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WELL Feature FactsThis sheet of WELL facts, focused around WELL features, will help you create engaging, easy-to-understand communications and marketing materials for your employees and other stakeholders. You can utilize these talking points and quick facts in emails, posters, social media posts or other resources – or host them on your organization’s intranet site. Please make sure to reference your final WELL scorecard to ensure the list and numbers of features described are accurate. Option 1: WELL Building Standard OverviewDid you know…your office has Number WELL Building Standard features integrated to support your health and well-being?Did you know…the space you’re in right now has achieved Number WELL features designed to improve air quality? Now that’s a breath of fresh air.Did you know… in your indoor space there are Number WELL features incorporated to improve water quality so you can stay hydrated knowing that you’re drinking the cleanest, healthiest water possible? Did you know…Number WELL features are supporting you to help make the healthy choice the easy choice when it comes to selecting nutritious food?Did you know…your space incorporates Number WELL features into the building’s design and operations to help you get more physical activity throughout the day? Did you know…your office uses Number WELL features to create optimal lighting conditions to help you feel more energized, comfortable and productive during your day? Did you know…your office was designed with Number WELL features in mind to ensure your comfort needs – physical, thermal, olfactory and acoustic – are met each day? Did you know…your office has been transformed by implementing Number WELL features that optimize your cognitive and emotional health?Option 2: “Did you know…?” CampaignsDid you know...the average person spends almost 90% of their time indoors?Almost 90%! That’s about 22 hours each day. Now think about those indoor spaces. Are they good for your well-being? Your office space now has Number features curated to improve your well-being. Full quote: “NHAPS respondents reported spending an average of 87% of their time in enclosed buildings and about 6% of their time in enclosed vehicles.” Source: AIRDid you know…you breathe around 3,000 gallons of air every day?Each breath not only brings vital oxygen to your body, but also carries thousands of additional particles and contaminants. Your office filters the air you breathe to ensure it is of high quality. Full quote: “Air pollution is a problem for all of us. The average adult breathes over 3,000 gallons of air every day. Children breathe even more air per pound of body weight and are more susceptible to air pollution. Many air pollutants, such as those that form urban smog and toxic compounds, remain in the environment for long periods of time and are carried by the winds hundreds of miles from their origin.”Source: Did you know…indoor air quality can be 2-5 times worse than outdoor air quality? Luckily, Company Name is taking steps to improve indoor air quality through cutting-edge design and maintenance measures. Full quote: “The EPA does not regulate indoor air, even though concentrations of some common organic pollutants can be two to five times higher indoors than they are outside.”Source: Environmental Protection Agency. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). An Introduction to Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). [Online] Jul 9, 2012. you know...chlorine, a chemical commonly found in drinking water for disinfectant purposes, can be harmful in excess amounts? Chlorine is added to public water supplies through a process called chlorination to disinfect the water and kill germs. In small doses, chlorine is beneficial for the water supply. In large doses, it can have serious health effects. Your building’s water has been tested to ensure your water is safe to consume. Full quote: “Chlorination is the process of adding chlorine to drinking water to disinfect it and kill germs. Different processes can be used to achieve safe levels of chlorine in drinking water. Chlorine is available as compressed elemental gas, sodium hypochlorite solution (NaOCl) or solid calcium hypochlorite (Ca(OCl)2 1. While the chemicals could be harmful in high doses, when they are added to water, they all mix in and spread out, resulting in low levels that kill germs but are still safe to drink 2.”Source: you know...women should drink nine cups [more than two liters] of water daily? And men should drink 13 cups [three liters]? Do you get enough water to keep your body hydrated?Water is necessary for lubricating and cushioning joints and carrying nutrients and oxygen to cells, among other essential bodily processes. The conveniently located hydration stations around your office make staying hydrated easy. Track your water intake to determine if you may be dehydrated. If so, drink up!Full quote: The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly about 13 cups (3 liters) of total beverages a day. The AI for women is about 9 cups (2.2 liters) of total beverages a day.Source: Staff MC. Nutrition and healthy eating water: How much should you drink every day? Mayo Clinic. September 2014. . Accessed December 8, 2016. you know…that about 60% of American caloric intake consists of ultra-processed foods?There is little nutritional value in a significant number of the calories most people consume daily. Because of WELL, more of the food you have access to in your office is nourishing. Visit the kitchen to see what’s new! What percentage of