point 0 Inc, a company funded by Daikin Industries, Ltd., has recently obtained a gold level rating from WELL Certification (WELLv2 pilot) for “point 0 marunouchi,” the coworking space that it operates. This marks the first time that a company in Japan has received WELL Certification for a coworking office.
Attainment of this certification is the realization of the investment made in point 0 Inc by Daikin Industries, Okamura Corporation, and Life Solutions Company, Panasonic Corporation and leverages the know-how, technologies, and products of these three companies in the diverse fields of expertise of air quality and air environment engineering, furniture, and lighting.

Established in July 2019, “point 0 marunouchi” received WELL Precertification in March 2020. After undergoing on-site performance test, the company received WELL Certification. For air quality and air environment engineering, improvements were made in the air conditioning ventilation system to ensure good air quality by arranging the layout from the design stage so that the ventilation amount for each area and individual room met certification standards and by adding high-performance air filters. Regarding furniture, ergonomically designed, adjustable office chairs and office desks with electrically controlled height adjustment were provided to ensure a work style promoting good posture and protecting against excessive sitting. For lighting, a healthy and comfortable lighting environment was achieved by using a simulation tool in the selection of fixtures and the planning of lighting to meet certification standards and being cognizant of the body’s circadian system and the need to protect against glare. The results of each company contributing the wisdom of its respective field of expertise weighed heavily in the evaluation and led to “point 0 marunouchi” receiving a gold level rating in WELL Certification.

WELL Certification is a performance verification system for office spaces that aims to create better living environments by adding the aspect of “human health” in building design, construction, and management of spatial environments. Based on a composite evaluation score, the rating is determined for one of three certification levels: Platinum, Gold, and Silver. WELL Certification was launched in 2014 by the public-benefit company WELL Building Institute (IWBI), which is based in the United States. In 2018, IWBI revised the evaluation items and standards with the release of its WELL v2 (version 2) pilot. The new version evaluates projects based on 10 concepts: air, water, nourishment, light, movement, thermal comfort, sound, materials, mind, and community.

With the spread in infections of COVID-19 and the change in awareness toward workspaces, it is believed that users will view the recent conferring of WELL Certification to “point 0 marunouchi” as indication of it being a place where people can work with peace of mind. In the future, proposal activities aimed at creating physically and mentally healthier office spaces can be implemented and realized by utilizing the knowledge and know-how gained through the process of obtaining certification.

https://www.daikin.com/press/2021/210107/index.html