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LEED v4
Schools – New Construction
Indoor Environmental Quality

Quality views

LEED CREDIT

Schools-NC-v4 EQc8: Quality Views 1 point

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AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Fentress Architects
Director of Sustainability

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Credit language

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© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

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 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.
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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 »

Addenda

7/29/2022 – Updated: 9/1/2022
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Under Indoor Environmental Quality Overview, Tricky Spaces:
Add a new section as follows:
"Museums
• Exceptions to Interior Lighting, Daylight, and Quality Views are permitted. See the Further Explanation, Project Type Variations sections in Interior Lighting, Daylight, and Quality Views."

Under Interior Lighting, Further Explanation, Project Type Variations
Add a new section as follows:
"Museums
• Museum exhibit and other collection spaces may be excluded from the interior lighting requirements."

Under Daylight, Further Explanation, Project Type Variations
Add a new section as follows:
"Museums
• Museum exhibit and other collection spaces may be excluded from the daylight requirements."

Under Quality Views, Further Explanation, Project Type Variations
Add a new section as follows:
"Museums
• Museum exhibit and other collection spaces may be excluded from the views requirements."


Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
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LEEDuser expert

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Deborah Lucking

AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Fentress Architects
Director of Sustainability

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USGBC logo

© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

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 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.

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 »

In the end, LEED is all about documentation. LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit, for premium members only, saves you time and helps you avoid mistakes with:

  • Calculators to help assess credit compliance.
  • Tracking spreadsheets for materials purchases.
  • Spreadsheets and forms to give to subs and other team members.
  • Guidance documents on arcane LEED issues.
  • Sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions.
  • Examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects.

LEEDuser expert

headshot

Deborah Lucking

AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Fentress Architects
Director of Sustainability

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