the foods you consume actively fuel your body and keep it running smoothly? Think about how you feel after you eat lunch. What’s the difference in your energy level when you eat pizza, or when you eat a nutrient-rich salad?Full quote: “Ultra-processed foods comprised 57.9% of energy intake, and contributed 89.7% of the energy intake from added sugars. “Source: Steele EM, Baraldi LG, da Costa Louzada ML, Moubarac J-C. Ultra-processed foods and added sugars in the US diet: evidence from a nationally representative cross-sectional study. BJM Open. 2016;6(3).Did you know…that 75% of the American population’s diet is low in vegetables, fruit, dairy and oils?Regular consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables can help build a healthy diet, lowering your risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Consuming plants, cooked or raw, is a necessary part of maintaining a healthy diet. Plants provide our body with essential vitamins and nutrients, as well as water!Full quote: “Three-fourths of the population has an eating pattern that is low in vegetables, fruits, dairy, and oils”Source: Burwell SM, Vilsack TJ. Chapter 2: Shifts needed to align with healthy eating patterns. Dietary Guidelines 2015-202. . Accessed December 8, 2016. Did you know…that daily caloric intake in America has jumped 9% since 1971? In 2010, the daily caloric intake was 2,173. For most people, sugary foods predominate the top 10 sources of these calories. How many calories do you consume daily?WELL aims to decrease the number of unhealthy calories consumed daily by making fruit, vegetables and unprocessed foods easily accessible to people in WELL Certified spaces.Full quote: “An analysis of data from NHANES 2005–2006 showed that the top 10 sources of calories among adults were grain-based desserts, yeast breads, chicken and chicken mixed dishes, soda/energy/sports drinks, alcoholic beverages, pizza, tortillas, burritos, tacos, pasta and pasta dishes, beef and beef mixed dishes, and dairy desserts".Source: Trends in energy intake among adults in the United States: findings from NHANES. Ford, ES and Dietz, WH. 4, April 2013, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 97, pp. 848-853. you know…poor diet is linked to a 66% increased risk of loss of productivity? Food is your fuel! Your space is designed to help you make healthy food choices so you can give your body the best possible nourishment.Full quote: “Eating unhealthily is linked with a 66% increased risk of loss of productivity.”Source: Merrill RM. 2012. Presenteeism according to healthy behaviors, physical health, and work environment. Population Health Management. 15(5):293-301LIGHTDid you know...your eyes are used for more than just seeing?Your eyes take in visual and non-visual cues throughout the day, which help to shape your body’s sleep/wake cycle, or circadian rhythm. Photoreceptors in the eye’s retina help regulate this cycle, which impacts how tired or awake you feel throughout the day.Full Quote: “A survey of 26 anatomical sites indicates that, in humans, melanopsin is expressed only in the eye. In situ hybridization histochemistry shows that melanopsin expression is restricted to cells within the ganglion and amacrine cell layers of the primate and murine retinas. Notably, expression is not observed in retinal photoreceptor cells, the opsin-containing cells of the outer retina that initiate vision. The unique inner retinal localization of melanopsin suggests that it is not involved in image formation but rather may mediate nonvisual photoreceptive tasks, such as the regulation of circadian rhythms and the acute suppression of pineal melatonin.”Source: Provencio I, Rodriguez IR, Jiang G, Hayes WP, Moreira EF, Rollag MD. A novel human Opsin in the inner retina. The Journal of Neuroscience. 2000;20(2):600–605. . Accessed December 8, 2016.Did you know...light is made up of different colors? The resulting color temperatures have varied effects on the body! Exposure to blue light suppresses your melatonin and can shift your circadian rhythm. We are exposed to blue light through many sources, but screens such as our computers and smartphones are the largest perpetrator.Full quote: Harvard researchers and their colleagues conducted an experiment comparing the effects of 6.5 hours of exposure to blue light to exposure to green light of comparable brightness. The blue light suppresses melatonin for about TWICE AS LONG as the green light and shifted circadian rhythms by twice as much: 3 HOURS VS. 1.5 HOURSSource: Viola A, James L, Schlangen L, Dijk D. Blue-enriched white light in the workplace improves self-reported alertness, performance and sleep quality. Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health. 2008;34(4):297–306. . Accessed December 8, 2016.Did you know... that the electric lightbulb was invented in 1879? By 1960 over 99% of homes in the U.S. had electric lights, allowing people to stay up later, work longer hours, and be active later into the night. Electric lighting changed the way society worked, allowing people to live, work, and play long after natural daylight vanished. In a relatively short amount of time, we went from dictating our lives by the rhythms of the sun to adopting new patterns and habits based on our regular exposure to electric lighting.Source: Wright Jr. KP, McHill AW, Birks BR, Griffin BR, Rusterholz T, Chinoy ED. Entrainment of the Human Circadian Clock to the Natural Light-Dark Cycle. Current Biology. 