Choose a LEED compliance path to verify that the daylighting meets a minimum glazing factor of 2% for at least 75% of all regularly occupied spaces or a minimum of 25 footcandles for at least 75%of regularly occupied spaces. If 95% of regularly occupied s

Choose a LEED compliance path to verify that the daylighting meets a minimum glazing factor of 2% for at least 75% of all regularly occupied spaces or a minimum of 25 footcandles for at least 75%of regularly occupied spaces. If 95% of regularly occupied spaces meet the credit requirements, a project can earn an point via IDc1 for Exemplary Performance.

• Option 1: Glazing factor calculations can help inform design, but not as accurately as a daylight simulation. The calculations can be time-consuming for large buildings, but do not require expert help.  These calculations will only take window, wall, ceiling and floor areas, glazing type and VLT values into account, so other methods that help daylighting such as lightshelves and light-colored finishes won’t be factored in. Glazing Factor is the ratio of interior illuminance at a given point on a given plane (usually the work plane) to the exterior illuminance under known overcast conditions.
• Option 2: Computer daylight simulations can be the most effective design tool, but hiring a modeler will be an upfront cost.
• Option 3: Daylight metering can be an inexpensive way to measure actual footcandles, but won’t be accurate until construction is complete, when the results cannot help to inform design.