Log in
LEED v4
Existing Schools
Indoor Environmental Quality

Daylight and quality views

LEED CREDIT

Schools-EBOM-v4 EQc5: Daylight and quality views 2-4 points

See all forum discussions about this credit »

SPECIAL REPORT

LEEDuser expert

Ashwini Arun

WSP
Senior Sustainability Manager

SPECIAL REPORT

LEEDuser’s viewpoint

Frank advice from LEED experts

LEED is changing all the time, and every project is unique. Even seasoned professionals can miss a critical detail and lose a credit or even a prerequisite at the last minute. Our expert advice guides our LEEDuser Premium members and saves you valuable time.

Credit language

USGBC logo

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

Requirements

Establishment

Option 1. Daylight Measurement (2 points)
Achieve illuminance levels between 300 lux and 3,000 lux for at least 50% of the regularly occupied floor area. With furniture, fixtures, and equipment in place, measure illuminance levels as follows:
  • Measure at appropriate work plane height during any hour between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
  • Take one measurement in any regularly occupied month, and take a second as indicated in Table 1.
  • For spaces larger than 150 square feet (14 square meters), take measurements on a maximum 10-foot (3-meter) square grid.
  • For spaces 150 square feet (14 square meters) or smaller, take measurements on a maximum 3-foot (900-millimeter) square grid.
  • Table 1. Timing of measurements for illuminance

    If first measurement is taken in …

    take second measurement in …

    January

    May-September

    February

    June-October

    March

    June-July, November-December

    April

    August-December

    May

    September-January

    June

    October-February

    July

    November-March

    August

    December-April

    September

    December-January, May-June

    October

    February-June

    November

    March-July

    December

    April-August

    AND/OR

    Option 2. Quality Views (2 points)
    Achieve a direct line of sight to the outdoors via vision glazing for 50% 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, 50% 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 (7.5 meters) 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.

      Performance

      None.
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

What is the “view factor” and how do I calculate it?

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.)

See all forum discussions about this credit »

Addenda

1/10/2020Updated: 1/10/2020
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Under Step 2, delete the last sentence of first bullet (delete: Consider the required measurement schedule: the second measurement must be taken at least five months after the first.).
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
7/1/2014Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Under the third paragraph remove the text: "(e.g. lab hoods, fixed partitions, demountable opaque full- or partial-height partitions)".
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/1/2014Updated: 2/14/2015
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
Under the third paragraph remove the text: "(e.g. lab hoods, fixed partitions, demountable opaque full- or partial-height partitions)".
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

Ashwini Arun

WSP
Senior Sustainability Manager

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

Establishment

Option 1. Daylight Measurement (2 points)
Achieve illuminance levels between 300 lux and 3,000 lux for at least 50% of the regularly occupied floor area. With furniture, fixtures, and equipment in place, measure illuminance levels as follows:
  • Measure at appropriate work plane height during any hour between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
  • Take one measurement in any regularly occupied month, and take a second as indicated in Table 1.
  • For spaces larger than 150 square feet (14 square meters), take measurements on a maximum 10-foot (3-meter) square grid.
  • For spaces 150 square feet (14 square meters) or smaller, take measurements on a maximum 3-foot (900-millimeter) square grid.
  • Table 1. Timing of measurements for illuminance

    If first measurement is taken in …

    take second measurement in …

    January

    May-September

    February

    June-October

    March

    June-July, November-December

    April

    August-December

    May

    September-January

    June

    October-February

    July

    November-March

    August

    December-April

    September

    December-January, May-June

    October

    February-June

    November

    March-July

    December

    April-August

    AND/OR

    Option 2. Quality Views (2 points)
    Achieve a direct line of sight to the outdoors via vision glazing for 50% 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, 50% 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 (7.5 meters) 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.

      Performance

      None.

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.

What is the “view factor” and how do I calculate it?

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.)

1/10/2020Updated: 1/10/2020
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Under Step 2, delete the last sentence of first bullet (delete: Consider the required measurement schedule: the second measurement must be taken at least five months after the first.).
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
7/1/2014Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Under the third paragraph remove the text: "(e.g. lab hoods, fixed partitions, demountable opaque full- or partial-height partitions)".
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/1/2014Updated: 2/14/2015
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
Under the third paragraph remove the text: "(e.g. lab hoods, fixed partitions, demountable opaque full- or partial-height partitions)".
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes

LEEDuser expert

Ashwini Arun

WSP
Senior Sustainability Manager

See all LEEDuser forum discussions about this credit » Subscribe to new discussions about Schools-EBOM-v4 EQc5