GLOSSARY

Small thin-walled air-containing compartments of the lung that are typically arranged in saclike clusters that give the tissue a honeycomb appearance and expand its surface area for the purpose of air exchange.

Electric lighting fixtures on walls and ceilings that contribute to the ambient amount of light in a space. This excludes light from daylight, task lamps, and sources such as computer screens.

The separation between the interior and the exterior environments of a building, restricting transfer of air, water, heat, light, noise and creatures.

Repeated, continuous exposure to a substance or condition over an extended period from several years to a lifetime.

A physical area within a building that encourages group interplay and discussion though its strategic layout and design.

A group of diseases that impact the metabolism due to insufficient insulin production (Type 1) and/or high insulin resistance (Type 2), and a leading cause of death. Results in poor blood sugar control, frequent urination, increased thirst, increased hunger and other symptoms.

An opening in a surface (as a wall or membrane).

Ability for occupants to be able to choose their own workspace within the office or workplace.

Glasswork, which must be carefully designed in order to avoid excessive glare and heat gain.

A class of disease that affects the heart, arteries, capillaries or veins.

Filter which removes 99.97% of all particles greater than 0.3 micrometers and satisfies standards of efficiency set by the Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology.

A state of having regulated responses to environmental conditions to retain stability.

An inability to develop a normal immune response, usually as a result of disease, malnutrition or medical therapy that affects the immune system.

Pertaining to products within and including the waterproofing membrane.

An organ that plays a vital role in a range of important metabolic processes including detoxification, protein synthesis and glycogen storage.

A condition that results from insufficient nutrient intake, excess nutrient intake or nutrient intake in the wrong proportions.

A cluster of medical conditions or risk factors that increase the chances of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes fatty liver disease and several cancers.

Particles between 1 and 100 nanometers in size.

ANSI/ASHRAE Standards 62.1 is the recognized standard for ventilation system design and acceptable procedure with regards to establishing an effective ventilation system.

Products or materials applied or installed within one year prior to the WELL Performance Verification are considered to be newly installed.

Outlines current indoor air quality guidelines for the workplace.

A wall separating spaces under different ownership or tenancy.

Items that are permanently located on site, but not fixed or stationary, for example desk or desktop organizers.

The gross square footage entered for the project should include the sum of the floor areas of the spaces within the building, including basements, mezzanine and intermediate-floored tiers, and penthouses with headroom height of 7.5 ft or greater. Measurements must be taken from the exterior faces of the exterior walls OR from the centerline of walls separating buildings. The gross square footage should exclude non-enclosed (or non-enclosable) roofed-over areas such as exterior covered walkways, porches, terraces or steps, roof overhands, and similar features. Excludes air shafts, pipe trenches, chimneys, and floor area dedicated to the parking and circulation of motor vehicles.

The energy and particles which are released during the decomposition process of atomic nuclei is called radiation.

An area or areas where workers or other building occupants perform focused activities inside a building for an average of one hour a day or more.

Light-sensitive membrane found at the back end of the eyeball that receives the image produced by the lens.

Angles or corners of less than 135 deg.

Personal habits and practices that help maximize sleep quality.

A group of cells that perform a common and specified function. At an organizational level, tissues are between cells and organs.

Any outdoor pathways designated for pedestrian or biker use.

Designing objects and spaces with aesthetically pleasing while maximizing accessibility, usability and operability regardless of the user's age, ability and other factors.

Act of spatial problem solving.

An area where an individual performs daily work-related tasks. This could comprise of a traditional seated-height desk, standing-height desk, adjustable-height desk or other work surface that is appropriate for the type of work being performed.

A major herbicide that is very susceptible to running off or leaching into ground and surface water sources.

Substances consisting of very fine particles of a liquid or solid suspended in a gas. For example, mist which consists of very fine droplets of water in air.

Proteins generally found in the blood that detect and rid the body of potentially damaging organisms, such as bacteria and viruses.

An element found in the earth’s crust that has applications in various industrial processes, however runoff from factories, agricultural practices and natural deposits can lead to high concentrations in water.

Among the most widely used pesticides in the United States and among the most commonly detected pesticide in drinking water.

Any of a group of organic compounds that includes sugars, starches, celluloses and gums and serves as a major energy source to support bodily functions and physical activity. Easily digestible carbohydrates found in white bread, pastries and soda may contribute to weight gain and promote diabetes and heart disease.

A compound that increases the risk of developing cancer.

A highly irritating, greenish-yellow gaseous halogen, capable of combining with nearly all other elements, produced principally by electrolysis of sodium chloride and used widely to purify water, as a disinfectant and bleaching agent.

Metallic element that enters water sources through natural deposits, but contamination most commonly occurs through corrosion of copper or brass.

Coating on window surfaces purely for aesthetic purposes with no other functionality.

Particulate matter 2.5 micrometers in diameter or smaller. Can be directly emitted from combustion sources such as forest fires or can form when gases emitted from power plants, industries and automobiles react in the air. Also called PM₂.₅

Substances typically added to processed foods to enhance or preserve flavor or appearance.

A simple sugar that is found naturally in small amounts in fruits and vegetables, but which occurs in extremely large quantities in many modern foods. High fructose intake has been implicated in liver disease, inflammation, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

A simple sugar that occurs widely in most plant and animal tissue. It is the principal circulating sugar in the blood and the major energy source of the body. Once eaten, carbohydrates break down immediately into glucose. Elevated blood glucose levels are one of the distinguishing elements of diabetes.

When chlorine and chloramine are added to water and react with other organic matter to produce haloacetic acids known as a disinfectant byproduct (DBP), these can damage internal organs and the nervous system in elevated concentrations and can lead to cancer.