In collaboration with the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) has 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 WELL Building Standard, a rating system that focuses exclusively on the way that buildings and everything in them—including lighting—can improve our comfort and enhance our health and wellness.

“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. The IALD + The Lighting Industry Resource Council (LIRC) believe that this document accomplishes that goal,” stated Grant Harlow of Cooledge, chair of the LIRC sub-committee who led the effort in developing the guidelines.

The WELL v2 pilot was launched in 2018 and included a revised section for Light, one of the 10 concepts covered by the standard. The WELL Light concept promotes exposure to light and aims to create lighting environments that are optimal for visual, mental and physical health.
Eight features (L01-L08) comprise the Light concept and define specific technical requirements. Some of these features require documentation and validation from lighting manufacturers to assist lighting specifiers in determining if their designs will meet the criteria. The IALD + the LIRC provide guidelines for best practices on technical requirements of four features that require documentation: circadian lighting, glare, color rendering and flicker.
Over the years, the IALD has supported the continued evolution of the WELL Building Standard by participating in review processes through IWBI. Delivered by IWBI, WELL is the premier standard for buildings, organizations and communities seeking to advance human health and wellness, which includes lighting strategies, integrating daylight and electric light to focus on user needs.