well building standard: mind M09 Enhanced Access to Nature

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.