This is a legacy version of the WELL Building Standard. Please check the latest version here.
  1. Air
  2. Healthy entrance

Healthy entrance

Features>Air>08. Healthy entrance

08. Healthy entrance

Intent: 

To minimize the introduction of pollutants into indoor air at building entrances.

Post Date: 24 Oct, 2016
Status: Approved

For projects that have an entryway walk off system that is less than 10 feet in length, but no smaller than 9'6'', temporary rollout mats may be used during potential inclement weather (i.e. a 30% chance or higher) to bring the walk-off system up to 10 feet in length. In addition, projects must commit to cleaning the entrance/lobby multiple times daily, and demonstrate this through a cleaning plan. Provide the cleaning plan as well as a narrative detailing the project policy regarding rollout mats and inclement weather.
Post Date: 24 Oct, 2016
Status: Approved

Where projects are restricted from using an entry vestibule or revolving door (for e.g. projects in the Philippines following the National Building Code, which prohibits revolving doors or vestibules for designated exits), they may use a permanent entryway system 3 meters long, and an air curtain to create an air seal. There are several specifications for this path:

  1. The air curtain must have a minimum velocity of not less than 2 meters per second (6.56 feet per second) at the floor, have been tested in accordance with ANSI/AMCA 220, and must be installed in accordance with manufacturer's instructions. It must also be commissioned prior to occupancy by a qualified agent.
  2. An indoor pressure sensor must be installed in the building lobby that is capable of providing automatic readings at least once an hour.
  3. The project team must specify target pressurization levels for these locations when the building is occupied. These levels have to keep air from entering the building more than the standard amount, allow occupants to open and close doors easily and not cause moisture problems due to exfiltration. Projects must provide documentation of these targeted levels and ensure they achieve the objectives outlines above.

Projects must also provide indoor pressure sensor readings from one day. This should include exhaust and supply sequences. Projects should also provide mechanical drawings of the project space and manufacturer documentation of the air curtain equipment.
Post Date: 24 Oct, 2016
Status: Approved

Where the options of an entry vestibule or revolving door are not possible for projects with regularly occupied lobbies, projects may create a healthy space by installing stand-alone air filters in the breathing zone near the primary seating of occupants, and near the entrance. A narrative must be included with documentation to describe the contaminants that will be filtered out along with an operations schedule for the maintenance of the air filters.
Post Date: 06 May, 2016
Status: Approved

In areas where building vestibules and revolving entrance doors are not common architectural elements, the requirements of Part 2 (Entryway Seal) may be met by controlling building pressure according to the following requirements:

- An indoor pressure sensor must be installed in the building lobby and near any other entrance to the building from the outside. The pressure sensor must be capable of providing automatic readings on a frequency of at least one per hour.
- The project team must specify the targeted building pressurization levels for these locations for when the building is in both cooling mode and heating mode. The pressure levels must keep outside air from entering the building (more than standard practice), allow occupants to open and close doors easily, and must not cause undue condensation or other moisture problems due to exfiltration through the building envelope.

To document this alternative path, the project team must provide the following in the documentation application submission:
- A narrative describing the targeted building pressurization levels for both cooling mode and heating mode.
- A narrative (and other supporting documentation as necessary) demonstrating that the pressure levels keep outside air from entering the building (more than standard practice), allow occupants to open and close doors easily, and do not cause undue condensation or other moisture problems due to exfiltration through the building envelope.
- Indoor pressure readings demonstrating one day of pressure sensor readings from a cooling period, and one day of pressure sensor readings from a heating period. The exhaust and supply sequences must be provided to demonstrate that the desired pressure readings will be achieved.
Features>Air>08. Healthy entrance