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Healthiest university building is in Maastricht

WELL Building Certification for Tapijn

After months of specialist measurements in and around the building, we still had to wait for the extensive quality control of the International WELL Building Institute and Green Business Certification Inc.. But now it is official: Maastricht University meets the WELL Building Standard with its Tapijn location, also known as the former military barracks. It is the first time that a European university building has achieved this high standard.

To ensure a healthy and comfortable work environment, Maastricht University, supported by our Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML), used the WELL Building Standard in the redevelopment of the Tapijnkazerne.

The WELL Building Standard is the result of ten years of medical research and specifies around 100 requirements across nine categories: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Comfort, Materials, Mind and Community. A WELL-certified project demonstrably contributes to the health, productivity and happiness of the users of a building.

Sustainable UM 2030

“As part of our Sustainable UM 2030 strategy, Maastricht University is doing everything in its power to be as sustainable as possible, whether it concerns education, research or business operations,” says Nick Bos, vice-president of the UM Executive Board. “In the redevelopment of the Tapijnkazerne, all three aspects come together to make UM more sustainable, especially with a view to the well-being of the members of our community.”

Sustainable redevelopment of Tapijn

Professor Wouter van Marken Lichtenbelt, known for his research into the influence of temperature changes on human metabolism, views it as a positive development that UM is committed to people-oriented sustainability. He sees an opportunity for the Tapijn barracks as a living lab for sustainability research. Ideas developed within UM can be applied and tested within the WELL Building Standard and thus serve a wider interest.

Tapijnkazerne - Shula Mensah shows you around

Healthy buildings

Professor Nils Kok, an expert in sustainable real estate, is also enthusiastic: “Our recent research into the effects of indoor climate on health and productivity, including in homes, offices and schools, clearly shows that healthy buildings lead to better results. Students and researchers benefit greatly from a 'healthy' learning and working environment. Integrating well-being and health into the development of the Tapijnkazerne endorses the importance of sustainability and health for Maastricht University and puts home-made academic research directly into practice.”

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