Week 1-12: Glossary Flashcards
What is the definition of:
Alternative Adherence Path
Alternative solutions for meeting the intent of any WELL feature requirement. Projects may submit an Alternative Adherence Path proposal to IWBI to replace any requirement in WELL. Fees apply.
This information comes from Page 27 of the WELL Certification Guidebook
What is the definition of:
Appeal
Letter that outlines a project’s disagreement with any finding of the WELL report, or of any decision regarding proposals for alternative adherence paths, curative actions, or innovation features. Appeals must be submitted to IWBI within 180 calendar days of the date of issuance of the WELL report or the appeal review report, as applicable.
This information comes from Page 27 of the WELL Certification Guidebook
What is the definition of:
Curative Action Plan
Document that outlines strategies a project will employ to address any unmet criteria as identified in the WELL report. These plans must be submitted to IWBI within 180 calendar days of receiving the WELL report and must detail a specific and feasible plan of action.
This information comes from Page 27 of the WELL Certification Guidebook
What is the definition of:
Precertification Review
An optional review phase prior to Documentation Review during which projects may submit documentation attesting to design intentions and operational commitments, and narrative plans summarizing strategies the project intends to employ to meet performance criteria in WELL. A WELL Reviewer will evaluate documentation submissions during this phase and successful projects are awarded the WELL Precertification designation.
This information comes from Page 27 of the WELL Certification Guidebook
Documentation Review
Encompasses preliminary and final review phases of documentation by a WELL Reviewer from GBCI that attests to design and operational elements in-place in a project. This review occurs after construction completion to ensure that documentation truly reflects on-site conditions.
Innovations
Features that allow projects to develop unique strategies for creating healthy environments. The proposals for these features must address a novel aspect relevant to a specific WELL Concept, with robust supporting literature from health and medical research. Separately, pre-approved innovations are also available for project teams to use.
Absenteeism
Missing work, school or other obligations regularly and frequently without a valid reason, such as illness. Does not include absences, such as paid time off or approved leave.
Accredited nutritionist
A credentialed nutrition professional who has fulfilled academic and credentialing requirements (which may not include a dietetic internship), as well as continuing professional educational requirements.
Acoustical comfort
The subjective human perception of the sonic environment in any given space, including enclosures and open environments.
Acoustical treatment
A design element intended to reduce interior/exterior noise intrusion; reduce reverberant/reflected sound energy; increase acoustical separation between enclosed spaces or workspaces; or create an even background noise level conducive to privacy.
Active living
A lifestyle that incorporates physical activity into daily activities and routines.
Adjusted for family size
Demonstrating that household size is taken into account when calculating income limits.
Aeroponic
A type of farming system that grows plants without soil, in an air or moist environment. These systems use less energy and water than traditional agriculture.
Air handling unit
An assembly consisting of equipment, such as fans and heating/cooling coils, that conditions and circulates air throughout a building’s ducts.
Allergy/allergic reaction
An exaggerated or pathological reaction (e.g., sneezing, respiratory irritation, itching or skin rashes) to substances that are not typically a threat to the human body.
Alley
Narrow passage behind or between buildings that is often reserved for pedestrian or service vehicle traffic. Alleys may be dead-end paths or allow for through traffic. However, they are not a typical route of high-volume vehicular or pedestrian travel.
Alpha W (Aw)
A single-number rating for sound absorption from 125 Hz to 4 kHz which indicates the percentage of sound that is absorbed by a material of interest in accordance with ISO 11654. Alpha W evaluates absorption coefficients across these frequency bands by comparing them with a reference curve, where 0.00 is completely unabsorptive and 1.00 is fully absorptive.
Alternative Adherence Path (AAP)
Substitute solution for meeting the intent of any WELL feature. Projects may submit an alternative adherence path (AAP) proposal to IWBI to replace any requirement in WELL.
Ambient lighting
Primary source of lighting that provides overall illumination for a space to support vision and reduce glare. Supplemental lighting and light fixtures connected to plug loads do not count as ambient lighting. Also known as general lighting.
