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LEED v4
Commercial Interiors
Indoor Environmental Quality

Quality views

LEED CREDIT

CI-v4 EQc8: Quality Views 1 point

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View the LEED v4.1 version of this credit »

SPECIAL REPORT

LEEDuser expert

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Deborah Lucking

AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Fentress Architects
Director of Sustainability

SPECIAL REPORT

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Credit language

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.”
    • Views into interior atria may be used to meet up to 30% of the required area. Include any permanent interior obstructions and moveable furniture and partitions.
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

Can views be counted through multiple clear workstation partitions?

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Is there a specific height restriction for furniture (such as in an open office area) that items should be under in order to allow the space to count towards credit compliance? In LEED 2009 it was 42". 

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

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See all forum discussions about this credit »

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
7/1/2014 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Remove the sentence “Include in the calculations any permanent interior obstructions. Moveable furniture and partitions may be excluded.”
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/1/2014 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
Remove the sentence “Include in the calculations any permanent interior obstructions. Moveable furniture and partitions may be excluded.”
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
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.

LEEDuser expert

headshot

Deborah Lucking

AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Fentress Architects
Director of Sustainability

Get the inside scoop

Our editors have written a detailed analysis of nearly every LEED credit, and LEEDuser premium members get full access. We’ll tell you whether the credit is easy to accomplish or better left alone, and we provide insider tips on how to document it successfully.

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.”
    • Views into interior atria may be used to meet up to 30% of the required area. Include any permanent interior obstructions and moveable furniture and partitions.

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.

Can views be counted through multiple clear workstation partitions?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

Is there a specific height restriction for furniture (such as in an open office area) that items should be under in order to allow the space to count towards credit compliance? In LEED 2009 it was 42". 

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)
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
7/1/2014 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Remove the sentence “Include in the calculations any permanent interior obstructions. Moveable furniture and partitions may be excluded.”
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/1/2014 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
Remove the sentence “Include in the calculations any permanent interior obstructions. Moveable furniture and partitions may be excluded.”
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes

LEEDuser expert

headshot

Deborah Lucking

AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Fentress Architects
Director of Sustainability

See all LEEDuser forum discussions about this credit » Unsubscribe from discussions about CI-v4 EQc8 View the LEED v4.1 version of this credit