6.3 Physical Activity Opportunities (V06), Spaces and Equipment (V08) & Promotion (V09)
Key Takeaways
- V06 awards 1 point for at least one 30-minute event per week for employees and university students, and 2 points for more than 150 minutes per week; school student thresholds are one 60-minute event weekly and more than 60 minutes per school day.
- V08 Part 1 Option 1 requires an on-site fitness facility at no cost with at least two types of exercise equipment, sized either for use by 5% of regular occupants at any time or at 270 ft2 (25 m2) plus 1 ft2 per regular occupant up to 10,000 ft2 (930 m2).
- V08 Part 1 Option 2 accepts access at no cost to a fitness facility within a 650 ft (200 m) walk distance of the project boundary.
- V08 Part 2 requires an outdoor physical activity space within a 0.25 mi (400 m) walk distance at no cost - green space, blue space, recreational field or court, all-weather fitness zone, or children's play space.
- V09 Option 1 requires at least two physical activity promotion programs for eligible employees, one of which may be at least four paid days per calendar year for physical activity that cannot be deducted from other leave.
6.3 Physical Activity Opportunities (V06), Spaces and Equipment (V08) & Promotion (V09)
Core Exam Takeaway: V06 (2 pt / Core 1 pt) = professionally led programming at one 30-minute event per week (1 pt) or > 150 minutes per week (2 pt). V08 (2 pt / Core 2.5 pt) = indoor space (1 pt) plus outdoor space (1 pt), with the memorable sizing formula 270 ft² (25 m²) + 1 ft² per regular occupant, capped at 10,000 ft² (930 m²). V09 (1 pt / Core 0.5 pt) = two incentive programs, or 50% utilization, or school sedentary-behavior programs.
The 150 minutes per week in V06's upper tier is not arbitrary: it matches the widely adopted public health recommendation for moderate-intensity aerobic activity in adults. WELL's contribution is to make the building operator responsible for supplying it.
Feature V06: Physical Activity Opportunities — Optimization (2 pt / WELL Core 1 pt)
Intent: encourage physical activity and exercise through no-cost physical activity opportunities.
V06 Part 1 — Offer Physical Activity Opportunities
No-cost opportunities are available to regular occupants and meet:
- (a) Programming is appropriate for the project population (age, ability, culture).
- (b) Programming is offered in person within a 650 ft (200 m) walk distance of the project boundary, or virtually.
- (c) Programming is delivered by a qualified physical activity professional, in person or virtually.
- (d) As applicable, physical activity opportunities are not withheld as a form of punishment for early childhood education, primary or secondary school students.
- (e) Programming is offered at these frequencies:
| Employees and university students | Early childhood, primary and secondary school students | Points (Core) |
|---|---|---|
| At least one 30-minute event per week | At least one 60-minute event per week | 1 (0.5) |
| > 150 minutes per week | > 60 minutes per school day | 2 (1) |
WELL Core guidance: meet for building management staff; an additional point for making programming available to tenants in non-leased spaces.
[!IMPORTANT] Requirement (d) is a genuine equity provision and a frequent exam item: recess and physical education may not be withheld as punishment. Removing activity from the children who most need it is a widespread school practice, and WELL forecloses it.
[!TIP] "Virtually" is explicitly acceptable for both delivery and location, which makes V06 achievable for distributed workforces and small tenancies. But the professional must be qualified, so a recorded video library led by nobody in particular does not satisfy (c).
Feature V08: Physical Activity Spaces and Equipment — Optimization (2 pt / WELL Core 2.5 pt)
Intent: promote physical activity by providing access to physical activity spaces and equipment at no cost.
V08 Part 1 — Provide Indoor Activity Spaces (1 pt / Core 0.5 pt)
Option 1: On-site physical activity spaces. A dedicated fitness facility available within the project boundary at no cost to regular occupants, sized by one of:
- (a) Includes at least two types of exercise equipment (free weights, treadmill) in quantities allowing use by at least 5% of regular occupants at any time; or
- (b) Includes at least two types of exercise equipment and is at least 270 ft² (25 m²) plus 1 ft² (0.1 m²) per regular occupant, up to a maximum of 10,000 ft² (930 m²).
Option 2: Off-site physical activity facilities. The project provides regular occupants access at no cost to a fitness facility within a 650 ft (200 m) walk distance of the project boundary.
V08 Part 2 — Provide Outdoor Physical Activity Space (1 pt / Core 2 pt)
At least one of the following is within a 0.25 mi (400 m) walk distance of the project boundary and available at no cost to regular occupants:
- (a) Green space (park, walking or biking trail)
- (b) Blue space (swimming area)
- (c) Recreational field or court
- (d) Fitness zone that includes all-weather fitness equipment
- (e) For projects with child occupants, play space geared toward children (playground)
WELL Core guidance: Part 1 non-leased spaces with an additional point for the whole building; Part 2 whole building.