Annual sunlight exposure
Percentage of space in which the light level from direct sun alone exceeds a pre-defined threshold (e.g., 1,000 lux) for some quantity of hours (e.g., 250 hours) in a year.
Area Median Income (AMI)
The household income for the median - or middle - household in a region.
Areas for conferencing
Enclosed rooms where two or more people use AV/telecommunication equipment (e.g., speakerphones, video camera) to communicate with external parties.
Areas for learning
Rooms where students and distance learners receive educational information or training, by way of a lecturer, teacher or virtually through an online platform.
Areas for music rehearsal
Rooms where students learn and practice music, typically in an educational environment. Does not include music performance spaces, which may be used for music rehearsal but are intended primarily for music performance.
Areas for speech
Rooms where speech reinforcement is used for communicators to present or convey information, such as lecture halls, conference centers or open office assembly areas.
Artificial colors
Dyes, pigments or substances added to foods or drugs for coloring purposes. Also known as color additives.
Asbestosis
A chronic lung disease caused by inflammation and scarring of lung tissue due to exposure to asbestos. The disease leads to calcification and thickening of or fluid buildup in the lung lining.
Atrium
A large space with high ceilings that is typically located in the center of a building or immediately beyond the entrance/lobby that provides access to daylight through glazing in the form of skylights.
Available ceiling area
Any ceiling surface that is directly viewable to occupants and excludes areas, where beams, skylights, ducts, or other ceiling components that prohibit the application of direct mounted or hung acoustical treatment.
Back-up childcare
Childcare for when regular arrangements are disrupted or unavailable. Examples of when back-up childcare is used include the following: a child cannot attend school due to illness; school is unexpectedly closed; the usual childcare provider cancels and parents still need to be at work; a parent’s work schedule changes unexpectedly, requiring them to work outside the hours of typical childcare arrangements.
Background noise level
The average sound pressure level (dBA, NC or similar) in a given space over a period of time. It is typically attributable to ambient noise from building systems, appliances, transportation, industrial processes and occupants.
Bathroom
Room containing toilet facilities for occupant use. Bathrooms may or may not contain other facilities, such as showers.
Bioaccumulation
The accumulation of a substance within an organism, which typically occurs when the rate of absorption is higher than breakdown or excretion.
Biocide
A variety of poisonous chemical and biological substances used to control the effects of organisms harmful to human and animal health, such as disinfectants, preservatives, repellents and rodenticides.
Biometric assessment
Measurement of an individual’s physical characteristics and key indicators of health, including height, weight, body mass index, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, blood glucose and aerobic fitness.
Blue space
Any environment, either natural or built, that contains visible amounts of standing or running water. Blue spaces typically contain a highly dominant and visible aquatic feature (e.g., shoreline, inland waterway, lake, reservoir).
Bonded labor
When work or services are demanded as a means of repaying a loan or other debt, including situations in which the length and nature of the services are not defined. Also known as debt bondage.
Breathing zone
Volume of air within an occupied space between 7.5 and 180 cm [3 and 72 in] above the floor and more than 60 cm [24 in] from the walls or fixed air conditioning components.
Building envelope
The separation between the interior and the exterior environments of a building, restricting transfer of air, water, heat, light, noise and living organisms.
Building management staff
Individuals responsible for maintaining and operating the building, including contractors and sub-contractors. Workers who spend less than 30 hours per month in the building (i.e., who are not regular occupants) are not considered building management staff.
Burnout
A consequence of prolonged exposure to work stress, typically characterized by feelings of intense fatigue, a sense of isolation, loss of control and a feeling of low productivity. It is often accompanied by insomnia, headaches, gastrointestinal symptoms, a variety of muscular and joint pains and lapses in memory.
Business impact analysis
Assessment that identifies the impacts on business processes, functions and dependencies resulting from disruption during various emergencies and establishes recovery priorities and strategies.
