Modern consumers are increasingly making wellbeing a top priority, as evidenced by the booming health and wellness economy; the global wellness economy is valued at $4.2 trillion, according to the 2018 Global Wellness Economy Monitor report. Alongside this growth, the definition of health is expanding. While consumers most commonly associate “health” with physical condition (77%), nearly as many people (75%) say that they think about mental health when they think about health, with around half of consumers associating sleep (58%) and mindfulness (43%) with health, according to a survey conducted by SONAR™, Wunderman Thompson’s proprietary market research tool.
As consumers are more conscious of their health, they are turning a keen eye to their living environment. And, given that Americans spend approximately 90% of their time indoors, architects are designing homes that improve living environments for healthier inhabitants. “The science behind indoor environments that supports people’s health and wellness is a new frontier,” said Dr. Brent Bauer, Medical Director of the Well Living Lab.
Wellness real estate and technology company Delos is pioneering healthy home design, from building science to lifestyle. As part of their commitment to constructing a healthy living environment, Delos partnered with the Mayo Clinic on the Well Living Lab, which recently opened its second location in Beijing. The Lab is a “human-centered research facility dedicated to identifying how buildings—and everything that goes in them—impacts human health and well-being.”
The company, who counts wellness guru Deepak Chopra as an advisory board member, has created the “healthiest” condo in New York City. The apartment features amenities like anti-microbial surfaces, Vitamin C-filtered showers, in-duct aromatherapy and individually-calibrated circadian lighting systems.
