Change figure title to "Figure 4. Unobstructed View through Window over Low Partition."
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Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
Achieve a direct line of sight to the outdoor environment via vision glazing between 30 inches and 90 inches (between 0.8 meters and 2.3 meters) above the finish floor for building occupants in 90% of all regularly occupied areas. Determine the area with a direct line of sight by totaling the regularly occupied floor area that meets the following criteria:
- In plan view, the area is within sight lines drawn from perimeter vision glazing.
- In section view, a direct sight line can be drawn from the area to perimeter vision glazing.
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See all forum discussions about this credit »Addenda
1/15/2016 – Updated: 4/7/2016
Form Update
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
5/9/2011 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
5/9/2011 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
In the first paragraph, replace the text "Movable furniture and partitions are included in the scope of this credit calculation. See Figure 2." with "Movable furniture and partitions are not included in the scope of this credit calculation. See Figure 2. Movable furniture and partitions are those that can
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/1/2011 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
In alphabetical order, add the following definition for nonoccupied spaces, "Nonoccupied spaces are defined as spaces designed for equipment and machinery or storage with no human occupancy except for maintenance, repairs, and equipment retrieval."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/1/2011 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Revise the definition for regularly occupied spaces to be, "Regularly occupied spaces are areas where one or more individuals normally spend time (more than one hour per person per day on average) seated or standing as they work, study, or perform other focused activities inside a building."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
5/9/2011 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
After the definition for glare, add "Movable furniture and partitions are those that can be moved to provide access to the view by the user without the need for tools or assistance from special trades and facilities management."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/1/2011 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
In alphabetical order, add the following definition for non-regularly occupied space, "Non-regularly occupied spaces are spaces that occupants pass through, or spaces used in pursuit of focused activities for less than one hour per person per day (on average)."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/1/2011 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
In alphabetical order, add the following definition for occupied spaces, "Occupied Spaces are defined as enclosed spaces that can accommodate human activities. Occupied spaces are further classified as regularly occupied or non-regularly occupied spaces based on the duration of the occupancy, individual or multi-occupant based on the quantity of occupants, and densely or non-densely occupied spaces based upon the concentration of occupants in the space."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
10/1/2012
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:
We would like to submit a CIR to request a streamlined approach for the daylight documentation. We have the particular condition of an identical cluster of office buildings. In spite of having the same foot print, each building will be uniquely impacted by orientation variation and specific surrounding context condition. The intent is to fully document one building showing that the amount of light increases as you move up through the floor plates. Then to proceed to document the worst case scenario of each building (ground floor) or the level that is least exposed to solar access. If the worst case scenario passes, then we infer based on our test case that the upper floors of the building will pass as well. This will help us streamline not only the documentation process for so many buildings but also the review process. Is this an acceptable documentation method for this credit?
Ruling:
The project team is requesting whether a campus credit may be pursued for IEQc8.1. Daylight and Views: Daylight through a typical floor plan and worst case scenario daylight calculations.Yes, the typical floor plan and worst-case scenario daylight calculations may be used for the campus credit and applied to all buildings within the master site that have identical floor plans. The 2010 Application Guide for Multiple Buildings and On-Campus Projects identifies IEQc8.1 as an individual building credit and states that each building should pursue the credit individually. However, in the same way that a multi-story building may provide a single floor plan for each grouping of identical floors, if buildings within the Master Site are identical, the same documentation may be used for each identical building. Any of the calculation methods (simulation, prescriptive, measurement) may be used. Documentation for the campus credit and associated projects must demonstrate how the worst case scenario was determined and that the only difference in the buildings is the orientation on the site. The footprint, square footage and interior layout of the buildings must be identical. Applicable Internationally.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
9/15/2008
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:
This Credit Interpretation Request is in reference to a 90,000 square foot office building, research laboratory and data center, which utilizes extensive internal vision glazing and open office design to visually connect most occupants to landscaped exteriors. Offices with internal vision glazing are typically occupied by individuals that occasionally require the privacy of a closed-door office, i.e. those with direct reports and those having access to confidential information. In order to maximize their views when not in need of privacy, reverse wound spring hinges will hold the office doors in the open position as a default. The doors can, of course, be shut manually when the occupant desires privacy. This is a similar situation to the CIR of 10/23/2006 where sliding wall panels were used in residential sleeping rooms. USGBC ruled that the Views calculations could be performed with the panels in the open position. We would like to calculate the views for each of these offices equipped with reverse wound hinges in the open position. For each office using doors equipped with reverse wound spring hinges, which default the doors to the open position, is it acceptable to calculate EQ c8.2 Views with doors in the open position?
Ruling:
Can open doors qualify as vision glazing for the purposes of this credit? Open doors do not meet the requirements of this credit to provide views to the outdoors. The intent of this credit is to provide a connection between indoor spaces and the outdoors through the introduction of daylight and views into the regularly occupied areas of the building. While the described design periodically provides limited views through office doors that default to open, this strategy does not guarantee views for the occupants. From the provided description it is unclear at to why vision glazing cannot be incorporated into these spaces to ensure quality views at all times (allowing for privacy needs with some form of shades or blinds). Applicable Internationally.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
10/1/2012
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:
The LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Design and Construction, 2009 Edition and LEED Reference Guide for Green Interior Design and Construction, 2009 Edition indicate the following instructions for determining the direct line of sight in section view. "Using representative building sections, draw a line at 42 inches (typical seated eye height) across the section to establish eye height and any obstruction to the perimeter glazing, Draw one or more representative sight lines from a point at eye height in the regularly occupied space to the perimeter vision glazing."Is the direct line of sight drawn from the area to the perimeter vision glazing in section view required to be a horizontal line at 42 inches above the finished floor? Can the direct line of sight slope from 42 inches at the seated area to any location within the vision glazing?
Ruling:
To determine direct lines of sight in section, provide one or more representative sight lines from a point at eye height (42 inches) in the regularly occupied space to perimeter vision glazing between 30 inches and 90 inches above the finished floor of the building. The direct line of sight may be slope from 42 inches at the seated area to any unobstructed area of the vision glazing. The direct line of sight is not required to be horizontal at 42 inches only. Internationally Applicable.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
1/16/2007
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:
Our office building client is considering raising their desk partitions to help with acoustics. Our team believes that acoustic quality is an important component of Indoor Environmental Quality, even though it is not directly addressed by LEED. Therefore we are trying to carefully balance this concern with LEED credit requirements. Raising the furniture partitions just 6-inches to 66-inches total will help significantly, according to a study performed by a professional acoustics consultant. The client is proposing to make the portion of the panel above 60-inches clear, so as not to intrude on the daylighting and views. Will this still allow the furniture panels to be excluded from the calculations for daylighting and views? A previous CIR cites TRANSLUCENT panels, and suggests that these would not be acceptable. Our client is considering clear panels.
Ruling:
Views through interior glazing may be counted under this credit. However the horizontal view requirement of the credit must still be demonstrated from the seated height average of 42 inches. Applicable Internationally.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
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© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
Achieve a direct line of sight to the outdoor environment via vision glazing between 30 inches and 90 inches (between 0.8 meters and 2.3 meters) above the finish floor for building occupants in 90% of all regularly occupied areas. Determine the area with a direct line of sight by totaling the regularly occupied floor area that meets the following criteria:
- In plan view, the area is within sight lines drawn from perimeter vision glazing.
- In section view, a direct sight line can be drawn from the area to perimeter vision glazing.
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