability, etc.
Finally, the above needs to be verified for WELL Certification of MOVEMENT V06 Physical Activity Opportunities with a company policy or an operations schedule.
We hope this article has proven useful! Contact us here to discuss how we can help you with workplace wellness programs and the WELL Building Certification process
WELL Building standard Movement V09 Physical Activity Promotion
WELL are interested in a joined-up approach here for Movement V09, one that recognises that workplace wellness can be a complex beast given that everyone reacts differently to the promotion of physical activity at work. We are specialists in healthy building fitness activity programs.
a WELL consultant’s perspective on HEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAMS IN THE WORKPLACE FOR WELL feature V09 MOVEMENT
a Biofit outdoor class in mindful movement for the Second Home co-workin community, Lisbon, Portugal
What is the WELL Building Standard?
The WELL Certification process for WELL V2 is now widely established as the leading healthy building and wellness real estate standard in the world today. It is essentially a series of guidelines backed by rigorous scientific research, that when taken together, will guide a real estate project, whether new build construction or refurbishment and fit-out, towards a final product that is aligned with human health and wellness.
Sections of the V2 standard are dedicated to Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, Community & Innovation.
What is WELL consulting?
A WELL AP or WELL consultant is there to assist a project team through the certification process, ensuring maximum points are scored along the way by offering expert advice not just on how to lock-in points but also the principles that lie behind them. As a result, the project has every chance of becoming a model of health and wellness in the built environment.
Additionally, a WELL consultant’s skill set might include wellness interior design, biophilic design, knowledge in healthy buildings and consideration for sustainability / green buildings, a WELL building’s close cousin, as well as expertise in health and fitness, or as WELL like to call it ‘Physical Activity’, ‘Movement’ and ‘Nourishment’.
What is the WELL certification looking for in Movement V09?
WELL are interested in a joined-up approach here for Movement V09, one that recognises that workplace wellness can be a complex beast given that everyone reacts differently to the promotion of physical activity at work. Some will be early adopters, some will have their own routine outside of the workplace, while still others will struggle to engage at all. For this reason, it is advisable to combine environmental design with behavioral strategies.
We recommend starting the process with an understanding of the building occupants, the end users or target audience for the physical activity promotion in other words. It can be useful to develop 3-5 hypothetical user profiles for example, that describe a number of character types who will each respond to a different type of physical activity promotion best.
Physical Activity Incentives for WELL feature V09
Physical activity incentives such as what WELL refer to as ‘conditional incentives’ have been shown to have a respectable success rate. For example, if a business owner were to offer a reduced gym membership to all staff yet this came without any ‘ask’ in return, it is likely to have less long-term success that pinning that subsidy to X number of visits per month for example. With a wearable in the mix, we could imagine setting a monthly target of calories burned, steps walked and so on in exchange for the gym subsidy, almost like a form of gamification in fact.
Schools and Physical Activity Incentives in WELL Building Standard
Student populations are particularly relevant to this feature as early uptake of a physical activity regime can set a young person on a path to a lifetime of fitness, potentially, just as the opposite is equally true. Schools might include Physical Education classes with basic bodyweight exercises, calisthenics and group games. After-school activities such as specific sports are an even bigger opportunity to encourage physical activity as team sports and competition can tap into deep-rooted psychological needs in all of us, if pitched correctly.
We also recommend schools focus on reducing sedentary hours via the use of standing desks for example and generally promoting movement as part of the school day via any means possible. Eight hours crouched over a desk or laptop is not going to help anyone, especially not when a project is aiming for WELL Feature V09.
What type of physical activity programs does the well building standard ask for?
At least two of the following physical activity promotion programs to eligible employees:
Rewards for physical activity engagement (imagine the HR team creating a league table amongst departments with monthly or annual rewards)
A subsidy towards physical activity costs incurred by employees (perhaps a free weekly group fitness studio class to test out something new, or a subsidized small group fitness / personal trainer who coaches staff at a convenient hour in their schedule)
Reductions in health care premiums based on physical activity engagement.
Flexible work hours to accommodate physical activity (an extended lunch hour to allow time to change out of work clothes, run/swim/train and shower, as well as eat)
Paid time off for physical activity with a minimum of four days per calendar year (perhaps for a fitness holiday, to attend a race or for a full-day workshop deep dive into a fitness subject of particular interest)
Additionally, this feature asks for proof of employee utilization, such as one of the following:
The project monitors utilization of incentive programs and demonstrates an annual utilization rate of 50% (this would need to be monitored by the HR team or Office Manager for example)
The project demonstrates an annual improvement in utilization of at least 10 percentage points (this shows there are external efforts underway to continue the health promotion efforts, ensuring an increase in uptake over time, rather than letting the initiative slowly fade out due to lack of promotional effort within the workplace)
We hope this article has proven useful! Contact us here to discuss how we can help you with workplace wellness programs and the WELL Building Certification process
WELL Building Standard: Movement V08 Physical Activity Spaces & Equipment
Biofit creates physical activity spaces with functional fitness equipment, a.k.a gyms and fitness studios, aligned with green and healthy building certifications such as the WELL Building Standard (ref: Movement V08). We specialise in designing green fitness spaces, such as the one shown above, that secure additional points within the WELL certification for MIND M07 Restorative Spaces and MIND M09 Enhanced Access to Nature.
DESIGNING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SPACES WITH EQUIPMENT FOR WELL / MOVEMENT / FEATURE V08
What is the WELL Building Standard?
The WELL Certification process for WELL V2 is now widely established as the leading healthy building and wellness real estate standard in the world today. It is essentially a series of guidelines backed by rigorous scientific research, that when taken together, will guide a real estate project, whether new build construction or refurbishment and fit-out, towards a final product that is aligned with human health and wellness.
Sections of the V2 standard are dedicated to Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, Community & Innovation.
What is WELL consulting?
A WELL AP or WELL consultant is there to assist a project team through the certification process, ensuring maximum points are scored along the way by offering expert advice not just on how to lock-in points but also the principles that lie behind them. As a result, the project has every chance of becoming a model of health and wellness in the built environment.
Additionally, a WELL consultant’s skill set might include wellness interior design, biophilic design, knowledge in healthy buildings and consideration for sustainability / green buildings, a WELL building’s close cousin, as well as expertise in health and fitness, or as WELL like to call it ‘Physical Activity’, ‘Movement’ and ‘Nourishment’.
How we can help you create a physical activity space in your real estate project
We create physical activity spaces with functional fitness equipment, a.k.a gyms and fitness studios, aligned with green and healthy building certifications such as the WELL Building Standard (ref: Movement V08).
We specialise in designing green fitness spaces, such as the one shown above, that secure additional points within the WELL certification for MIND M07 Restorative Spaces and MIND M09 Enhanced Access to Nature (using biophilic design that brings the outside world in).
This equates to a total of 4 extra points on top of the 2.5 points on offer in V08 Physical Activity Spaces & Equipment!
What are the requirements of WELL Movement V08 Physical Activity Space & Gym Equipment?
WELL are looking for evidence that there is a gym or fitness facility available at no cost for regular building occupants to. use, either in the building itself, nearby or in a nearby outdoor space such as a park.
Does this mean you have to provide a fitness room if there happens to be an outdoor gym in the adjacent public park? Clearly not but not every project is going to be that fortunate, nor is it always an entirely satisfactory solution, for example in northern hemisphere locations with a lot of rainfall, or adverse weather conditions for six months of the year.
Creating an indoor physical activity space for WELL V08
The specifications for an indoor gym space are as follows:
The space includes at least two types of exercise equipment (e.g., free weights, treadmill) in quantities that allow use by at least 5% of regular occupants at any time.
