L03 Circadian Lighting Design

This WELL feature focuses on providing appropriate light levels and spectra to support occupants' circadian rhythms, which are the body's natural sleep-wake cycles.

• Light Levels for Workstations:

  • The feature sets thresholds for illuminance levels, measured in Equivalent Melanopic Lux (EML) or Melanopic Daylight Efficacy Ratio (Melanopic DER), on the vertical plane at eye level, to simulate light entering the eye.

  • These thresholds are required for at least four hours, beginning by noon at the latest.

  • There are different tiers with increasing EML/Melanopic DER targets, with higher tiers awarding more WELL points. Projects can achieve compliance with lower EML if combined with other WELL features.

LUMNIA Building Compliance Summary

Here's a summary of how the Lumnia building's design, relates to the WELL L03 requirements:

• Emphasis on Daylighting: large windows allowing ample natural light into office spaces and includes a daylight plan, with Visible Light Transmission (VLT) > 40%. Natural daylight is a potent driver of circadian rhythms due to its high Melanopic DER. Maximizing daylight is a fundamental strategy for meeting L03's EML/Melanopic DER thresholds. Large windows and high VLT contribute to bringing in more of this beneficial light.

• Vertical Slats for Shading: a strategic system of vertical slats (0.5 meters deep and spaced 1.5 meters apart) for shading, optimized through three-dimensional modeling to account for sunlight interaction at different times of the day and year. While shading is primarily for glare and heat control, it also plays a role in managing the quality of daylight. By controlling the intensity and angle of sunlight, the shading system can contribute to creating a more consistent and beneficial light environment throughout the day.

• Building Morphology: The building's design, with four volumes arranged around a central courtyard, allowing natural light to penetrate deeper into the interior spaces. Deeper penetration of daylight means that more workstations can potentially receive the circadian-effective light needed to meet the EML/Melanopic DER thresholds.

• Artificial Light's Role: While daylighting is emphasized, WELL L03 also considers artificial lighting. Whether the artificial lighting system is designed to contribute to circadian lighting (e.g., tunable white lighting).

L04: Manage Glare from Electric Lighting

WELL L04: Manage Glare from Electric Lighting

This WELL feature aims to minimize discomfort and visual impairment caused by glare from artificial light sources. The Unified Glare Rating (UGR) is a metric used to assess the likelihood of discomfort glare from artificial lighting. A UGR of 19 or lower is generally considered acceptable for most office environments.

LUMNIA Building Compliance Summary

Here's how the available information relates to L04 compliance:

• 1. Visual Ergonomics and Lighting Design: design of the Lumnia building also prioritizes visual ergonomics and this implies a careful consideration of lighting to minimize eye strain and promote visual comfort. Visual ergonomics and glare control are closely linked. Good lighting design, which is a component of visual ergonomics, directly affects glare.

• 2. Layout and Light Distribution: From the EXEO brochure mentions "general layout that seems to minimize harsh contrasts in light and shadow, potentially contributing to visual comfort". Glare is often exacerbated by uneven lighting and strong contrasts. A layout that minimizes these contrasts can indirectly contribute to lower UGR values.

• 3. Control of Natural Light: While L04 focuses on electric lighting, the control of natural light is crucial to overall visual comfort. Blinds or other shading devices that can be used to control the intensity and direction of sunlight. While not a direct substitute for UGR compliance, managing daylight glare is essential for creating a comfortable visual environment. If daylight glare is well-controlled, it reduces the overall visual burden on the artificial lighting system.

L05 Daylight Design Strategies 

The main atrium, a significant interior space with a metal and glass façade, also welcomes ample natural light. This comprehensive approach to maximizing daylight penetration aligns strongly with the principles of the Light WELL concept, which also emphasizes visual comfort, a consideration addressed by the shading elements and curtains:

• Daylight Plan: The Lumnia building incorporates a daylight plan that includes a Visible Light Transmission (VLT) of >40%. This feature indicates an emphasis on maximizing the amount of natural daylight that enters the building's interior.
  
  

• Solar Shading: To manage glare and control the intensity of sunlight, the building integrates solar shading, with manual blinds installed on all floors. This feature allows occupants to adjust their light environment, contributing to visual comfort .

[Fulfills L05.1, L05.2, L09.1, L09.2]

L07 Visual Balance 

WELL L04: Visual Lighting Design

• Ambient Lighting: This part of WELL L04 sets criteria for the general lighting in a space, not task lighting.

• Luminance Contrast Ratios: Horizontal and vertical luminance contrast ratios for an ambient light system is no more than 10:1 between adjacent independently controlled zones. This means that the brightness difference between different areas of the space shouldn't be too extreme, reducing eye strain from adapting to varying light levels.

• Illuminance Uniformity: Illuminance uniformity ratio of at least 0.4 or 1:2.5 (minimum light level: average light level) is achieved on any horizontal task plane within a space. This ensures that light is evenly distributed across work surfaces, preventing overly bright or dim spots.

• Lighting Automation met: A lighting automation system is in use and automatic changes in lighting characteristics, such as light levels, changes in color and distribution take place over a period of at least 10 minutes.

[Fulfills L01.1, L02.1, L04.1, L07.1, L09.1, L09.2]

Lumnia EXEO Office campus

The design of the Lumnia EXEO Office campus places a significant emphasis on maximizing natural light in the office spaces through its large glass façades. 

Curtains are installed to help manage glare and prevent discomfort from excessive brightness. Studies have indicated that increased exposure to natural light in workspaces can lead to higher productivity. 

The building's upper volumes feature a fully glazed façade with a strategic system of vertical slats (0.5 meters deep and spaced 1.5 meters apart) for shading, optimized through three-dimensional modeling to account for sunlight interaction at different times of the day and year. 

This careful consideration of solar incidence creates varied textures and tonalities on the building's exterior. The unique morphology of the building, with four volumes arranged around a central courtyard, allows natural light to penetrate deeper into the interior spaces, benefiting offices that may not have direct access to the exterior façade. Three of these volumes are hollowed out at the ground level, creating a seamless connection between the central courtyard and the surrounding urban environment, including gardens, further enhancing the flow of light. 

Flicker Management

The WELL Building Standard addresses light quality to promote health and well-being. And to address light flicker it does emphasize aspects of lighting that are related to flicker management. These include:

• High-Quality Lighting: WELL promotes the use of high-quality light sources. This implies minimizing undesirable characteristics of artificial light, such as excessive flicker, which can cause eye strain, headaches, and neurological issues.

• Visual Acuity: WELL's focus on visual acuity also relates to flicker. Flicker can interfere with clear vision and contribute to visual fatigue, so managing it is important for supporting visual acuity

[Fulfills L08.2]