Skanska does it WELL
WHY WELL
The environment has a direct impact on both physical and mental health. Well-being is also influenced by the floor space configuration and congestion level, noise, inside air quality and light.
The employer’s care and office well-being implemented measures enhances the employee’s satisfaction and consolidates the relationship between the two parts.
Air
On the inside, air can be anywhere between 2 to 5 times more polluted than on the outside.
Clean air means a lower risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and is implicitly quantified in reducing health costs and increasing employers’ productivity.
Skanska buildings that are WELL certified are integrated with an air filter system that reduces pollution and stops the CO2 concentration from reaching dangerous levels.
Skanska guarantees air quality through the building’s characteristics: toxic materials such as asbestos and lead are excluded from the construction process. Also, WELL projects implement antimicrobial and antifungal measures and high performing ventilation systems.
Water
A drop of only 2% in the body’s hydration level leads to a decrease in cognitive performance.
Skanska offers to their buildings’ inhabitants good quality drinking water, taken from the city’s distribution system, tested and purified to ensure it is of the highest quality.
Nourishment
Through the WELL standard, employees can enjoy fresh and nourishing food, always on hand. They are always warned about potential allergens, so they can make the most informed decisions.
The final customer has at his disposal a variety of healthy snacks, while the unhealthy variety is discouraged.
Light
The correlation between the distance to the window, natural light and productivity is scientifically proven.
Skanska implements lighting systems that help and sustain the body’s circadian rhythm, ensuring a good quality sleep at night time.
The lighting fixtures’ orientation depends on the office monitor’s position, so the employees can enjoy a comfortable level of visual effort and eye strain can be avoided.
Movement
Tenants in WELL buildings will be able to enjoy working space characteristics that offer the opportunity to have an active lifestyle and encourage working out: fitness solutions within the project or in the neighboring surroundings and strategically placed interior stairs.
The end users have the benefit of working out when at the office, the opportunity to de-stress and grow their well-being and self-esteem.
Thermal comfort
Body's thermal comfort is provided through a homeostatic system that balances heat gains and losses to maintain the body’s core temperature within its optimal range.
The indoor thermal environment not only impacts our buildings’ energy use, but also plays a large role in the way we experience the places where we live and work.
Thermal comfort can be optimized according to best suit the characteristics of workplace and the needs of its tenants.
WELL projects promote human productivity and ensure a maximum level of thermal comfort among all building users through improved heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system design, meeting individual thermal preferences.
Sound
The acoustical comfort of a space can be quantified by the overall level of satisfaction of a person a given environment. Sound is the human response to mechanical vibrations through air, and exposure to noise sources have been shown to hinder the health and well-being of humans.
Through the WELL standard, building occupants can benefit from identification and mitigation of acoustical comfort parameters and limit of noise intrusion, while enhancing the user experience in the built environment.
Materials
Building materials and products are an integral part of our lives and have a longer life cycle, making their potential impact on human health and wellbeing crucial. Through WELL, we promote identification, evaluation and management of hazardous ingredients across building materials.
We at Skanska reduce to a minimum human exposure to unsafe building materials through the restriction or elimination of product compounds. We develop projects using the most safe construction materials, therefore our futureproof workplaces support health and safety.
Mind
WELL buildings include optimizations in design, technology and systems, therefore promoting cognitive and emotional health.
Skanska offers the end user the benefit of being educated about what WELL implies. This means a broader perspective on health, well-being and the features of a healthy lifestyle at a greater level than just the functional one.
Skanska makes it easy to form and consolidate communities at building level, using placemaking: this means integrating green spaces and co-working areas in Skanska buildings. Easy access to exterior spaces reduces the risk of mental disorders (such as depression) and celebrates life.
Community
Building and strengthening relationships is a fundamental human need. Communities are characterized by groups of people with diverse characteristics who are linked by social connections, common goals and joint actions. Within every built space there exists a unique community, one where people live, age, work, socialize, play and learn.
That’s why in our projects we support access to essential healthcare and workplace health promotion, while establishing an inclusive, integrated community through social engagement and accessible design.