The space includes at least two types of exercise equipment (e.g., free weights, treadmill) and is at least 270 ft2 plus 1 ft2 per regular occupant, up to a maximum of 10,000 ft2.9
So WELL are looking for a combination of strength and cardio machines in other words but in projects where budget is limited, we would recommend specifying a spin bike or rowing machine instead of a treadmill where it is far better to spend a little more for a good quality machine that will not cause damage to the knee joints for regular users.
Good quality spin bikes and rowers are comparatively far cheaper ‘physical activity equipment'‘ choices, usually in the £1.5k - £3k price range, whereas a treadmill is more like £5k - £10k, yet the former two still offer a solid cardio training experience. In many cases, it is far better to go run outside when weather allows anyway!
Additionally, a dumbbell rack of 5kg-25kg and perhaps some kettlebells in 12kg-16kg-20kg, an exercise bench or two and perhaps some medicine balls 6kg-8kg-10kg. There is really no need for isolation strength machines that take up a lot of space, cost from £5k up and will only ever help with one movement.
If available budget and space allow, a multi-gym strength machine is a far more efficient approach, combining upper and lower body training options. We. would also recommend a pull-up bar, barbell, weight plates and a squat rack, as a bare minimum. Add in some exercise mats and a foam roller or two and you are good to go!
The off-site physical activity space option for WELL V08
The project provides regular occupants access to a fitness facility within a 650 ft walk distance of the project boundary at no cost.
This might be an existing gym, YMCA, health club or group fitness studio for example. In order for occupants to have free access to a private facility however, the project owner would obviously need to arrange for a corporate agreement with the nearby facility, making a bet on rates of uptake by occupants.
This is unlikely to work out cheap in the long-term if the occupants are remotely interested in using the facility, suggesting that the option of creating a small on-site fitness facility, or physical activity space with equipment, might be a smarter solution in response to WELL V08.
An outdoor physical activity space in response to WELL V08
Two points are available here so this is worth looking at in detail. At least one of the following should be within a 0.25 mi walk distance of the project boundary and available at no cost to regular occupants:
Green space (e.g., park, walking/biking trail).
Blue space (e.g., swimming area).
Recreational field or court.
Fitness zone that includes all-weather fitness equipment.
For projects with child occupants, play space geared toward children (e.g., playground).
This is all dependent on the project location and is beyond the control of the project owner so is likely either to be a quick win in points terms, or remain frustratingly out of reach if none of the above conditions can be met.
If you are interested in our services helping you create a physical activity space / equipped gym for WELL Movement V08, contact us here.
Further Reading
well building standard: mind M09 Enhanced Access to Nature
This article explore WELL Certified MIND M09.Enhanced Access Nature, addressing our interpretation of this feature, with recommendations on how to approach it both as WELL consultants and as wellness designers, or biophilic designers.
biofilico well building consultants & nature design experts respond to mind feature M09
Introduction to Biofilico: WELL Building Consultants
Biofilico is a green building, health and wellness advisory based in Barcelona, Spain and London, UK. We offer creative design and consultancy services for mixed-use real estate developments and hospitality brands.
Our experience is in delivering small-scale projects independently as well as working within a team on larger buildings and master-planned communities. Our mission is to have a positive impact on People and Planet through the built environment.
What is the WELL Building Standard?
Among many green building standards and certification systems, the WELL standard completely re-wrote the rulebook of human-centric green building certification, going further than both LEED and BREEAM in its quest to promote healthy buildings. As a result, it pairs well with LEED or BREEAM as it goes deep into the health aspects of a building rather than its environmental impact per se.
Credit categories cover air, water, nourishment, light, comfort, fitness, mind and innovation with WELL Associated Professionals (a.k.a “APs”) playing the role of project lead, ensuring that the stringent demands of the standard are successfully implemented while Performance Verification is completed by an authorized WELL Performance Testing Agent (a.k.a an Assessor).
Why does MIND Feature M09 require enhanced access to nature?
We have long promoted the mental and physical health benefits of access to nature, whether that be outdoors or indoors, through plants, trees and other natural elements. This MIND feature in the WELL certification explains that connecting with nature can reduce stress and anxiety levels, restore concentration levels, boost feelings of vitality and purpose, and generally make the day just that little bit more pleasurable. In summary, this concept is generally referred to as a biophilia - man’s innate connection to and love of the natural world.
What contribution has Biofilico made to this biophilia thesis with its own research?
Our Vitamin Nature / mindfulness space in Canary Wharf, London went deep into this concept, looking at the effect exposure to nature and mindfulness combined can have on our mental wellbeing. The results were reassuringly positive and scientifically backed by a research team at the University of Essex.
What are the requirements of WELL MIND M09 in regards to nature access indoors?
The WELL Certification specifies 75% of all workstations and seating in conference rooms, lecture halls and classrooms offer a direct view of nature, plants, a water feature or trees outside. Alternatively, those same spaces need to be located within 33ft of an element of indoor nature such as a vertical garden wall, or water feature. Either one of these points will need to be verified with a Technical Document by WELL upon submission.
Unsure what an example of the indoor nature might look like? The restorative green space we installed in the lobby area of a corporate headquarter building in Switzerland (see photo above) would be an ideal answer to that question, although smaller and less capital intensive interventions are equally as suitable, depending on requirements. For example, this wellness interiors interior project of ours called Casa Biofilico shows what can be done on a more modest scale:
What are the requirements of WELL MIND M09 in regards to nature access outdoors?
WELL Feature MIND 09 specifies that an outdoor space ought to be equivalent in size to minimum 5% of the project interior area with at least 70% of it from a bird’s eye view above covered in plants or other natural elements?
Alternatively, access to an existing nature space, be it green nature such as a park or blue nature such as a lake, needs to be located within 650m walking distance from the project boundary, with free access for all regular building occupants during opening hours. The total combined green space needs to be at least 1.25 acres in size.
This outdoor restorative green space we designed, also for the corporate office project in Switzerland shows the type of outdoor space that responds effectively to MIND 09 Enhanced Nature Access thanks to its dense greenery and landscaping as well as the incorporation of a small water feature and plenty of natural materials such as sustainably sourced wood in the furniture and pergola to create a verdant outdoor oasis geared for workplace wellness.
WELL asks for a verified technical document for this part of the credit.
Finally, outdoor nature access needs to be verified with a professional narrative stating that building occupants are able to, even encouraged to access outdoor nature via signage, maps or the availability of nature breaks during the workday.
An example of this in action would be with our work for Black Mountain Partners in London. Their offices are 100m from a royal park, meaning the location is one of the city’s most desirable but with space at a premium, we needed to encourage staff to feel empowered to take a 15-minute nature snack in Green Park next door as a way to restore concentration and energy levels. Instead of reaching for caffeine or sugar, we recommended outdoor nature access as a company policy.
How do Biofilico respond to WELL Feature MIND M09 Enhanced Nature Access as consultants?
We start with a quick discovery phase including a project briefing, relevant stakeholder meetings, a review of the project plan and any concept designs for the development as a whole, establish the WELL Certification project’s overall wellness and sustainability priorities, then identify user or occupant profiles so we know who the end users will eventually be. This all helps to keep our priorities on track.
For the indoor nature access component, we work with project architects and interior designers to review the space plans, checking for views of nature and/or propose creative ways to integrate biophilic design, plants and other natural features into the interior design as a way to boost its nature credentials.
Biophilic design is our specialty and requires a coordinated effort that factors in not just the interior architecture but also landscaping and operations / maintenance factors.
For the outdoor nature access component, it is more a case of checking local area maps and if possible walking the neighborhood in person to identify suitable nature spots that building occupants could be directed to for a dose of Vitamin Nature during their work day.