Carbon monoxide
A colorless, odorless and highly poisonous gas formed by incomplete combustion that replaces oxygen in hemoglobin, limiting the blood’s ability to deliver oxygen, which can lead to death.
Carcinogen
Substances or radiation associated with the onset of cancer (e.g., DNA mutation and/or increased cell division). The dosage or exposure level at which such substances or radiation can cause cancers in tissues varies by carcinogen.
Certified organic
A certification process for producers of organic foods and agricultural products (e.g., animal feed). Though certification requirements vary by country, organic standards typically address the growing, processing, packaging, storage and shipping of organic foods and generally prohibit the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and genetic engineering in the growing process. Depending on the country or region, certification may be overseen by the government, non-profit organizations or private companies
Circadian rhythm
An internal clock that keeps the body’s hormone levels and biological processes on a roughly 24-hour cycle, even in continuous darkness.
Circulation
Corridors, stairs, lobbies and other occupiable areas within the project boundary dedicated to occupant movement.
Classroom
A space used primarily for educational purposes (e.g., teaching, learning).
clo (unit of clothing insulation)
A measure of the thermal insulation provided by an occupant’s clothing ensemble, defined as 0.155 m² · °C/W [0.88 ft² · °F · h/Btu]. For example, trousers and a short-sleeved shirt provide 0.57 clo of insulation, while a three-piece suit provides 1.14 clo.
Commercial dining space
A space within a project boundary where food is consumed on-site following preparation and/or assembly by food service staff. Residential dining spaces and seating areas near office kitchenettes are not considered commercial dining spaces.
Commercial kitchens
Locations where individuals or food service staff prepare food for other occupants. This definition excludes kitchen spaces primarily dedicated for personal or small-group service such as office kitchenettes or home kitchens.
Common spaces
Areas available for use by all regular building occupants.
Compensation scale equity
Equity in salary ratios between different roles; i.e., reducing compensation discrepancies related to over-valuation of work by senior executives and under-valuation of work by individuals in lower positions.
Concealed fixtures
Light fixtures that cannot be seen during regular occupant use of a space (e.g., recessed lighting).
Contrast
Variances in luminance between surfaces that create distinctions between spaces and/or objects.
Conventionally grown
A method of food production that permits food to be grown or processed with chemical fertilizers, pesticides and/or herbicides and without regulations that generally apply to organic growing methods.
Cooling coils
Equipment mounted inside an air handling unit or ductwork that transfers heat out of the air.
Correlated Color Temperature
The description of the color appearance of light. CCT generally ranges from 2700 K to 6500 K. Lower CCT is perceived as warmer or more yellow, while higher CCT can be perceived as colder or more blue. The ranges are based on the temperature at which a blackbody would be able to produce a spectral distribution similar to that produced by a given source.
Culturally appropriate
When information is crafted to match the social, cultural and linguistic needs, experiences and backgrounds of the individuals intended to consume it. For example, health education materials that take into account the primary language, racial-ethnic or gender identity, differing education levels or physical abilities of the intended audience.
Culture of health
A working environment where employee health and wellness is valued, supported and promoted through programs, policies, benefits and design. A culture of health integrates health and wellness into business operations and goals, and requires engagement across all levels of the organization.
Cycling network
Routes of travel that are dedicated to cyclists through some type of demarcation (e.g., sharrow or other type of pavement marking) and allow cyclists to travel on a dedicated or shared path between origins and destinations.
Daily basis
The majority of days in a project’s operating week. For projects that do not sell or provide food year-round, this is assessed during each week of seasonal operation.
Daily values / estimated daily requirements
Recommended intakes of nutrients that are typically based on a 2,000 kcal diet and found on the labels of dietary supplements and foods.
Dedicated eating space
A space with the primary function of providing individuals with the opportunity to eat with others, which may include tables and chairs located within cafeterias, break rooms and other dining or break out spaces.
