V08: Physical Activity Spaces and Equipment – Above Green

(2 points)

INTENT

Promote regular physical activity and exercise by providing physical activity spaces and equipment at no cost.

SUMMARY

This WELL feature requires projects to provide occupants access to dedicated physical activity spaces and equipment at no cost.

ISSUE

International physical activity recommendations address both cardiovascular and muscle strengthening activities for the general population. Despite widely disseminated guidelines, nearly a quarter of the general population fails to achieve recommended physical activity levels. Key determinants of physical activity behavior include time, convenience, motivation, self-efficacy, weather conditions, travel and family obligations, fear of injury, lack of social support and environmental barriers such as availability of sidewalks, parks and bicycle lanes.

SOLUTIONS

Research supports that above and beyond offering incentives and physical activity programs, impactful measures for improving physical activity engagement include offering convenient spaces for employees to engage in physical activity. In a systematic review conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, creating enhanced places for physical activity increased engagement and biomarkers for physical fitness including aerobic capacity and energy expenditure, with a few studies documenting some decrease in body weight and body fat. In workplace settings, those who reported higher support from their work environment (e.g., pedestrian-friendly exterior spaces, showers and other facilities) were more likely to be physically active. Outside of the workplace setting, a study in Finland showed that a shorter distance from an individual’s home to physical activity facilities was associated with higher engagement, and as distance and sparsity of recreational facilities increased, engagement decreased. While leveraging access to indoor spaces is important, considering existing outdoor amenities is also a key consideration for projects. For example, public parks, trails and outdoor recreation areas are important neighborhood amenities and can be valuable assets for building projects. Factors such as proximity and quality of parks appear to be important predictors of physical activity although more consistent research is needed. When incorporating physical activity spaces and/or equipment into a design plan or leveraging existing, nearby amenities, it is important to consider the needs of the population who will access the amenity. For example, if the project serves an adolescent or elderly population, projects will need to consider the unique needs of these groups to ensure the space and equipment are age- and ability-appropriate. Furthermore, it is important to consider the entirety of the population that will access the space when determining capacity requirements to ensure that occupants are not deterred by overcrowded amenities.

IMPACT

Availability of proximate fitness facilities has the potential to increase and improve physical activity and exercise engagement.

REQUIREMENTS

Part 1

Provide Dedicated Activity Spaces (1 point)

Verified by Architectural Drawing

For All Spaces except Dwelling Units & Classroom

The following is made available to employees at no cost:

A dedicated physical activity space that is at least 370 m² [4,000 ft²] or 18.6 m² [200 ft²] plus 0.1 m² [1 ft²] per employee.

Note: Projects (including educational facilities) may consider shared, off-site spaces toward Part 1: Provide Dedicated Activity Spaces provided they are within 200 m [656 ft] of the project boundary or located within the campus and are available to the project population at no cost.

For Dwelling Units & Classroom

The following is made available to residents and students (as applicable) at no cost:

A dedicated physical activity space that is at least 370 m² [4,000 ft²] or 37 m²[400 ft²] per dwelling unit or classroom (as applicable).

Part 2

Provide Physical Activity Equipment (1 point)

Verified by Owner, Photographic evidence

For All Spaces

The following requirements are met:

At least one type of age and ability appropriate equipment from each of the following categories, accompanied by instructions for safe use, is made available to employees, students or residents (as applicable) at no cost:
1. Cardiorespiratory equipment.
2. Muscle-strengthening equipment.
Total units for each category should allow for use by at least 1% of employees, students or residents (as applicable) at any given time.

Note: Examples of equipment can be found in Appendix V3.

Projects (including educational facilities) may consider shared, off-site spaces toward Part 2: Provide Physical Activity Equipment provided they are within 200 m [656 ft] of the project boundary or located within the campus and are accessible to the project population at no cost.

Part 3

Provide Off-Site Activity Spaces (1 point)

Verified by Annotated Map

For All Spaces

At least one of the following is available at no cost to employees or residents (as applicable) within 800 m [0.5 mi] walk distance of the project boundary and is available for use at least 75% of the year:

A green space.
Recreational field or court.
A gym, fitness center or similar facility.
A walking, hiking or biking trail.
Outdoor fitness zone that includes all-weather fitness equipment.
A play space geared toward children (e.g., a playground) that meets design requirements outlined by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (Appendix V4).