To discuss how we can help you secure maximum points in your WELL certification, contact us here.
well community: AIR / Fundamental Air Quality
How to respond to the well community: AIR / Fundamental Air Quality Precondition and its available features.
biofilico well community standard consultants: specialists in healthy indoor air
What is the WELL Building Standard?
The WELL Certification process for WELL V2 is now widely established as the leading healthy building and wellness real estate standard in the world today. It is essentially a series of guidelines backed by rigorous scientific research, that when taken together, will guide a real estate project, whether new build construction or refurbishment and fit-out, towards a final product that is aligned with human health and wellness.
Sections of the V2 standard are dedicated to Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, Community & Innovation.
What is WELL consulting?
A WELL AP or WELL consultant is there to assist a project team through the certification process, ensuring maximum points are scored along the way by offering expert advice not just on how to lock-in points but also the principles that lie behind them. As a result, the project has every chance of becoming a model of health and wellness in the built environment.
Additionally, a WELL consultant’s skill set might include wellness interior design, biophilic design, knowledge in healthy buildings and consideration for sustainability / green buildings, a WELL building’s close cousin, as well as expertise in health and fitness, or as WELL like to call it ‘Physical Activity’, ‘Movement’ and ‘Nourishment’.
What does WELL Community Fundamental Air Quality require from you?
The WELL Community standard has some fairly stringent air quality standards that, for those unfamiliar with air quality data standards, such as RESET Air for example, may appear initially intimidating. This is what they look like:
Annual average PM2.5 less than 35 µg/m³.[5]
Annual average PM10 less than 70 µg/m³.[5]
Annual fourth-highest daily average 24-hour concentration (99th percentile) PM2.5 less than 75 µg/m³.[5]
Annual fourth-highest daily average 24-hour concentration (99th percentile) PM10 less than 150 µg/m³.[5]
Highest 8-hour average ozone less than 240 µg/m³ (122 ppb).[5]
Highest 8-hour average carbon monoxide less than 14 mg/m³ (12 ppm).
(Sourced from https://v2.wellcertified.com/community/en/air/feature/1)
What basis questions do you need to ask yourself for WELL Community Air Feature AQU?
Existing quality of outdoor air in the project location is a good place to start. We can safely assume urban mega-city vs a remote, or rural location will makes a huge difference in the baseline quality of outdoor air intake and how much work the filters will have to do. Natural ventilation with operable windows may be a terrible idea in a city like Shanghai for example!
Indoor air quality monitors
Have commercial grade indoor air quality monitors been specced, as well as a suitable monitor deployment plan, correct installation and cloud data storage with alerts and maintenance protocols?
HVAC filters & Recirculation filtration
Has the MEP consultant or engineering team specified suitably high-grade HVAC filters in each building? MERV 13 are the new gold standard so remember that name if you can. Consider recirculation filtration units in-ceiling rather than the portable versions.
Green Procurement Policy
A green, low-VOC and non-toxic procurement policy for building materials & fit-out materials will then ensure that there are limited if any off-gases present inside the building post occupancy.
Identify sources of combustion
If there are possible sources of combustion (carbon monoxide) near the buildings in question, that might well create an air quality problem, specifically heavy industrial, commercial kitchens or car exhausts / car parking areas.
Green Cleaning Policy
Post-occupancy, an enhanced green cleaning policy should be obligatory in each building, delivered by via the facilities management, as some cleaning materials contain harmful chemicals, believe it or not.
Green walls for air quality
Finally, we always recommend designers integrate the strategic use of 'living machines' such as vertical gardens / green walls with a high plant density (especially the root systems and soil, we need that to purify the air) to have a tangible impact on IAQ in certain locations - a pot plant in the corner of a conference room will not change much unfortunately. Remember to aim for 1 x air-purifying plant per 8 regular occupants in each enclosed room as a baseline.
How do we approach this WELL community feature as project consultants?
We start with a project briefing and stakeholder meetings, review the project plan & concept designs as well as the overall wellness & sustainability goals before agreeing on some occupant / user profiles to understand who will be using the community once completed. Specifically to address the possible features for additional points:
Feature SGR / Integrate Streetscape Greenery
We advise on required masterplan landscaping adaptations for spacing / density of urban greenery, environmental equity and population density / existing tree cover, document installation and species selection in line with local code, document maintenance plan for tree plantings
Feature GRE / Restorative Green Spaces
We advise on required masterplan landscaping adaptations for access to green spaces, entry points and draft recommended signage content & locations for green spaces and finally minimum planting requirements in green spaces, suggestions on how to offer respite while encouraging voluntary attention.
Feature VEG: Urban Vegetation & Built Spaces
Here we make recommendations on location & density of tree shading, identify outdoor spaces for evaluation and advise on vegetation coverage strategies. We then advise on required masterplan landscaping adaptations for spacing / density of urban greenery, environmental equity and population density / existing tree cover, document installation and species selection in line with local code, document maintenance plan for tree plantings
Feature BLT: Restorative Built Spaces
We identify qualifying restorative places in existing masterplan and recommend necessary adaptations, draft entrance signage content for each space and draft content on respite voluntary attention elements.
For more info on our healthy building strategies see here.
To discuss how we can help you with the WELL Community standard, email us here.
well building standard: Mind M08 Restorative Programming
Biofilico specialises in delivering well building standard: Mind M08 Restorative Programming. Company founder Matt Morley also created Biofit natural fitness and his brother Charlie Morley is a mindfulness teacher meaning we cover all bases!
Biofilico well building standard consultants: specialists in health & fitness programming
What qualifies Biofilico to deliver the WELL MIND M08 Restorative Programming?
Company Founder Matt Morley advises on wellbeing and sustainability for the real estate and hospitality sectors. He is a certified green building professional and a natural health & fitness expert with a specialism in creating biophilic, nature-inspired spaces.
Biofilico is his wellness interiors consultancy offering expert advisory, creative interiors and green / healthy building certification services but in this instance it is his experience creating Biofit Health & Fitness that is perhaps even more relevant.
Biofit has its own natural fitness courses online as well as a growing tribe of certified coaches around the world promoting this unique combination of functional fitness, mindful movement and mobility.
Additionally, Matt’s brother, Charlie, is a bestselling author and teacher of mindfulness, lucid dreaming and shadow integration making him ideally placed to advise on this MIND feature of the WELL Building Standard on Restorative Programming.
Charlie was “authorised to teach” within the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism by Lama Yeshe Rinpoche in 2008. Since then he has written four books which have been translated into 15 languages and has run mindfulness workshops & retreats in more than 20 countries.
He’s spoken at both Oxford and Cambridge Universities, the Ministry of Defence Mindfulness Symposium, The Houses of Parliament (on Buddhism & youth culture) and the Mindfulness Association Annual conferences.
In 2018 he was awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship grant to research PTSD treatment in Military Veterans and continues to teach people with trauma-affected sleep a set of practices called Mindfulness of Dream & Sleep.
What is the WELL Building Standard MIND M08 feature?
WELL are looking for ongoing programming for building occupants that gives them access to classes in, for example, mindful movement, meditation or yoga. Why? As a response to workplace stress and poor mental / physical health in the workplace. A stressed office worker is less productive, creates negative energy and is going to burn out eventually.
The role of Mindfulness in MIND M08
Mindfulness has become a buzz word of late but it’s principles are sound. We approach this theme by taking inspiration from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition of mindfulness, being present in the moment, as it is happening.
This can be brought on via mindfulness meditation or indeed by practicing a form of mindful movement such as walking slowly barefoot outdoors or, practicing yoga or forms of mindful movement fitness such as Biofit.
