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LEED v4.1
New Construction
Indoor Environmental Quality
Quality Views

LEED CREDIT

NC-v4.1 EQc8: Quality Views 1 point

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View the LEED v4 version of this credit »

SPECIAL REPORT

LEEDuser expert

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.

Intent

To give building occupants a connection to the natural outdoor environment by providing quality views.

Requirements

Provide occupants in the building with a view to the outdoor natural or urban environment for 75% of all regularly occupied floor area. Auditoriums, conference rooms dedicated to video conferencing, and gymnasiums may be excluded. Views into interior atria may be used to meet up to 30% of the required area.

Views must be through glass with a visible light transmittance (VLT) above 40%. If the glazing has frits, patterns, or tints the view must be preserved. Neutral gray, bronze, and blue-green tints are acceptable.

Views must include at least one of the following:
  • nature, urban landmarks, or art; or
  • objects at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) from the exterior of the glazing.

Occupants must have direct access to the view and be within three times the head height of the glazing.

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Addenda

4/9/2021Updated: 4/19/2021
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Revise the last paragraph of requirements to the following: "Occupants must have direct access to the view and be within three times the head height of the glazing. "

Under Step by Step Guidance, revise second bullet to read as:
"Identify interior features that may block the view to the window, such as structural columns. Vertical columns smaller than 1-foot (0.3 meters) wide and horizontal features smaller than 1-foot (0.3 meters) high typically do not block views. Movable furniture and partitions as well as movable glare control devices may be included, but this is not required.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
4/9/2021Updated: 4/19/2021
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
Revise the last paragraph of requirements to the following: "Occupants must have direct access to the view and be within three times the head height of the glazing. "

Under Step by Step Guidance, revise second bullet to read as:
"Identify interior features that may block the view to the window, such as structural columns. Vertical columns smaller than 1-foot (0.3 meters) wide and horizontal features smaller than 1-foot (0.3 meters) high typically do not block views. Movable furniture and partitions as well as movable glare control devices may be included, but this is not required.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/9/2020Updated: 2/3/2021
Form Update
Description of change:
Updated to align with v4.1 November 2020 Addenda
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/9/2020Updated: 11/30/2020
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
Replace requirements language under adaption header with:

Provide occupants in the building with a view to the outdoor natural or urban environment for 75% of all regularly occupied floor area. Auditoriums, conference rooms dedicated to video conferencing, and gymnasiums may be excluded. Views into interior atria may be used to meet up to 30% of the required area.

Views must be through glass with a visible light transmittance (VLT) above 40%. If the glazing has frits, patterns, or tints the view must be preserved. Neutral gray, bronze, and blue-green tints are acceptable.

Views must include at least one of the following:
• nature, urban landmarks, or art; or
• objects at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) from the exterior of the glazing.


Occupants must have direct access to the view and be within three times the head height of the glazing with no permanent interior obstructions between the occupant and the window. Exceptions: Vertical columns smaller than 1-foot (0.3 meters) wide and horizontal features smaller than 1-foot (0.3 meters) high are excluded.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/9/2020Updated: 11/30/2020
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Add the following language under Guidance:

"Behind the Intent
Beta Update
Specific criteria for the glazing characteristics have been added to address challenges with determining acceptable levels of clarity, frits, fibers, patterns, tints and to minimize conflicts with the Pilot Credit for Bird Collision Deterrence.
The view requirements were also revised to better differentiate criteria for view content from criteria for view access and to eliminate potentially redundant requirements.
The requirements for healthcare have been revised for clarity.

Step-by-Step Guidance

Step 1-3. Refer to these steps in the LEED v4 reference guide

Step 4. Identify Site Lines to the Exterior
On floor plans or furniture plans, identify the locations of perimeter and interior glazing and all permanent interior obstructions.
• Determine whether the perimeter and interior glazing meets the credit requirements for VLT, frits/patterns, and tints.
o Recommended frit patterns to reduce bird collisions and preserve quality views are no thicker than 1/8 inch (3.175 millimeters) and spaced every 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) vertically and 4 inches (10.16 centimeters) horizontally.
• Identify permanent interior obstructions (see Definitions in the LEED v4 reference guide). Small vertical and horizontal features are acceptable per the credit requirements. Movable furniture and partitions as well as movable glare control devices may be included, but this is not required.
• Consider performing an initial rough assessment before performing detailed assessment of view quality. Determine whether the regularly occupied floor area with proximity to vision glazing is at least 75% of the total regularly occupied flor area.
Step 5. Assess View Quality
Identify whether the view includes nature, urban landmarks or art, or objects at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) from the exterior of the glazing.
Step 6. Confirm Compliance
Complete the tracking table to confirm that at least 75% of the regularly occupied floor area has access to a quality view. For warehouses and distribution centers and Healthcare projects, See Further Explanation, Rating System Variations section in the LEED v4 Reference Guide. "

Under Further Explanation, add:
"Healthcare projects refer to the following sections in the LEED v4 Reference guide: Calculations perimeter area, special considerations for healthcare projects,
Required Documentation
 List of regularly occupied spaces, qualifying floor area in each space, and view features
 Sections, elevations, diagrams, renderings, or photos indicating sight lines to glazing do not encounter permanent interior obstructions
 Floor plans or diagrams identifying the views to nature, urban landmarks, or objects at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) accessible to the occupants.
 Glazing specifications confirming compliance with VLT, frit/pattern, and tint requirements.
"
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/14/2019Updated: 11/14/2019
Form Update
Description of change:
LEED v4.1 Daylight and Quality Views calculator published
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
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LEEDuser expert

Deborah Lucking

AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Fentress Architects
Director of Sustainability

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USGBC logo

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

Intent

To give building occupants a connection to the natural outdoor environment by providing quality views.

Requirements

Provide occupants in the building with a view to the outdoor natural or urban environment for 75% of all regularly occupied floor area. Auditoriums, conference rooms dedicated to video conferencing, and gymnasiums may be excluded. Views into interior atria may be used to meet up to 30% of the required area.

Views must be through glass with a visible light transmittance (VLT) above 40%. If the glazing has frits, patterns, or tints the view must be preserved. Neutral gray, bronze, and blue-green tints are acceptable.

Views must include at least one of the following:
  • nature, urban landmarks, or art; or
  • objects at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) from the exterior of the glazing.

Occupants must have direct access to the view and be within three times the head height of the glazing.

LEEDuser expert

Deborah Lucking

AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Fentress Architects
Director of Sustainability

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