WELL Building Tip #6:  Temperature Has A Bigger Impact Than You Think

Oculus Inc.’s WELL AP, Joanne Fields, is sharing her perspective on the WELL Building principles, along with practical, wellness-driven design tips.

In this post, Joanne looks at Thermal Comfort and why temperature has a bigger impact than you think:

When people think about workplace wellness, temperature isn’t always the first thing that comes to mind. However, thermal comfort significantly impacts occupant satisfaction, concentration, and productivity.

One of the key concepts within the WELL Building Standard is Thermal Comfort, creating indoor environments that support the comfort and health of building occupants through thoughtful design and engineering solutions.

As a WELL AP Interior Designer, I work alongside our clients, mechanical engineers, and project teams to help integrate design strategies that contribute to a comfortable indoor environment. While architects do not control building systems alone, we play an important role in coordinating solutions that support occupant comfort.

Some examples include:

• Collaborating with engineers to establish appropriate thermal comfort goals
• Considering building orientation, glazing, and solar exposure during design
• Incorporating shading strategies to reduce heat gain and glare
• Planning spaces to minimize temperature inconsistencies throughout the workplace
• Supporting opportunities for occupant control and flexibility where appropriate

Achieving thermal comfort is a team effort, but the results can have a meaningful impact on the daily experience of building occupants. When architecture and engineering work together, we can create environments that help people stay comfortable, focused, and engaged.

Healthy buildings are not defined by a single discipline; they are the result of thoughtful collaboration centered around occupant well-being.

If you are interested in learning more about integrating the WELL Building concepts into your environment, email Joanne Fields at joannef@oculusinc.com.