The results are likely to include less stress, less anxiety and an improvement in mood.
Our Vitamin Nature / mindfulness space in Canary Wharf, London went deep into this concept, looking at the effect exposure to nature and mindfulness combined can have on our mental wellbeing .
What are the requirements of WELL Feature MIND M08 Restorative Programming?
WELL are specifically looking for two or more of the following to be on offer for regular building occupants and the services should be fully subsidized or by 50% at a minimum to ensure equitable access to all.
Mindfulness training course either online or in person
Guided meditations or yoga classes, either in-person or online
Digital mindfulness programs such as an app combined with a dedicated space for self-practice
All of this must then be verified by a Policy or Operations schedule for certification.
How do we deliver WELL Feature MIND M08 Restorative programming as consultants?
We start with a quick discovery phase including a project briefing, relevant stakeholder meetings, a review of the project plan and any concept designs for the development as a whole, establish the project’s overall wellness and sustainability priorities, then identify user or occupant profiles so we know who will the end users will eventually be.
We would then research and select a suitable mindfulness training course, or propose one of our own if language-appropriate. We research, select and pre-screen a local yoga and/or meditation teachers, or provide a mindful movement program ourselves as Biofit. We also research and select suitable digital mindfulness offerings for the local market, such as an app, whilst ensuring that there is a designated space within the WELL project boundary for self-practice.
Finally, we deliver a restorative programming plan, contacts and recommended budget to cover two or more of a mindfulness training course, weekly mind-body program and digital mind-body offerings to secure the maximum available point score in WELL MIND M08 Restorative Programming.
To discuss how we can help you secure maximum points in your WELL certification, contact us here.
WELL Building Standard: M07 Restorative Spaces
Biofilico specialises in delivering nature-inspired, biophilic wellness rooms for the WELL Building Standard: M07 Restorative Spaces feature.
Biofilico designs restorative spaces for the WELL Building Standard (MIND M07)
Introduction to Biofilico: WELL Building Consultants
Biofilico is a green building, health and wellness advisory based in Barcelona, Spain and London, UK. We offer creative design and consultancy services for mixed-use real estate developments and hospitality brands.
Our experience is in delivering small-scale projects independently as well as working within a team on larger buildings and master-planned communities. Our mission is to have a positive impact on People and Planet through the built environment.
What is the WELL Building Standard?
Among many green building standards and certification systems, the WELL standard completely re-wrote the rulebook of human-centric green building certification, going further than both LEED and BREEAM in its quest to promote healthy buildings. As a result, it pairs well with LEED or BREEAM as it goes deep into the health aspects of a building rather than its environmental impact per se.
Credit categories cover air, water, nourishment, light, comfort, fitness, mind and innovation with WELL Associated Professionals (a.k.a “APs”) playing the role of project lead, ensuring that the stringent demands of the standard are successfully implemented while Performance Verification is completed by an authorized WELL Performance Testing Agent (a.k.a an Assessor).
What is WELL MIND M07 Restorative Spaces?
WELL are looking for restorative environments that promote mental wellbeing by reducing stress and mental fatigue. They reference workplaces primarily as this is where most of our mental challenges will take place in a typical day.
Recharge rooms are a response to the phenomenon of workplace tiredness and stress. Biofilico designed one for a project in Switzerland working for the Hero Group’s Chief People Officer, see our case study here.
Nature interaction has been shown to boost recovery and productivity, whether indoors through the use of biophilic design or outdoors with direct nature contact.
See our project video here:
Nature-based restorative Spaces with biophilia
We have also previously delivered a scientific research study into exactly these benefits of exposure to nature, or Vitamin Nature as it has been called. Another topic specifically references in WELL MIND M07.
This explainer video shows more about that restorative space project we created for residential real estate development The Wardian by Eco World Ballymore in London.
Our response to WELL MIND M07 Restorative Spaces
So having established Biofilico’s experience in delivering exactly the type of restorative space that the WELL certification is looking for, how do we typically approach a project for this WELL feature?
We start with a Discovery process that involves a project briefing, a number of stakeholder meetings, we review the overall project plan and any existing concept designs for the rest of the development, agree on the project’s wellness & sustainability goals, then finally review occupant / user profiles, or work with the project team to define these if not already available.
We then move into the Development phase in response to WELL MIND M07 Restorative Spaces. Having agreed on a suitable location, we propose various possible uses or functions for a WELL MIND Restorative Space.
Once agreed, we begin work on the layout and floor plan, identify suitable healthy building materials and start to incorporate those into a restorative space concept design integrating biophilia / nature and wellness design features that match the WELL Building Standard feature precisely.
Wellness design features for WELL MIND M07 Restorative Spaces
These include wellness lights, calming sounds, thermal comfort, seating, nature, colours & privacy.
Finally, we provide content for the required signage and/or educational materials that WELL look for in the finished restorative space to help communicate its many wellness design features.
Delivery
What details are important in this WELL Mind feature?
At least one designated restorative space needs to be made available for all regular occupants, whether indoor or outdoor, whether one space or multiple smaller spaces.
It needs to be designated for this purpose, or at least not also used for work at certain times of day. Its dimensions need to be minimum 75sq ft but ideally closer to 2000 sq ft is feasible.
Dimmable lighting, nature sounds, shade from direct sunlight, biophilia or nature incorporation, comfortable seating arrangements that encourage relaxation, we recommend a relaxing colour palette of natural hues and textures, combined with enough visual privacy to ensure that an occupant can make full use of the space without concern of colleagues looking on from outside.
Finally, all of this has to be verified by Technical Document for the WELL certification process.
To discuss Biofilico’s WELL building design and consultancy services, contact Matt here.
RESET Air standard for healthy building & interiors
Our introduction to the RESET Air healthy building standard and certification process, from a consultant’s perspective.
A healthy workplace consultant’s review
What is the RESET Air quality standard & certification?
RESET stands for “Regenerative, ecological, social and economic targets”.
The company was started by architects in Shanghai in 2001 adopting an eastern perspective based on a 5000 year history of health and regeneration, rather than the explicitly green / sustainable approach promoted in the west.
Unlike other green building or healthy building standards, such as LEED, WELL or FITWEL, RESET AIR does not insist on any set, prescribed paths towards achieving high quality indoor air results.
Their approach is simply to leave the door open to innovation, how each project gets there is up to the project team. It is the destination that matters most in this instance, RESET do not concern themselves with prescribing the journey.
In their terms, this is a biomimetic approach, that takes its inspiration from nature and the biosphere’s 3.8 billion year history. They talk our language in other words!
What standards make up RESET Air?
Deployment and installation of monitors (APs are trained to create a professional monitor deployment plan
Standards for qualified monitors (only Grade A and B, not retail grade C)
Standards for collecting and reporting data via accredited cloud data providers (priority is data completeness and data on a project meeting targets for key pollutants of TVOC, CO2 and PM2.5 specifically)
The goal here is effectively to make occupant health measurable leveraging technology, shifting the focus from prescriptive design to measured results, using cloud software and making building data ‘social’ (easily available to occupants).
Why should a real estate development engage with RESET Air?
Green buildings have been shown to have a positive impact on cognitive scores, even a 10% increase in productivity in an office or workplace can pay potentially for or greatly offset a business’s rental costs.
What’s more, health & safety are often the main criteria in building satisfaction for occupants. Deliver a healthy building with high quality indoor air and you add value to the property in other words.
It is worth stating too that RESET have launched with RESET AIR but recently announced a series of other declinations that shows the true ambitions of this young contender in the green & healthy building sector.
