How does your office space affect your health?  If you think about it, most office spaces and buildings are designed to minimize the physical activity of its occupants.  While many office spaces today are certified as meeting the sustainability standards of LEED, that does not necessarily equate to an office environment positively affecting its occupants’ health.  Since its introduction, we are seeing many of the LEED sustainability standards incorporated into building codes and construction practices.  These standards fulfill two primary objectives – preserving the environment and saving money.  While it is assumed that they benefit the occupants’ health, that’s not necessarily the case.  To help combat the national obesity epidemic and rise in the diagnosis of chronic diseases, new building standards are being introduced to focus on how the physical environment supports the occupants’ well being.  Outlined below is an overview of The WELL Building Standard® (originated by the Delos Group, a New York developer) and what it means to office space occupiers.  In my next post, I will address a broader healthy building standard from New York City. This standard, known as the Active Design Guidelines, was developed in a public-private partnership in 2010, which was supported by Mayor Bloomberg, and led to the 2013 launch of the non-profit Center for Active Design.

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