2013;23(16):1554–1558. Did you know...electric lighting can alter our circadian rhythm by pushing back bedtimes?Electric lighting is one of the most important inventions for mankind as it allowed people to live, work and play long after daylight vanished. Unfortunately, sleep and other biological rhythms evolved in the natural light-dark cycle and electric lighting may disrupt these rhythms. Specifically, electric lighting has reduced the amount of natural sunlight most people are exposed to during the day, and increased our exposure to light after sunset. The WELL Building StandardTM addresses this by setting circadian-appropriate levels for your electric light, and encouraging access to natural daylight.Full quote: “The invention of electric lighting stimulated an industry that quickly spread through cities and towns across the country…Over the course of the next half century two especially significant social effects became clear. We gained control over light in homes and offices, independent of the time of day.”Source: Full quote: “When the sun went down, our ancestors’ activities were dramatically limited. This was just as well, because uncertainty and danger lurked in the darkness, and it was considered safest to stay close to home. But humans have always rebelled against the darkness. Our first artificial lights were campfires and torches. Oil-filled stone lamps were found deep in the cave at Lascaux, France, where they were used 30,000 years ago to light Cro-Magnon artists’ work. Sometimes, people even enlisted the help of animals for illumination. They threaded an oily fish or bird with a wick and lit it, or trapped fireflies in a cage. Much later, whale oil, and gas street lamps in the 1800s made it fashionable and easier to socialize after dark. And sleep patterns began to shift. But it was electric light that changed everything. Thomas Edison’s ingenious filament bulb in 1879 swiftly became ubiquitous in much of the world. As people became accustomed to light on demand, our fundamental relationship to time changed as well. Suddenly, the night was open for business, and we began to take advantage of it with greater and greater demands on our productivity.”Source: FITNESSDid you know… that standing burns 50 more calories per hour than sitting?Company Name has invested in sit-stand desk options to enable you to burn those extra calories throughout your workday. Be sure to utilize your new desk and stand during some of your working hours.An easy way to burn more calories throughout the day is by taking a micro break. Getting up to move around every now and then stimulates your body and could increase your metabolic rate substantially. Full quote: “Even trivial physical activities increase metabolic rate substantially and it is the cumulative impact of a multitude of exothermic actions that culminate in an individual's daily NEAT.”Source: Levine J. Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). Best practice & research. Clinical endocrinology & metabolism. 2002;16(4):679–702. . Accessed December 8, 2016.“Sitting also burns about 50 fewer Calories per hour (0.83 kcal/min) than standing (exact caloric expenditure is dependent on body size, weight, and other individual factors).”Source: Standing-based office work shows encouraging signs of attenuating postprandial glycaemic excursion. Buckley, J, et al. 2, February 2014, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Vol. 71, pp. 109-11. . 10.1136/oemed-2013-101823.Did you know… 86% of Americans sit for at least eight hours of their workday?Sitting for prolonged amounts of time increases your risk for many adverse health effects, such as high blood pressure, heart issues, weight gain, as well as chronic back and neck pain. Take advantage of the sit-stand desks and flexible working options to reduce your sitting time and risk of chronic disease.Full quote: “Prolonged sitting has been shown to increase the risk of several adverse health conditions, as well as premature mortality.”Source: Too much sitting – A health hazard. Dunstan, D, et al. 3, June 11, 2012, Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, Vol. 97, pp. 368-376. (12)00208-2/abstract. Full quote: “As mentioned, regular, moderate-intensity exercise does not appear to negate the unhealthy consequences of sitting time—a 2010 review highlighted an association between sedentary time and adverse health effects that was not modified or changed by adjustment for exercise time.”Source: Sedentary Behavior: Emerging Evidence for a New Health Risk. Owen, N, et al. 12, 2010, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Vol. 85, pp. 1138-1141. you know… only about 50% of American adults report meeting the recommended amount of weekly exercise? Luckily, there are easy ways to increase your physical activity.The CDC recommends people complete 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity five days a week. This can be anything from brisk walking to yoga, playing Frisbee or doubles tennis, to water aerobics. Carrying golf clubs or gardening also counts!Full quote: “Based on survey data from 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that in the United States, less than half (49.6%) of all adults report meeting the federally recommended 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, five days per week.”Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health, United States, 2013: With Special Feature on Prescription Drugs. Hyattsville : The Department of Health and Human Services, 2014. . 