Next up is a MATERIALS standard, currently in pilot phase at the time of writing, that will be followed by standards for WATER, ENERGY, and waste or CIRCULARITY (all three still under development).
What makes the RESET Air quality standard different?
It’s all about integration of available technology that has been rigorously tried, tested and maintained to ultimately create buildings with feedback loops, buildings and real estate that ‘talk to us’.
So whether it be a Core & Shell or a Commercial Interiors fit-out, the data is king.
Pollution thresholds have been adopted from best practices from existing authorities such as ASHRAE, leaning on other specialist institutions in other words.
Why is Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) so important?
Indoor pollutants such as CO2 have a negative impact on cognitive function and performance. the best solution is source control - nipping the problem in the bud, by not bringing harmful materials into the space that carry chemicals, VOCs or off-gases. For that, we need building materials and fit-out materials that disclose their chemical ingredients, ideally with a healthy product accreditation to back up their claims.
One of the main culprits in this sense are Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) or chemicals that off-gas at ambient temperature from building materials such as particle board, glues, paints and carpet backing
Particulate Matter PM2.5 and PM10 are made up of dust and synthetic materials decomposing around us from furniture, fabrics and so on. For RESET, Carbon Monoxide is only relevant for projects where combustion is present. As reference, CO reduces the amount of oxygen transported in the bloodstream, making it potentially lethal.
Sensor technology cannot cover every pollutant, other air quality sensors do exist but they are prohibitively expensive, so as the market for high-grade sensors steadily democratizes over coming years, new pollutants will be incorporated into the standard.
What air quality monitors are accepted by RESET AIR?
Direct read or hand-held instruments may be good for a walk-through survey or in detecting a specific pollutant but they have been deemed unsuitable for RESET as the standard requires high quality and constant air quality data in order to detect trends and patterns over time in a specific, fixed location. A lab test is good for a deep-dive but will only reflect a specific moment in time.
RESET provides standards for the deployment, location and installation of monitors that have been classified as Grade A (reference grade) or Grade B (commercial grade) only, excluding the increasingly common consumer Grade C.
It is RESET APs (accredited professionals) that are responsible for the monitor deployment plan, RESET then acts as the neutral stakeholder capturing data in the cloud. As all monitors will gradually drift over time and need to be cleaned / recalibrated, the occasional follow-up site visit is required to inspect the monitors, again by a RESET Accredited Professional.
To discuss Biofilico assisting with your project’s RESET Air certification process please contact us here.
Marine-based eco materials on yachts
For BioBlu yachts, there is a happy synergy in using materials sustainably sourced from the sea onboard a yacht, what better way to align the interests of owner and ocean?
This article was written for and first appeared on the BioBlu website here
Why use marine-based materials in an eco-friendly green yacht?
For us, there is a happy synergy in using materials sustainably sourced from the sea in a green yacht, what better way to align the interests of owner and ocean? So what are we talking about when we say "marine materials"?
A lot of attention is focused at the moment on seaweed and algae but we might also include eco materials that contain upcycled ocean plastic for a circular economy angle, or fish leathers as a byproduct from the fishing industry for example. More on each of these below.
See here for more information on our sustainability advisory services for green yachts and here for our eco materials consultancy.
Marine algae decorative wall tiles
Ecolurian are an exciting Dutch eco materials company pushing the concept of using algae in wall tiles, a product we consider to be ideal for a decorative wall display aboard a green luxury yacht as it immediately creates a talking point whilst also adding sustainable credentials to the interiors.
Made from kelp algae sourced in the Pacific Ocean, one of the fastest growing species in the world meaning it is reassuringly sustainable eco material, the tiles are made using eco glue and a bamboo base. Each one has its own patina making it very wabi-sabi, as the Japanese would say!
Luxury organic mattresses onboard green yachts
We have had the pleasure to meet the founder of Coco-Mat natural mattresses, and to visit their headquarters in Athens, Greece. We also sleep on Coco-Mat bedding every night so have in a sense been product testing for the past few years.
A Coco-Mat mattress is truly a beautiful thing, despite being hidden beneath sheets and perhaps an additional mattress protector. The eco materials used include natural rubber, seaweed and coconut fibre - no metal, no springs for an unbeatable night's sleep onboard an eco-friendly yacht designed for wellness.
Biodegradable food containers for green yacht pantries
It is still relatively early days on this one but the sheer number of experimental projects happening at the moment suggest we are getting close to what could be a revolution in our thinking of how to store food onboard a green yacht or indeed any luxury yacht looking to improve its eco-friendly operations policies.
Already seaweed-based Notpla capsules filled with water or Lucozade are replacing plastic water bottles at running events. Already more open-mind food product brands are adopting plant-based plastic alternatives for their packaging.
Of course, taking reusable bags, or canvas bags for grocery shopping and refusing to accept single-use plastic bags even in markets, should be second nature for green yacht crews with a conscious.
Fish leather as a sustainable luxury eco material
A number of innovative companies such as Nordic Fish Leather produce exotic leathers from cod, wolffish and salmon, although we see this as more suitable for a handbag than a sofa on a green yacht interior. Nonetheless, such examples suggest further innovation in this space will yield more materials for a wider range of uses.
Stingray leather is another option, far more durable and hard wearing than fish leather meaning it can be used to clad bespoke furniture pieces such as side tables or chests of drawers.
Marine-based bathroom amenities for eco yachts
One final area in which we might look to integrate the health benefits of algae and seaweed is in a green yacht guest suite bathroom. We have written about this previously in greater detail here. Our tips for brands to consider include the likes of One Ocean Beauty and OSEA Malibu in the US as well as Haeckels in the UK. It's an easy switch so why aren't more yacht charter crews considering it?
Designing the perfect wellness kitchen
The concepts of design are often focused on aesthetic, or functionality, but recent trends have also leaned towards human wellness as an intrinsic core feature. Here we focus on designing the perfect wellness kitchen.
Wellness design applied to the kitchen
The concepts of design are often focused on aesthetic, or functionality, but recent trends have also leaned towards human wellness as an intrinsic core feature.
By incorporating wellness into a design, the modern architect is looking to promote a healthy mind and a living area which acts as a positive space for those dwelling within. Maybe design has focused on aesthetic and function too much over the years, with clutter, sharp edges and wide-open spaces not always conducive to comfortable and safe living.
There has been a recent shift in home renovations within the UK sector, with increasing numbers confined to the home and often with disposable income to invest. 59% of Britons will be investing in their home in 2021, with an average spend of around £6,500. Within that figure, there will be extensions, full renovations and the most popular projects, new bathrooms and kitchens.
The kitchen is a highly functional space which acts as a meeting place, a food preparation area and a key storage location within the home. Getting your design right is not always easy and with so many options available it can all feel a little overwhelming even at the design stage. If you are looking for a kitchen space that is functional, but also promotes the key principles of wellness, then it might be wise to incorporate some of the tips we have outlined below.
Glass Doors
One of the major concepts of a wellness kitchen is to promote a healthier diet by using the philosophy of a retailer. In your local store, the manager knows you will not buy a product which you cannot see, and often the ones featured prominently will sell quicker. A wellness kitchen works in the same way, but it promotes fruit and vegetables. This can be achieved by investing in a glass-doored fridge, for example. If you can see a nice crisp carrot or a fresh banana, you are more likely to reach for that than something hidden away behind a chunky door.
