Colorado-Real-Estate-Journal_369935

Page 22 — Multifamily Properties Quarterly — November 2023 www.crej.com MULTIFAMILY: DEVELOPMENT W hile our company was founded on the premise of developing proper- ties that have a positive impact on its residents and surrounding community, no one could have predicted the pre- scient nature of the decisions made when Lakehouse – a 12-story, 196-unit community in Denver’s Sloan’s Lake neighborhood and pilot project for the WELL Build- ing Standard – opened in March 2020. As the meaning of “home” expanded through the COVID-19 pandemic, the development’s foun- dational focus on wellness – with features like a proprietary build- ing air filtration system, raised organic vegetable garden, aquatics room and access to self-contained health-related on-site amenities – proved particularly meaningful and useful to future residents. The forward-thinking decisions that were conceived working with the International WELL Building Insti- tute and utilizing the WELL Building Standard are what helped enable us to deliver the right health-focused product in Colorado, in the right place next to Sloan’s Lake and at the right time, just when the global pandemic arrived. At the outset of design for any project, it can be hard to predict what the world will look like when the property comes to fruition. The decisions that drove the develop- ment of the project began in 2014 at the IWBI WELL program launch in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans. The inspi- ration gained from the WELL Building Standard layered with our wish for inspiring design and a connection to nature shaped our vision to cre- ate a place where residents would be more active, eat healthier and build deep connections with their neighbors – all of which would hopefully have a positive impact on their health. The commu- nity’s focus on human well-being was not a response to any trend or event, but rather an organic attempt to differentiate Lakehouse in the marketplace, appeal to Colorado’s health-conscious consumers and push the envelope of sustainable development in a meaningful direc- tion. The concept of healthy design has been around for centuries, but recent events have brought this topic back into the spotlight. The quality of the air, light, water and comfort one experiences in a space can have a profound effect on their health, personal relationships, work productivity, stress levels and even happiness. The WELL Building Standard, which has been used to certify over 4 billion square feet of space to date, provides a framework to analyze and direct development decisions regarding building infra- structure in ways that prioritize health and wellness for residents. With extensive on-site testing and verification of the infrastructure, which is unique for certification programs, achievement of the WELL performance requirements can be documented. What is new, and something we did not expect to find, is the data is now available that shows us just how impactful healthy design can be. As one of the first multifamily residential projects in the U.S. to achieve WELL Building Certification, Lakehouse has been the subject of two recent studies that dem- onstrate the business case for its dual social and economic returns: on both the well-being of residents and the bottom line for multifamily developers. n Employing a data-driven approach . In collaboration with Colorado State University’s Institute for the Built Environment, the first research study analyzed the impact of healthy design and programming on Lakehouse residents’ health, well-being and happiness. The mul- tiyear study found that residents experienced significant positive changes in their physical health and emotional well-being after moving into the community. The study utilized pre- and post- occupancy surveys, as well as interviews, to assess 83 variables across four core areas: satisfaction with the building/community, social connections, emotional health and physical health. There were statisti- cally significant improvements in almost 45% of the variables mea- sured, showing that, overall, resi- dents experienced a positive change in their perceived health, well-being and happiness after moving into Lakehouse. In addition to residents report- ing increased satisfaction with the development’s physical attributes like natural light, air quality, acous- tics and amenities, they disclosed improved cognitive function and even feeling happier. They noted its sense of community, beauti- ful views and proximity to Sloan’s Lake as factors that lowered stress levels and strengthened bonds with neighbors. Some 80% of respon- dents noted that the building’s design enhanced their connec- tion to nature. Physically, analyses showed a lower frequency of several physical health symptoms includ- ing tiredness, which coincided with the use of blackout shades, and 87% of residents reported an increase in their ability to lead a healthy life- style due to access to the extensive fitness amenities. According to CSU’s analysis of the study, the positive changes could be attributed to the healthy infrastructure and programming, including expansive outdoor spaces, gardens, biophilic design elements, a predominantly glass exterior, an organic urban farm, nutrition-related classes and access to a consortium of vetted wellness experts introduced by our nonprofit partner Realwell Inc. In a collabora- tive effort, the development team, Measure social, economic impact of healthy design SINGLE FAMILY | MULTI FAMILY | CUSTOM HOMES G O D D E N S U D I K .C O M SEE WHAT COULD BE Brian J. Levitt Chief executive officer, Nava Real Estate Development Please see Levitt, Page 26