IALD Launches WELL Building Guidelines for Lighting Manufacturers

The International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD), in collaboration with the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), has issued guidelines for lighting manufacturers to help 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) believes that this document accomplishes that goal,” says Grant Harlow of Cooledge, chair of the LIRC sub-committee who led the effort in developing the guidelines.

The IALD formed the LIRC over 20 years ago to pioneer collaboration among lighting designers, manufacturers and suppliers.

“IALD offers the lighting profession a means for lighting designers and lighting manufacturers to come together and collaborate through the LIRC. These guidelines are an example of how collaboration across the profession—via IALD, LIRC, and IWBI—can create solutions to current lighting challenges,” says IALD Fellow Ken Douglas, liaison to IWBI.

Today, the LIRC is comprised of over 80 global lighting and component manufacturers.

“Well-designed lighting systems can help improve productivity, support a restful night’s sleep and enhance the overall experience of being in a space,” says IWBI president Rachel Gutter. “Through WELL, and with the support of industry leaders like IALD, we aim to make it as easy as possible for designers, manufacturers and building operators to create spaces that help people thrive.”

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.

Click here to see all of the guidelines!