Minimalise
It is easy to clutter the kitchen with gadgets and accessories. Look at your kitchen right now. Is there a microwave on the worktop? Maybe a toaster, too? Do you have a jar with utensils by the hob space, and maybe even plates and crockery on display? All this clutter makes the kitchen feel busy, complicated and muddled. A wellness kitchen should seek to have everything out of sight, with nice clear worktops and spaces for you to prepare food, or just relax in with the family. One popular aspect is to incorporate an ‘appliance garage’ in the space. Within this expansive cupboard, you might have your blender, coffee maker, toaster, slow cooker and a host of other useful appliances, but they will be out of sight until needed. As for the microwave, get rid now. Food has a better nutritional content without radiation.
Function
Another key aspect of personal wellness is time. If you have time to pursue the satisfying elements of your life, then naturally you will feel better about yourself. Today’s smart kitchens can help automate many jobs you have previously been forced to endure, and even some simple gadgets such as a hot water tap allow you to remove the traditional kettle, saving energy boiling water and time waiting for it to happen. Of course, if you do make functional changes to your plumbing system, it is worth adding in some peace of mind for yourself, such as plumbing insurance. HomeServe’s breakdown of insurance cover, details how protection for your system can be low cost, but a malfunction can be anything but. To maintain wellness and eradicate worry, knowing that a leak or a breakdown is covered for a nominal fee each week is another great option for your wellness kitchen. That can extend further, with cover available for the boiler, electrics and other aspects that could result in costly repairs.
In Summary
In the future, wellness kitchen guru Veronica Schreibeis Smith believes the Internet of Things will further develop personal wellness in our functional rooms, but until the tech catches up, there is still plenty you can do. Each aspect of a wellness kitchen will be tailored to you personally, your trigger points and personal needs. Hopefully, we have given you a good starting point, but if you want to keep up on all wellness and sustainability design news, be sure to pay regular visits to Biofilico.
Sustainable Materials in Buildings: Wellness Design Consultants
A range of sustainable fabrics made from byproducts of banana, pineapple, apple and mango production suggest nature-based solutions have a bright future!
Sustainable textiles & fruit-based bio fabrics
sustainable textiles made from recycled materials and fruit byproducts
A Range of Innovative Fabrics Made from Byproducts of Banana, Pineapple, Apple, and Mango Production Suggest Nature-Based Solutions Have a Bright Future!
In the quest for sustainable building materials, the fashion industry has turned to nature, creating innovative fabrics from the byproducts of banana, pineapple, apple, and mango production. These sustainable materials offer a promising alternative to traditional construction materials, reducing waste and promoting a circular economy.
By utilizing fruit byproducts, these fabrics significantly lower the environmental impact of the fashion industry. Traditional materials often come with a high carbon footprint, but these fruit-based textiles offer a more sustainable choice. The production process of these fabrics supports sustainable agriculture, ensuring that the byproducts of fruit production are not wasted but repurposed into valuable materials.
Moreover, these innovative fabrics contribute to energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, aligning with the goals of sustainable construction. As the construction industry continues to seek out sustainable building materials, the use of fruit byproducts in fabric production stands out as a forward-thinking solution.
This approach not only supports the environment but also enhances the quality and sustainability of the materials used in various construction projects.
A range of innovative fabrics made from byproducts of banana, pineapple, apple and mango production suggest nature-based solutions have a bright future!
A healthy material? The problem with the mass market leather industry and its carbon emissions
Creating high-end interiors often means specifying elements of leather, such as furniture coverings, bedheads, and so on.
Clients are unlikely to understand the full impact of leather on the environment and nor should we expect them to - the emphasis is on sustainability minded professionals to raise awareness of this theme, presenting innovative alternatives of equal or better quality, as and when appropriate.
As the range and diversity of such bio-based circular economy materials increases, so the mass market leather industry can be, we hope, gradually phased out, leaving leather to play a longer-term role in the luxury industry, thereby reducing the depletion of natural resources.
Poor indoor air quality from cheap vinyl fabrics
Besides the fundamental question of the long-term viability of ‘big farming' and our relationship with the cattle / beef industry in particular, leather tanning can involve hundreds of chemicals including toxins and heavy metals that stop it from decomposing.
These chemicals then off-gas from the leather over the first 1-2 years of its life lowering the indoor air quality around it.
So-called eco leathers or faux leathers are essentially PVC vinyl based and may look OK on day one but will gradually degrade over time as they are used, whereas high quality leather arguably looks better and better as time passes!
Swiss backpack brand QWSTION is known for combining design and functionality with sustainability. Since 2008 the design studio has been developing versatile carry solutions for everyday use – with an understated look and a low environmental footprint.
"We're delighted to present Bananatex®: the world's first technical fabric made purely from banana plants which are organically cultivated in the Philippine highlands. We've invested three years of research, testing and development to create a truly sustainable material that has our DNA woven into it, and offers an answer to questions we've been asking ourselves since day one."
QWSTION bags are designed and developed in Zurich, and manufactured in Asia and the EU according to highest ethical standards.
Bananatex
Sustainable textile 1 - Bananatex
Waterproof and made in the Philippines**, Bananatex** relies on a natural ecosystem of sustainable forestry, it involves no chemical treatments along the way and is a natural fibre made from the abaca plant, essentially a variant of the banana plant but one that is farmed for its fibres rather than its fruit.
Bananatex also contributes to sustainability by absorbing carbon dioxide during its lifecycle.
The abaca trees are grown with no fertilizers or pesticides, it eventually converts into a fine yard (after several years of experimentation and research by the QWSTION team).
The output is a high-end material as shown in the Bananatex bag that could, if the owner chose to, leave it to decompose on the farm and turn it back into fertilizer for the abaca trees in a perfect example of circularity.
Pinatex
sustainable textile 2 - Pinatex
We first heard about the Pinatex waste pineapple leaf fibre textile made by Ananas Anam several years ago when it was being tentatively used in some experimental fashion items, already through this natural fibre alternative to leather was causing ripples within the sustainable design community.
Inspired by the Cradle to Cradle concept of circularity, Pinatex is made from a byproduct of the fruit industry, no animals were harmed in its production, we can at least be sure of that, and rural farming communities were given a financial boost in the process via this extra source of income.
Orange Fiber
sustainable textile 3 - Orange Fiber
These silk-like fabrics made from citrus fruit byproduct in Catania, Sicily by Orange Fiber can be blended with other materials as needed but the citrus textile itself emerges soft to the touch and extremely lightweight, making it unsuitable for furniture but ideal for fashion..
Already the fabric has been picked up by H&M and Salvatore Ferragamo.
Recycled plastic is another innovative material that complements the sustainable approach of Orange Fiber.
More than 700,000 tons of citrus waste are produced in Italy on an annual basis with few if any alternatives available other than disposal so we applaud the Orange Fiber team for their work.
Appleskin
sustainable textile 4 - Appleskin by Frumat
Another Italian brand, this time from Bolzano in the north and Florence in Tuscany, Frumat’s ‘AppleSkin’ contains around 25% apple waste recovered from the fruit juice industry, making it vegan and of course cruelty-free too.
By producing sustainable material that transforms food waste into a raw material that can be put to a myriad of uses, products like this surely have a bright future.
The challenge perhaps is to see how many of them can make the transition into the furniture textile space vs those that exclusively serve the fashion sector.
Similarly, the use of recycled steel in construction projects offers significant environmental benefits, such as reducing carbon emissions and saving energy, while maintaining material quality.
to enquire about our expertise in specifying healthy building materials and interior fabrics, contact us here
Introducing the World Green Building Council Health & Wellbeing Framework
Introducing the World Green Building Council Health & Wellbeing Framework
Our review of the Health & Wellbeing Framework, it’s benefits and uses in real estate
Six Principles for a Healthy, Sustainable Built Environment
Neither a green building nor a healthy building certification as such but rather an umbrella framework for thinking about both sides of the coin, this welcome model from the World Green Building Council strikes a conciliatory tone, making it eminently practical, user-friendly and comfortably aligned with current industry trends. In other words, we like it!