Demand-controlled ventilation
Ventilation system where the airflow rate is controlled according to a measured demand indicator, which could be carbon dioxide level, moisture, occupancy or another parameter of concern.
Dietary fiber
A type of carbohydrate that is not readily digested by the body. The two types of dietary fiber—soluble fiber and insoluble fiber—are found in a variety of plant foods and whole grains and associated with a variety of health benefits.
Direct staff
Building staff under direct employment by the project owner. Note: If a project has no direct staff on-site (i.e., the building is entirely operated by contracted building management staff), the project is allowed to earn points by meeting feature requirements for all or a defined subset of building management staff. Projects must use a single consistent population across all features, including preconditions (e.g., a project with no direct staff may only earn a point for meeting an optimization for its building management staff, if it also meets all preconditions for that same group of people).
Displacement ventilation
An air distribution mechanism where conditioned outdoor air enters from air supply diffusers near floor level at a low velocity and exits above the occupied zone, normally at ceiling height.
Distinct Products
Products that have a unique function and manufacturer’s specification. Examples of distinct products include a paint, a table and a chair (even if manufactured by the same producer), ceramic tiles and wood flooring, an interior door and an interior window, a wall-to-wall carpet and a walk-off mat, and an acoustic insulation panel and a board thermal insulation product. Examples of products that are not “distinct” include chairs of different manufacturers, paints of different colors, a set of tiles using as both flooring and wall covering, or the same batt insulation used for both soundproofing and thermal insulation.
District heating or cooling
Heating and cooling systems that include centralized generation and subsequent distribution to multiple buildings through a network of pipes. These systems typically serve multiple buildings at the community or neighborhood scale.
Document library
Part of the WELL digital platform where feature documentation and performance testing results are stored for review.
Dose-response
The change in the effect that a stressor or agent (e.g., a chemical) has on an organism, based on differing levels of exposure.
Drinking water dispenser
Any structure or device that is purposed to serve water for human consumption and is served by a piped network or designed for refilling. Includes drinking water fountains, water serving stations and faucets in kitchens and breakout rooms. However, it does not include bathroom faucets or water bottles designed for single use.
Dry bulb temperature
Air temperature measured by a thermometer openly exposed to the air but kept away from moisture and radiation.
Dwelling unit
An individual unit providing complete, independent living facilities for one or more persons, including permanent provisions for general housing tasks, such as sleeping, eating and sanitation.
E-cigarettes
Handheld devices that use heat to vaporize for the purpose of inhaling a liquid that contains propylene glycol, glycerin and often nicotine.
Early childhood education
Typically refers to the education of children up to the age of five years. Early childhood education is usually not compulsory and precedes primary education.
Electronic air cleaners
Air cleaners that utilize electrostatic attraction to remove particles from the air. Particle removal is typically accomplished by imparting an electrical charge to particles or by generating ions and 1) collecting particles on an electrically charged plate/medium (e.g., electrostatic precipitators) or mechanical filter or 2) allowing the charged particles to agglomerate or deposit onto surfaces (e.g., ionizers, plasma, corona discharge).
Eligible employees
Individuals employed by an organization and identified as qualifying for benefits. At a minimum, this includes all full-time employees but may also include part-time employees, interns, contracted workers and other non-full-time employees, as appropriate per the organization. Project teams must employ a single, consistent definition of eligible employees applicable across all relevant features. Eligibility may require a minimum duration of employment, but that duration cannot exceed one year.
Employee
An individual who works for the project owner within the project boundary.
Employee assistance fund
A fund or program that allocates financial resources for employees to use in an emergency situation. This may include a private or public foundation that an employer, employees or others can contribute to, a third-party relief fund, direct corporate funding or other program that provides financial support for employees in times of hardship. May also be referred to as an “employee relief fund” or “emergency assistance fund.”
Engineered natural ventilation system
A natural ventilation system which has been designed using the principles of pressure-driven airflows and calculations that consider weather data (including wind speed) for the building site.
