The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) headquarters office in Washington D.C., has achieved both platinum level certification for the WELL Building Standard (WELL) v1 and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) ID+C. The office space, designed by Perkins+Will, incorporates health and wellness and sustainable design features. 

“At ASID, we take tremendous pride in being a champion for good design and demonstrating that design impacts lives–to be the first space awarded WELL Certified Platinum under WELL v1 and LEED Certified Platinum is an incredible honor,” said Randy W. Fiser, CEO of ASID. “We began this project with a clear goal of showcasing the many ways design can positively affect the health and well-being of employees while boosting resource efficiency. At ASID, we believe in research-based results in design and placed an emphasis on third-party validation of the space. Becoming WELL Certified Platinum and LEED Certified Platinum is the product of revolutionary visioning from the project designer Perkins+Will, commitment from our construction partners and consultants, and complete buy-in from ASID staff.”

A 8,500-square-foot space, the ASID office features human-centric design elements including biophilic design strategies, sound masking systems, rigorous water quality standards, and a circadian lighting system developed to expand efficiency by helping to regulate the body’s physiological processes. These design foundations are coupled with policies and procedures that emphasize employee health and productivity. Fresh fruit and vegetables are provided, sit/stand desks are present at workstations, and a wellness room is available to provide mental breaks. 

Through funding by the ASID Foundation, the office is serving as a living laboratory for the design community. The positive impact of the office is demonstrated through pre-/post-occupancy research conducted to-date. The indoor environmental attributes (i.e., lighting, acoustics, and CO2 levels) show that the ASID office is a healthier environment. An assessment of key performance indicators of an innovative workplace, using the CAPTIW worksheet, also shows an increase in all parameters. Research by Cornell University also found that employee satisfaction on the environmental quality of the office increased significantly, as did overall job satisfaction, perceived support by the organization, and perceived organizational productivity.

For more information, visit www.asid.org.