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The International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD), in collaboration with the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), recently launched guidelines for lighting manufacturers to help lighting designers more easily determine if their designs meet the WELL Building Standard criteria. The WELL v2 pilot is the latest version of the standard, a rating system that focuses exclusively on how buildings – and everything in them, including lighting – can improve people’s comfort, health, and wellness.
The IALD formed the Lighting Industry Resource Council (LIRC) more than 20 years ago to pioneer collaboration among lighting designers, manufacturers, and suppliers, and today, the LIRC has more than 80 global lighting and component manufacturers.
“With the increasing number of projects seeking WELL certification, providing designers with the information they need in a consistent format is an important step in helping ensure that lighting products are easily and correctly specified,” says Grant Harlow of Cooledge, chair of the LIRC subcommittee who led the effort in developing the guidelines. Gayathri Unnikrishnan, concept lead for light at IWBI, adds that consistency and alignment within the lighting industry will allow people from all over the world to speak the same language when it comes to creating healthy environments.
The WELL v2 pilot was originally launched in 2018, and it included a revised section of light, one of the 10 concepts covered by the standard. The WELL light concept promotes exposure to light and lighting environments that are optimal for visual, mental, and physical health.
Eight features comprise the light concept, with some requiring documentation and validation from lighting manufacturers to assist lighting specifiers in determining if their designs will meet the criteria. The IALD and LIRC provide guidelines for best practices on technical requirements of four features that require documentation – circadian lighting, glare, color rendering, and flickering.
“Well-designed lighting systems can help improve productivity, support a restful night’s sleep, and enhance the overall experience of being in a space,” says IWBI President Rachel Gutter. “Through WELL, and with the support of industry leaders like IALD, we aim to make it as easy as possible for designers, manufacturers, and building operators to create spaces that help people thrive.”
To learn more about the WELL v2 pilot, view the guidelines.