Exercise
A specific type of physical activity that is planned, repetitive, structured and targeted towards one or more domains of physical fitness. Exercise is typically discussed with reference to intensity.
Extent of developer buildout
Includes all non-leased space and all construction within the leased space for which the project team is responsible.
Eye-level
Approximately 1.2-1.5 m [4-5 ft] above floor level for adults and 0.9-1.2 m [3-4 ft] above floor level for children.
Fan coil unit
A self-contained system that circulates, conditions and/or filters air in a space without the use of ducts.
Fenestration
Windows and/or glazing in the outdoor envelope of a building.
Flicker
Variations of luminance in time, measured in hertz.
Fomite
An inanimate surface that, when contaminated with pathogens deposited by a person or animal (e.g., through sneeze or saliva), can transfer pathogens through contact with another person or animal. Examples include contaminated door handles, elevator buttons and other high-touch surfaces.
Food establishment
An operation that serves and/or sells food that has been packaged/repackaged, heated/reheated, or otherwise prepared onsite. It does not include establishments that only offer prepackagedfoods.
Food outlet
<p>Any space used for the sale of provision of foods, including but not limited to cafeterias, cafes, restaurants, kitchenettes, micro-markets, micro-kitchens, food kiosks, concession stands and vending machines. Spaces that only sell or provide beverages are not considered food outlets.</p>
Food service line
Self-service lines where food is served or sold, including cafeteria lines, prepared food lines and buffet lines.
Forced labor
Work or service that forces individuals to work under threat of violence or severe penalty.
Functional building entrance
A building entry/exit designed to be used by pedestrians and is open (unlocked) during regular business hours. It does not include any entry/exit exclusively designated as an emergency exit. May include a garage door, if it is designed as a pedestrian entrance.
Gamification
Strategies that incorporate game elements in what is otherwise considered a non-game context or scenario (e.g., musical staircase). These strategies intend to encourage individuals to engage in a desired behavior.
Green space
Any environment, either natural or built, that contains vegetation (e.g., trees, grass, forests, parks, gardens).
Guest room
A private space for guests within a hotel or other hospitality space. Typically includes a sleeping area and bathroom and may include a kitchen. Cleaning services are regularly provided by the building management. Does not include spaces intended as a primary residence.
Health disparities
Gaps in the health status of various populations that are often associated with demographic or social factors, including gender, race, ethnicity, income and geographic location.
Hearing hazardous zones
Rooms or areas where noise levels may exceed thresholds for safe hearing health (e.g., mechanical equipment rooms, workshops, baggage handling areas).
High stool
<p>A chair used at a standing-height workstation that includes a seat height greater than 61 cm [24 in], a foot rest or ring, and is designed to be fully weight-bearing allowing the user to sit at a standing height workstation without their feet touching the floor.</p>
High-humidity areas
Spaces specifically designed to operate under and withstand high levels of relative humidity (e.g., spaces containing a pool or shower).
High-risk hazards
Events or situations that have a high probability of occurring and/or a likelihood of severe health impacts, whether based on the hazard source, intensity, nature of exposure or other factors.
High-touch surfaces
Surfaces that are expected to be frequently touched by multiple people. Examples include doorknobs, elevator push buttons and bathroom stall locks, but not personal computer keyboards or other non-shared personal equipment.
High-volume printers and copiers
Printers or copiers that produce 10,000 or more pages per week.
Human trafficking
Transport, transfer, harboring and/or trade of humans for economic gain, often by means of threat, coercion or deception.
Hydroponic
A type of farming system that grows plants without soil, using a solution of water and nutrients instead. These systems use less energy and water than traditional agriculture.
Illuminance
Amount of light falling on a given surface per unit area. Measured in lux. (See also “lux”.)
Impact Insulation Class Rating (IIC)
A lab-tested metric which is used to assess the amount of impact noise transmitted through flooring assemblies and components. The data is expressed in third-octave frequencies between 100 and 3150 Hz. A higher IIC rating indicates a greater acoustical separation from impact noise.
