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NC-v4 EQc8:Quality views

Views for Medical Exam Rooms

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Kyle Ritchie
Sustainable Design Coordinator
Ayers Saint Gross
LEEDuser Basic Member
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Our project is pursuing LEED v4 BD+C certification and is a University building. The primary function of this facility will be to train nursing students via practice/simulation rooms. Some of the regularly occupied area consists of training space, which, in order to ensure a neutral simulation experience, the design team can not incorporate views to the outdoors. If the design team made the necessary changes to fulfill the credit requirements, by granting access to views within these spaces, the various rooms would fail to meet the required space program requirements.

Our question is: Can we exclude these spaces from the total "Regularly Occupied Space" area count, or do these spaces need to be included, regardless of their program limitations?

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Allison Smith
Sustainable Design Leader
HKS, Inc.
LEEDuser Premium Member
40 thumbs up

Mon, 02/18/2019 - 15:00

Those spaces need to be included in the regularly occupied space regardless of the program limitations and should be reported consistently across all credits. LEED v4 does allow for some exclusions (auditoriums, conference rooms dedicated to video conferencing, and gymnasiums) from the regularly occupied space for this credit only. If your training space falls into these categories then you can exclude it from the calculation. Be sure to include a narrative explaining why the training spaces are excluded. 
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Susan Di Giulio
Senior Project Manager
Zinner Consultants
LEEDuser Basic Member
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Mon, 02/18/2019 - 18:21

I don't know about exam training rooms, but I have had actual exam rooms excluded for views and daylight credits only in a CI 2009 project because of legitimate privacy & modesty concerns. But we were also careful to put absolutely all other regularly occupied areas along the periphery, w/windows. 

Thu, 03/14/2019 - 03:45

Where in the reference guide can I find the info about gyms and conference rooms being excluded from the calculations? Thank you!
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Allison Smith
Sustainable Design Leader
HKS, Inc.
LEEDuser Premium Member
40 thumbs up

Thu, 03/14/2019 - 18:51

Ekaterina -  Look under Further Explanation --> Project Type Variations. In my printed copy, it's split between 2 pages (754-755) and hides easily. If you have a membership to the online guide here is a direct link (https://www.usgbc.org/node/2614128?view=guide&return=/credits#).    
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TODD REED
Energy Program Specialist
PA DMVA
LEEDuser Expert
626 thumbs up

Fri, 03/15/2019 - 13:39

You need to look at the Regularly Occupied Space Matrix dated April 2015 for spaces that can and cannot be excluded from the calculations. Gyms can be excluded from the calculations but not conference rooms. The only way a conference room can be excluded would be if it specifically designed and labeled as a tele conference room. Regularly conference rooms must be included. 
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TODD REED
Energy Program Specialist
PA DMVA
LEEDuser Expert
626 thumbs up

Fri, 03/15/2019 - 13:43

I would provided a detailed and specific narrative that includes why views to the exterior would be detrimental to interior activity. I assume the owner has some type of study or documentation that would make this a programming requirement. It will be looked by the reviewer and they'l make the determination. More specific and detailed as to why they are a detriment the better. Otherwise, it must be included. You could submit a project LI and get specific answer before attempting the credit.

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