2014-1232. COMFORTDid you know…your sweater could be the key to your success!Uncomfortable temperatures in the workplace can decrease productivity by 4 to 6%. Luckily, Company Name’s building mechanical system is designed provide a comfortable work environment to as many people as possible. Full quote: “If you are feeling cold, you are using a substantial amount of your energy to simply keep warm.” [Pulled from IWBI Comfort WELL Workshop]Source: Health, well-being & Productivity in Offices: The next chapter for green building, WGBC 2014Did you know... the chair at your workstation is unique and can be customized to fit your body? Yes! A variety of seating positions are available to make you more comfortable and productive while at work. Take control of your environment where you can by adjusting your chair, or learning more about proper ergonomic alignment in your wellness library. Full quote: “The ability to adjust their workspace and the presence of a variety of workspaces, both measures of internal locus of control, were shown to be positively correlated with job satisfaction and group cohesiveness.”Source: Effects of control over once workspace on perceptions of the work environment and work outcomes. Lee, S? and Brand, ?L. 3, 2005, Journal of Environmental Psychology, Vol. 25, pp. 323-333.Did you know... the human ear does not respond equally to all sound frequencies? The ear responds best to sounds in the same range as the human voice. The frequency of sound, or pitch, differs based on the source of the noise. As humans, we are most sensitive to sounds with a frequency between 1,000 and 6,000 Hz, but our range is much greater, from 20-20,000 Hz. In order to improve your acoustical comfort, your office has been performance tested to ensure both internal and external noises are limited. Full quote: Despite possessing an incredible range of sensitivity in frequency and volume, the human ear does not respond equally well to all frequencies. The ear responds best to frequencies most similar to the human voice and is most sensitive between 1,000 and 6,000 Hz, with perception ranging from approximately 20 to 20,000 Hz (Salvato, Nemerow, & Agardy) [[textbooks]]. MINDDid you know…green walls and office plants are more than just pretty. They’re an expression of biophilia – elements, patterns or designs found in nature! We all feel better after a walk in the mountains or by the sea. That’s why nature is intentionally featured within your office! Not only do plants purify the air, but biophilia – the idea that humans have an innate affinity with the natural world – means that the presence of nature supports our physical and mental well-being. A study found that recovering patients in an intensive care unit who were exposed to images of natural settings reported less anxiety and a lower need for strong pain medication than those exposed to abstract art and a blank canvas. So, look at that greenery and appreciate the beauty that surrounds you!Full quote: “Furthermore, it has also been found that images of nature, have a similar effect as views actual nature. In a sample of 160 Swedish patients recovering from open-heart surgery in intensive care units, patients were exposed to either pictures of nature, abstract art or empty canvases and assessed for mood through self-reporting. Similarly, to the patients in the previously mentioned study, those with nature pictures, which included water and trees reported the least anxiety and needed fewer strong pain doses. This research suggests that images and elements of nature can help boost positive feelings and reduce negative emotions such as fear, anger and sadness.”Source: Erb, M. Four ways to foster fairness in the workplace. Entrepreneur. [Online] September 2011. Living Future Institute. Living Building ?Challenge. Seattle : International Living Future Institute, 2014. Vol. 3.0.Did you know…meditating and practicing mindfulness can reduce your stress levels and increase your memory?Meditating and engaging in mindful practices help focus your attention and increase awareness to control mental processes and foster general well-being. Give it a try! It can be as simple as taking five minutes of your day to find inner calm. Whether at your desk or in a designated quiet, focus room, meditation has health benefits regardless of where you do it. Full Quote: self-regulation practices that focus on training attention and awareness to bring mental processes under greater voluntary control and thereby foster general mental well-being and development and/or specific capacities such as calmness, clarity and concentration (Walsh & Shapiro, 2006).Researchers theorize that mindfulness meditation promotes metacognitive awareness, decreases rumination via disengagement from perseverative cognitive activities and enhances attentional capacities through gains in working memory. These cognitive gains, in turn, contribute to effective emotion-regulation strategies.Source: you know… your knowledge is power. Practice health literacy! Improve your health by first understanding why “healthy habits” are beneficial. 36% of Americans were considered health illiterate in 2003. Educate yourself using the literature provided in your office or online tools such as the WELL Building Standard?. WELL takes a holistic approach to health in the buildings where we live, work and learn by addressing behavior, operations and design.Full quote: “In 2003, 36% of Americans were considered health illiterate, defined by an inability to understand the directions of a prescription label.”Source: U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Health literacy interventions and outcomes: An updated systematic review. Rockville, MD : Department of Health and Human Services, 2011. AHR?Pub. No. 11-E006-1. ................
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