So what exactly is health and wellbeing in this context and how can it help guide sustainable development in the real estate industry?
Read on to find out more as we break down each section into bite-size chunks within the framework of sustainability health and wellbeing.
This is applicable to workplace health projects as well we employee wellbeing framework requirements and wellbeing strategy for residential developments, or indeed for those looking to maximize wellbeing benefits in mixed-use real estate developments.
If there are any up and coming health and wellbeing guardians looking to implement wellbeing initiatives in their organization, this is also a great place to start.
principle 1 / PROTECT HEALTH: Air Quality, Water Quality, Mental Health and Infectious Disease in Buildings
Indoor Air Quality: This feature looks at air pollution and airborne diseases in the context of human health and public health, specifically household pollution from solid fuel combustion, household pollution from gas appliances, pollutants such as VOCs present in fabrics and materials, and finally biological contaminants.
Ambient Air Pollution: Issues such as the manufacture of building materials contributing to black carbon emissions, the construction process itself and its carbon emissions and more generally the operations of buildings via heating, cooling and lighting, with their corresponding energy demands.
Raising awareness of these issues relating to wellbeing health is a valuable initiative, no matter whether led by the World Green Building Council or the World Health Organization.
Water Quality: Testing for contaminants, regular cleaning schedule in communal areas, Legionella management plan.
Mental & Social Health: Biophilic design, acoustic comfort, shared communal spaces, access to and views of nature, active space for exercise, post-occupancy surveys.
Reduce Transmission of Infectious Diseases: Integrate sensor activations in buildings, HVAC maintenance schedule, use of UV lamps, high touch surface disinfection plan.
principle 2 / Prioritise comfort: Thermal Comfort, Lighting, Acoustics, Visual, Ergonomic and Inclusive Design
Thermal Comfort: Airtight building envelopes and suitable ventilation, thermal massing, use of beneficial solar gain, insulation and glazing, retention of existing trees, Passive House design strategies, integration of traditional or vernacular design. These are fundamental well being principles common in any healthy building plan.
Natural and energy efficient lighting: Maximize natural light in a building whilst reducing glare, avoid using glossy finishes, specify light-coloured opaque shading systems
Acoustic comfort: Use of sound-absorbing interiors products, sound masking, vibration isolation devices
Multi-sensory comfort: Olfactory comfort (avoid unpleasant odours), ergonomic furniture and visual stimulation via aesthetics
Inclusive design: consideration for those with physical or mental disabilities as well as the vulnerable or ageing populations
principle 3 / harmony between natural and built environments
Occupant access to nature in buildings: biophilic design features, landscaping features, natural patterns and textures, opportunities for human interaction with nature
Occupant access to nature outside and biodiversity within the site: Green infrastructure such as green roofs or courtyards, native plant species, rehabilitate degraded land on site
principle 4 / healthy behavior
Active design: attractive stairwells, end of trip facilities (showers, bike storage, etc), access to nearby public transportation
Hydration, nutrition and social connectivity: Clean water provision, communal dining facilities, healthy food options (cafe/restaurant), food prep areas
principle 5 / social value
Protect human rights related to health: Social and demographic equity within project and construction team, inclusion of human rights and labour provisions in supplier tendering, Human Rights Impact Assessment and Supply Chain Mapping
Health of construction workers: Responsible construction practices, protection of worker rights, health & safety measures, educational programs
Improve local quality of life: Engage with the local community early on, reduce impact of construction site on local community wherever possible, implement organizational strategies to help support local economy (e.g. restaurants)
principle 6 / take climate action
Commit to net zero emissions: Improve lifecycle energy efficiency / reduce building energy demand, aiming for net zero operational carbon emissions in all new buildings by 2030, and net zero embodied carbon in all new buildings by 2050, measure and disclose carbon, generate power from renewables where possible and off-set the rest, use passive design measures, opt for low Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants
Design for Resilience: Plan for resilient systems, carry out environmental assessments, use vernacular natural ventilation strategies where possible, specify products and materials that will not off-gas in the event of a natural disaster, design for reduced dependence on complex building controls and systems for when the worst happens
https://worldgbc.org/health-framework
To discuss how we can help you implement this framework into your business, contact Matt directly here.
Further Reading
Biophilic Design And Wellbeing Interiors- An Evolutionary Perspective
How To Know If Your Workplace Fits The Wellness Office Concept
What Is Wellness Design In A Healthy Buildings And Wellbeing Interior Strategy
Carlo Battisti - A Vision For Biophilic Architecture And Interiors In Regenerative Real Estate
Sustainable Hotel Resort Standards, Certifications And Ecolabels
How Do Branded Wellness Residences Promote Mental And Physical Health Of Residents?
An Introduction To Biophilic Design And Wellbeing Interior Concepts
The Secrets Of A Healthy Building: 9 Essential Principles For Optimal Wellness And Sustainability
Introducing the WELL Health & Safety Rating
Who is this new, post-Covid healthy building rating aimed at and what does it involve? Read on for our review.
Our review of the new WELL Health & Safety Rating
Who is the WELL health & safety rating aimed at?
Having spent some time digging into the available literature online, WELL’s new healthy building rating system appears better adapted to the remit of an in-house facilities management team looking after the interests of their workforce than, say, an owner intent on enhancing a property’s health and safety features either prior to occupancy or in collaboration with tenants and the Facilities team post-occupancy.
This may represent a source of frustration for some forward-thinking developers as there is scope to implement around 50% of the features independently pre-occupancy but the remaining 50% are only deliverable by an HR department on behalf of its workforce.
To receive the WELL Health & Safety rating applicants need to hit at least 15 of the 20 features and by our calculations at least, that is practically impossible to deliver as a conscientious landlord. There are simply too many features linked to the workforce and HR policies for a building owner such as a developer or real estate fund to implement this rating system alone.
On this basis, it would be interesting to imagine an alternate path to certification for landlords acting independently. That said, for businesses keen to protect their staff by implementing a range of scientifically backed operational measures, this new rating hits the spot.
What policies does the WELL health & safety rating require?
Cleaning & Sanitization Procedures
Support hand washing (appropriately hygienic soap dispensers, hand dryers and signage prompt
Reduce surface contact (touchless faucets and water fountains, hands-free operation of entry doors, lift doors, washroom doors, window blinds, light switches, waste / recycling bins)
Improve cleaning practices (a highly detailed and professional cleaning plan that documents all relevant processes and procedures)
Select preferred cleaning products (all products to be ISO14024 Eco Label compliant)
Reduce respiratory particle exposure (a range of more intrusive distancing measures, only applicable at times of higher incidence of respiratory disease)
Emergency Preparedness Programs, a.k.a ‘resilience plans’
Develop emergency preparedness policies (undertake a risk assessment and draft plan)
Create business continuity plan (BCP) for operating under disruptive circumstances, such as a pandemic
Plan for healthy re-entry (a set of strategies designed to protect occupant health when returning to the workplace after an emergency evacuation)
Provide emergency resources (information indicating emergency procedures, at least one first aid kit per floor, a building emergency notification system, occupant training in CPR, designated emergency responder, security / crisis response team in place)
Bolster emergency resilience (designated space for emergency responders in case of emergency, shelter-in-place plan for emergencies in which occupants can’t leave the building)
Health Service Resources
Provide sick leave (employers to offer short-term and long-term sick leave)
Provide health benefits to all eligible employees
Support mental health recovery to employees at no cost
Promote / provide flu vaccines to regular building occupants
Promote a smoke-free environment (ban indoor and outdoor smoking within project boundaries, restrict sales of tobacco products on-site)
Air & Water Quality Management
Assess ventilation (professional assessment of building ventilation supply rates, potential improvements, air recirculation rates)
Assess & maintain air treatment systems (complete system inventory, air treatment assessment by a qualified engineer, device maintenance with accompanying evidence of new filters or UV lamps)
Develop Legionella Management Plan (risk assessment of all water assets, documented maintenance program)
Monitor air & water quality (on-going data from air quality monitoring system, annual chemical / biological water quality assessment
Manage mold & moisture (moisture management plan for building operations, annual mold and leak inspection data)
Stakeholder engagement & Communication
Promote health & wellness (set a health mission for the building, communicate around health & wellness resources to regular building occupants)
Share food inspection information (applicable to on-site food establishments)
Healthy & Safe Building Innovation
Innovation within the rating standard, taking it forward in some way
A WELL Accredited Professional (WELL AP) on the project team
Implement one of the main WELL certification requirements
Reach Pre-certification phase for the main WELL certification
We discuss the main WELL Certification on our green & healthy building certification page here.
