V07: Active Furnishings

(2 points)

INTENT

Discourage prolonged sitting and sedentary behaviors by providing active workstations and furnishings to as many people in the building as possible.

SUMMARY

This WELL feature requires projects to provide occupants access to traditional sit-stand desks and active workstations such as treadmill or cycle desks.

ISSUE

Sedentary behavior has been linked to numerous negative health outcomes, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular and metabolic risks and premature mortality. Sedentary behavior has received increased public health attention due to the independent nature of its relationship with health. To explain this concept, think of the “active couch potato,” someone who meets physical activity guidelines but also spends a good amount of time sitting. Research on these individuals shows that the health benefits of physical activity are essentially negated by their sedentary activity. For example, data from an Australian cohort, where participants self-reported achieving physical activity guidelines, showed that there was an adverse dose-response relationship between TV-viewing time and outcomes such as waist circumference, blood pressure and 2-h plasma glucose. These findings suggest that our efforts should not only focus on increasing physical activity but also decreasing sedentary behavior.

SOLUTIONS

Active workstations are effective at decreasing time spent sitting, thereby increasing energy expenditure. Evidence suggests that active workstations have no detrimental impact on work performance or cognitive function. While active workstations are effective at reducing sitting time in workplace and classroom environments, additional systematic evidence is still needed to draw firm conclusions about their broader impact on health outcomes such as mental health and body composition. However, a review demonstrated that treadmill desks have greater impact on several physiological outcomes (postprandial glucose, HDL cholesterol and anthropometrics) in overweight office workers than sit-stand desks. Evidence further suggests that offering active workstations along with education, prompts and/or behavior change counseling may support sustained behavior change and further reduce sitting time.

IMPACT

Active workstations play a valuable role in addressing sedentary behaviors. When considered within a comprehensive approach that addresses workstation infrastructure and behavior change, this intervention can help discourage prolonged sedentary behavior and encourage movement throughout the day.

REQUIREMENTS

Part 1

Provide Active Workstations (Max: 2 points)

Verified by Owner, Photographic evidence

For All Spaces

Sit-stand workstations:

Sit-stand workstations are available to all employees and present in quantities described in the table below and may include the following types:  

1. Manual or electric adjustable height workstation.

2. Seated-height workstations with a manual or electric height-adjustable desktop stand.

   Sit-Stand Desks	Points
   At least 50% of workstations	1
   At least 75% of workstations	2

Dynamic workstations: 

Dynamic workstations are available to all employees and present in sufficient quantities such that at least 3% of employees could reserve or use them at any time and may include the following types:  

1. Treadmill desk.

2. Bicycle desk.

3. Portable furnishings (e.g., stepper machine, balance board).

ADDITIONAL POINT OPPORTUNITY
To earn an additional point for Commercial Core, projects should also meet the requirements in all leased spaces. This can be achieved through either installation of the furniture or by providing a tenant budget tied to the implementation of the feature requirements.

© International WELL Building Institute