Hi, I've got a 9,400 SF building which serves as the offices for the athletic faculty at a small public university. Two of the offices, both facing north, are overlit when calculated with the prescriptive method. The offices are nearly identical both have a VLTxWFR value of 0.30, whereas the acceptable range is between 0.15 and 0.18. Is it reasonable to argue for special circumstances - that the glare control devices which are standard in all rooms of the building (louvered blinds) can control the excess lighting? Does GBCI accept that argument?
Thanks,
Sarah Corbitt, LEED AP
Architect Intern, Sustainability Coordinator, Odell Associates Inc
Brian Baewon Koh
CEO, former USGBC FacultyInnovative Design, Inc.
12 thumbs up
February 22, 2011 - 10:30 pm
Sarah, it sounds that you have unnecessary glare control device because you said the office are facing north. Although LEED Reference Guide is not clear how to validate the glare control devices, technically you have to consider hours that direct sunlight comes into the offices. Depending on the location of the your project, direct sunlght will come in only early morning and late afternoon during summer time. If your offices are used during that time, then your glare control louver should be able to control the low angle of the sunlight during those hours. Unfortunately in your case I don't see a clear rationale that the reviewer would accept your argument. Did you try a simulation instead of the prescriptive method? The prescriptive method doesn't consider specific situations so it is very likely to be removed in the next version of LEED.