Upcycled ocean-plastic fabrics in eco yacht interiors
A new generation of luxury fabrics made from upcycled ocean plastic yarn is the ideal solution for an eco yacht interior by BioBlu.
How eco yacht designers can lead the way
There is fundamental change afoot in the yacht industry as awareness increases of the overall environmental footprint of the refit yards, ship builders and of course yachts combined all have.
As a sense of collective responsibility in the face of climate change grows ever stronger, so will the demand for more eco-friendly alternatives for engine power, boat building materials, interior fit-out materials and even onboard operations.
Upcycled ocean-fabrics have a small but important role to play in this process, alongside natural and sustainably sourced fabrics such as organic cotton. The added value in an ocean-fabric based material though is that it has effectively already made a valuable contribution to cleaning the seas.
That journey from ocean plastic to yacht furniture upholstery may not have been straightforward but it is now very much a possibility, meaning the emphasis is on eco yacht designers and eco yacht brands in general to support such initiatives. Here's how...
Ocean clean-ups removing plastic from the oceans
It is now easier than ever for businesses in the yacht industry to make a give back to Non-Governmental Organizations playing their part in cleaning and protecting the ocean in response to the estimated 12 million tonnes of plastic dumped into the oceans each year. Read that again.
Yes, that means each and every year. What's more, only around 9% of all plastic ever produced has been recycled, with a total of 400 million tonnes of plastic being produced globally each year according to the Seaqual Initiative (see below).
Examples of NGOs supporting ocean clean-ups include The Ocean Cleanup , PlasticBank and the ReSea project, amongst many others doing invaluable work in the sector.
Making the journey from ocean plastic to yarn
The Seaqual Initiative is based near Girona, Spain and acts as a loose community that connects ocean clean-ups around the world with waste management and recycling industries to transform marine litter into Upcycled Marine Plastic, which in turn can be used by manufacturers in their own fabrics, yarns or products.
In this sense at least, the Seaqual Initiative may not yet be on the radar of most eco yacht designers, and perhaps understandably so but their work represents a fundamental link in the often lengthy chain of organizations involved in this process.
Just imagine that PET water bottles may only be around 5-10% of the waste collected by fishermen, and even beach clean-ups only reach 40% of PET bottles, meaning the rest still needs to be sorted and dealt with in a responsible manner.
Manufacturing Upcycled Marine Plastic fabrics for interiors
UK manufacturer Camira's Oceanic range picks up the baton from the Seaqual Initiative's post-consumer recycled plastic yarn and turning it into a contemporary recycled polyester with a purpose. Each metre of the Oceanic fabric is made from 100% post-consumer recycled polyester including 50% Seaqual yarn, the equivalent of 26 plastic bottles per metre.
The fabric is Certified to OEKO-TEX Standard 100 and Certified to Indoor Advantage™ "Gold", coming in a range of colourways with a natural inspiration, ideal for the onboard interior fit-out of an eco yacht.
BioBlu sees great potential in specifying Oceanic upholstery and others like it in an eco yacht interiors new build or refit project as a way to add a degree of Circularity, giving new life onboard an eco yacht to what was once discarded plastic waste destined to pollute our seas for many hundreds of years.
To find out more about BioBlu's interior consultancy services and our expertise in sustainable, healthy materials, contact Matt or Paolo at info @ bioblu.org or via the contact form here.
Biophilic design for green yachts
Biophilic design combines elements of sustainability and wellness with inspiration from the natural world, making it, in our view, an ideal solution for green yacht interiors and a unique selling point for the next generation of sustainable yachts.
This article first appeared on my BioBlu website
Why use biophilic design on a green yacht?
Wellness, nature & sustainability
Biophilic design combines elements of sustainability and wellness with inspiration from the natural world, making it, in our view, an ideal solution for green yacht interiors and a unique selling point for the next generation of sustainable yachts.
So why has it made so little impact in the industry thus far? Perhaps partly this is due to lack of awareness amongst specialist yacht interior designers, or simply that an owner has a preferred style that differs from this more organic aesthetic. Current eco yacht certifications also do not currently cover materials, focusing instead on a yacht’s engine room carbon footprint.
The real opportunity here then is surely in leveraging biophilic design in the new generation of green yachts and, in future, being awarded by eco yacht certification systems for using the type of natural, sustainably sourced materials that are biophilic design’s trademark.
Another benefit for a green yacht with biophilic interiors is the added wellness benefits for the user, thanks to the healthy interior design strategies that we offer via our yacht consultancy services.
By leveraging the latest insights into healthy interiors, we create indoor spaces optimized for owner wellbeing, from deeper sleep, to greater concentration in a work area, reduced anxiety and improved mood. To achieve this our multi-sensory yacht interior concepts incorporate texture, lighting, sound and a sense of place – in this case inspired by the sea!
Blue nature on green yachts
Bringing the outside world in through nature-inspired design strategies that create harmony between onboard living areas and the ‘blue nature’ surrounding the yacht is a unique feature of biophilic design applied to the world of yachting.
Common strategies of biophilic design we might use on a green yacht interior include the use of fractal patterns, organic non-GMO fabrics, what the Japanese call ‘wabi-sabi’ finishes, the patina of age and generally a focus on honest materials in a neutral colour palette designed to create a restorative environment that is at one with the natural world outside.
Other design details integrating blue nature might include the use of marine materials in furniture fit-outs, for example dried seaweed embedded in an all-natural mattress, sustainably sourced seashells in a tabletop or a coral–inspired artwork full of textural detail.
A green yacht needs sustainable interiors
Adopting an environmentally-friendly approach to yacht interiors requires extensive knowledge of materials and their life-cycle. Thus far we have seen less uptake from the industry of this theme with energies focusing on the engine room and how to user cleaner energy forms to take the yacht from A to B.
Clearly this is fundamental and there remains a lot of work to do in this sense to go beyond the current diesel-hybrid engine solution. So as we collectively start to look ahead to what comes next for the yacht industry, the opportunity is to widen our collective scope to include not just the yacht’s engineering systems but also its interior fit-out and onboard operations.
Sustainability is a 360-degree picture, there is nowhere to hide. This can be daunting, even over-whelming for those without expertise in the field as the plethora of product and material certifications on offer, from Cradle to Cradle to the Declare Red List and beyond.
Our priority is to help guide a client to the right combination of form and function, keeping an eye firmly on the organic, natural, chemical-free, and recycled or upcycled materials.
To enquire about our green yacht interior consultancy services and biophilic design expertise, please contact us here to discuss your project. We are always open to collaboration!