SPECIAL REPORT
LEEDuser expert
TODD REED
PA DMVA
Energy Program Specialist
SPECIAL REPORT
LEEDuser’s viewpoint
Explore this LEED credit
Post your questions on this credit in the forum, and click on the credit language tab to review to the LEED requirements.
Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intent
To give building occupants a connection to the natural outdoor environment by providing quality views.
Requirements
Achieve a direct line of sight to the outdoors via vision glazing for 75% of all regularly occupied floor area.
View glazing in the contributing area must provide a clear image of the exterior, not obstructed by frits, fibers, patterned glazing, or added tints that distort color balance.
Additionally, 75% of all regularly occupied floor area must have at least two of the following four kinds of views:
- multiple lines of sight to vision glazing in different directions at least 90 degrees apart;
- views that include at least two of the following: (1) flora, fauna, or sky; (2) movement; and (3) objects at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) from the exterior of the glazing;
- unobstructed views located within the distance of three times the head height of the vision glazing; and
- views with a view factor of 3 or greater, as defined in “Windows and Offices; A Study of Office Worker Performance and the Indoor Environment.”
Include in the calculations any permanent interior obstructions. Movable furniture and partitions may be excluded.
Views into interior atria may be used to meet up to 30% of the required area.
See all forum discussions about this credit »What does it cost?
Cost estimates for this credit
On each BD+C v4 credit, LEEDuser offers the wisdom of a team of architects, engineers, cost estimators, and LEED experts with hundreds of LEED projects between then. They analyzed the sustainable design strategies associated with each LEED credit, but also to assign actual costs to those strategies.
Our tab contains overall cost guidance, notes on what “soft costs” to expect, and a strategy-by-strategy breakdown of what to consider and what it might cost, in percentage premiums, actual costs, or both.
This information is also available in a full PDF download in The Cost of LEED v4 report.
Learn more about The Cost of LEED v4 »Frequently asked questions
See all forum discussions about this credit »Documentation toolkit
The motherlode of cheat sheets
LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit is loaded with calculators to help assess credit compliance, tracking spreadsheets for materials, sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions, and examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects for you to check your work against. To get your plaque, start with the right toolkit.
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intent
To give building occupants a connection to the natural outdoor environment by providing quality views.
Requirements
Achieve a direct line of sight to the outdoors via vision glazing for 75% of all regularly occupied floor area.
View glazing in the contributing area must provide a clear image of the exterior, not obstructed by frits, fibers, patterned glazing, or added tints that distort color balance.
Additionally, 75% of all regularly occupied floor area must have at least two of the following four kinds of views:
- multiple lines of sight to vision glazing in different directions at least 90 degrees apart;
- views that include at least two of the following: (1) flora, fauna, or sky; (2) movement; and (3) objects at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) from the exterior of the glazing;
- unobstructed views located within the distance of three times the head height of the vision glazing; and
- views with a view factor of 3 or greater, as defined in “Windows and Offices; A Study of Office Worker Performance and the Indoor Environment.”
Include in the calculations any permanent interior obstructions. Movable furniture and partitions may be excluded.
Views into interior atria may be used to meet up to 30% of the required area.
LEEDuser expert
TODD REED
PA DMVA
Energy Program Specialist