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| V08 PART 1 OPTION 1(b): SIZING WORKED EXAMPLES |
| |
| Formula: 270 ft2 (25 m2) + 1 ft2 per regular occupant |
| capped at 10,000 ft2 (930 m2) |
| |
| 50 occupants -> 270 + 50 = 320 ft2 |
| 500 occupants -> 270 + 500 = 770 ft2 |
| 2,000 occupants -> 270 + 2,000 = 2,270 ft2 |
| 15,000 occupants -> 270 +15,000 = 15,270 ft2 -> CAPPED at 10,000 ft2 |
| |
| Either sizing route also needs >= 2 TYPES of exercise equipment. |
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[!TIP] Option 1(a) and 1(b) are genuinely different tests: (a) is capacity-based (equipment quantity for 5% of occupants at any time) and (b) is area-based. A small, equipment-dense studio may pass (a) and fail (b); a large, sparsely equipped room the reverse. And Option 2 requires no construction at all — a subsidized gym membership within 650 ft earns the same point, provided access is genuinely at no cost.
[!IMPORTANT] Note the two different radii in V08: 650 ft (200 m) for the off-site indoor facility, and 0.25 mi (400 m) for the outdoor space. The outdoor radius matches N12 Food Production and N13 Local Food Environment; the 650 ft radius matches V06 programming, V04 cycling network and N08 Mindful Eating's 200 m eating-space allowance.
Feature V09: Physical Activity Promotion — Optimization (1 pt / WELL Core 0.5 pt)
Intent: encourage physical activity by designing, implementing and monitoring physical activity incentive programs.
V09 Part 1 — Offer Physical Activity Incentives
Option 1: Incentives for eligible employees. The project offers at least two of:
- (a) Rewards for physical activity engagement (prizes, financial rewards)
- (b) A subsidy toward physical activity costs (membership fees, group fitness classes), including those incurred during business travel
- (c) Reductions in health care premiums based on physical activity engagement
- (d) Flexible work hours to accommodate physical activity
- (e) Paid time off for physical activity, minimum four days per calendar year. Days must be used toward physical activity engagement or recovery and may not be deducted from regular paid time off or other employer-provided time off such as sick leave or standard paid holidays.
Option 2: Employee utilization of incentive programs. One of:
- (a) The project monitors utilization and demonstrates an annual utilization rate of 50% — at least 50% of eligible employees used at least one incentive over the past year. Combined rates across multiple incentives may be reported.
- (b) The project demonstrates an annual improvement in utilization of at least 10 percentage points.
Option 3: Physical activity for students. Early childhood education, primary and secondary schools develop and implement:
- (a) A program to reduce daily time spent in TV viewing, recreational computer or smartphone use, and gaming; and
- (b) A program to promote daily physical activity through at least one of: teaching strategies that incorporate movement into the lesson, physical education, or recess or similar physical activity breaks.
WELL Core guidance: meet for direct staff.
[!TIP] Option 1(e) is the most demanding and most quotable provision: at least four paid days per calendar year dedicated to physical activity, and explicitly not deducted from PTO, sick leave or holidays. Note also that Option 1(b)'s subsidy must extend to business travel — a detail aimed squarely at the hotel-gym gap that defeats travelling employees' routines.
[!IMPORTANT] Option 2 is the outcome-measurement path, and it is the only place in the Movement concept where WELL pays for measured uptake rather than provision. Either hit 50% annual utilization, or improve by 10 percentage points year over year — the second route rewards a project starting from a low base, which is why it exists.
How V06, V08 and V09 compound
V08 supplies the place, V06 supplies the programming, V09 supplies the motivation and measurement. A single on-site fitness room sized per V08 Option 1(b), hosting a weekly 30-minute instructor-led class under V06, promoted through two incentives under V09, earns 1 + 1 + 1 = 3 points and simultaneously satisfies V01's precondition through V08. That is three of Movement's twelve available concept-capped points from one modest intervention.
A project offers employees a professionally led 45-minute exercise class three times per week, at no cost, delivered virtually. How many points does V06 award for WELL Certification?
A project with 1,400 regular occupants pursues V08 Part 1 Option 1(b). What is the minimum fitness facility area?
Under V08 Part 2, what qualifies as an outdoor physical activity space and within what distance?
Which V09 incentive requires a minimum of four days per calendar year that cannot be deducted from other employer-provided leave?