Actiu, the first industrial company in the world to obtain the WELL v2 and LEED Platinum Certification

Actiu has been awarded the WELL v2 Platinum Certification which accredits its headquarters as the world´s fifth healthiest building, the second healthiest in Europe, and the healthiest in Spain, with one of the highest certification scores worldwide

Actiu‘s headquarters in Castalla (Alicante) has become the fifth complex in the world to receive the Well v2 certification and the first industrial building in the world to hold the two certifications, LEED and WELL Platinum, which accredit the company's headquarters as a healthy and sustainable space, that ensures the well-being of the people who work inside and outside it.

The WELL v2 Platinum Certification, granted by the Well Building Institute (IWBI) and audited at Actiu by CBRE, accredits, through a rating system for buildings and communities, to what extent these spaces have been built to ensure the health and well-being of its occupants, valuing aspects as specific as lighting, temperature and even people's mood. This accreditation, together with the one achieved in 2017 when the company's headquarters in Castalla consolidated its LEED Platinum Certification (before that, LEED Gold in 2011) due to its Technology Park's sustainable architecture, has made it the first industry in the world to gain these two international awards.

Actiu's philosophy, based on designing and equipping sustainable and healthy work spaces, reinforces its values here by implementing them from the heart of the company, its own corporate headquarters. Facilities that not only meet outstanding requirements for sustainable architecture, as evidenced by the 2017 LEED Platinum certification granted by the USGBC US Green Building Council - but also ensure the well-being of its employees.

Now, with WELL, Actiu has gone one step further and has focused on the interior of its facilities in its Technology Park, in aspects related to the health and well-being of the people who work there, and that include everything from the lighting conditions, temperature and movement to employee mood, in line with the brand´s Cool Working philosophy..

“Investing in health and well-being is investing in life. Companies need that dynamism and that human value. And that is achieved by caring for and stimulating people through space. The WELL Certification takes into account physical as well as emotional well-being. And everything to do with the heart and the senses is life. Life for employees and also for companies”, explains Soledat Berbegal, Actiu´s Advisor and director of brand reputation.

Applying the principles of the WELL Certification at the Technology Park has led to a reflection that has resulted in improvements and adjustments in the workspaces. This experience provides Actiu with a knowledge and background that will allow it to implement those same values and principles in the interior design and equipment projects it undertakes for its customers.

“Actiu already had a lot of work done regarding all the sustainability principles that were already applied in the construction of its corporate headquarters in the Technological Park in Castalla, which earned it the LEED Platinum certification. There was no doubt that it was very efficient but we needed to provide greater well-being for people in the content, in other words, inside the building. We wanted to set up a more efficient, friendlier and more collaborative space. This is a very important milestone for the company”, states Actiu´s Head of Well-being, Pablo Amorós, officially accredited by this certification as WELL AP.

These modifications have included everything from installing drinking water points less than 30 metres from any work area to implementing measures to promote sport, with the presence of sports trainers and a gym. Health food vending machines have been incorporated and sensors and methodology have been applied to measure air and water quality, in accordance with the WELL parameters.

In addition, the operational positions have been updated with the company's new, more dynamic furniture ranges, which facilitate collaboration and communication, as well as comfort. Movement is key to well-being, being able to comfortably change posture throughout the day improves a person´s physical condition. Hence, the possibility of alternating sitting and standing work is increasingly being implemented. A philosophy which table models such as Talent, Power and Mobility are based on.

To encourage active habits, height-adjustable tables have been installed on every floor of the Technology Park and some stations have been equipped with electronic height-adjustable tables such as Power. Meeting rooms have also been equipped with high tables (Prism) and multipurpose tables (Talent) for more dynamic meetings. The iconic Badminton armchairs provide greater comfort in the reception and collaboration areas.

All the finishes have been designed by taking into account a chromatic harmony of colours and textures, to make the user feel at home and favour a more cognitive perception of space, which makes it easier for him/her to get their bearings thanks to the range of colours. The operative chairs chosen, such as the TNK Flex model, provide maximum performance when it comes to ergonomics and movement.

From a conceptual point of view, the interior design project was based on the premise of biophilic design, according to which the interior space must evoke patterns of nature. Hence, an extensive range of natural finishes such as wood and soft colours were chosen.

The already existing interior gardens have been reinforced with “green corners” with vegetation and the windows have been used to maximise the use of natural light and have greater views to the outside. Work stations have been organised in a more organic way, taking advantage of the shape of the furniture with surfaces that have adequate reflective capacity and campaigns related to healthy eating habits and the benefits of physical activity have increased.

This link with nature is reflected in new tree-shaped coat racks, in the wooden strips that dress the open shelves and in the creation of a terrace, an outdoor space that can be used by employees and visitors.

The physical and emotional well-being of employees is the ultimate goal of the WELL Certification. This well-being includes everything from having the right lighting to perform tasks, comfortable armchairs as well as art through the installation of works of art, whether paintings or sculptures, that improve mood, inspire and boost creativity.

The result of this transformative process has been precisely that: employees who feel comfortable in the space they work in, who know that it has been designed for them and that this design benefits their health. In addition, collaboration and communication between teams is not only more natural but more efficient. A well-being that has a direct impact on people's motivation and performance.

Actiu

Actiu, a 2017 National Design Award company in Spain, has been working for 50 years creating furniture. Its flexibility and manufacturing capacity help to develop general fittings projects internationally with solutions that offer well-being to people.

It is a specialist in furniture fittings for contract environments, public areas and workspaces. Its founder, Vincent Berbegal, was recognised in 2017 as European Businessman of the Year at the European Business Awards.

Source: Actiu
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