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Use a collaborative design process
Access to daylight inside buildings makes for healthier and more comfortable occupants—and is also linked with greater productivity. When designed with proper glare control and minimized solar heat gain, daylighting provides high-quality light while significantly reducing energy use for lighting and for cooling. Increased daylight through increased vision glazing can help projects earn EQc8.2 for access to views. Realizing the benefits of daylighting requires a collaborative design process.
Balance other design goals
Keep in mind that daylighting strategies must balance with other design goals. For example, you will want to provide enough glazing area for daylighting, plan for open spaces that allow for light transfer, but not at the expense of too much heat...
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39 Comments
Exclusion of Space Requiring No Light Intrusion
Our firm is proposing to build an Indoor Target Range on a Marine base. The RFP requires that the room where the target training occurs have zero outside light intrusion. Other areas of the building will have appropriate windows offering the daylighting we seek to earn this credit. Does anyone have similar experience where the GBCI/USGBC allows for such a special use room to be excluded from the calculation of this credit?
Thanks, Elliot
Elliot Powers replied LEED AP BD+C May 19 2010
Just came across a sentence on page 379 of this credit section in the RG which states, "Exceptions for areas where tasks would by hindered by the use of daylight will be considered on their merits." Does any have experience referring to this in proposing an exclusion of areas within a building design in calculating for this credit?
Eddy Santosa replied Sustainable Design Coordinator, HMC Architects May 20 2010
Hi Elliot,
You can exclude any room if you can argue that the work will be hindered and there is no precedent for similar type of room having daylight.
Based on my experience, it is usually difficult to exclude a room.
In my opinion, for your case, there is small probability that you can exclude, but you can try to send CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide to verify.
Tristan Roberts replied Editor – LEEDuser, BuildingGreen, LLC May 20 2010
I think I have heard of this being done with theaters and museums. I am a little surprised to hear that it's considered rare and difficult. An indoor target range where no daylight is a programmatic necessity seems like it's on the same footing as a theater.
On the other hand, they do say that not all credits are appropriate for all projects...
Eddy Santosa replied Sustainable Design Coordinator, HMC Architects May 20 2010
Hi Tristan,
Yes, I agree with you that it is possible but you need to have a solid argument and it is case by case basis.
For theater, you may refer old CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide dated on 5/30/2007:
"Occupants in a theater, including activities such as seating, cleaning and stage work, will benefit from daylight, however, a 2% daylight factorThe ratio of exterior illumination to interior illumination, expressed as a percentage. The variables used to determine the daylight factor include the floor area, window area, window geometry, visible transmittance (Tvis), and window height. and access to views may be inappropriate. Dedicated theater space can qualify as a daylit space in credit calculations if the daylight design meets the recommended illuminance of 10 footcandles as noted in the IESNA Lighting Handbook Reference & Application. To document compliance, submit a daylight simulation model or daylight measurement of the theater space. Dedicated theater space may be excluded from EQc8.2 calculations for access to views. If daylighting is not provided, the space can be excluded from the credit calculations along with a narrative describing theatre activities and how daylighting will hinder these activities."
Thus, the exclusion of theater depends on your narrative and whether your reviewer accepts your narrative. CIR still recommends daylight provision for theater.
For another comparison, you can refer to CIR dated 2/8/2007. In that CIR, the exclusion of auditoriums was rejected although the narrative explained the auditoriums activities were hindered by daylight provision.
For shooting range, I thought daylight can still be provided by dimmable solar tube, but my opinion may be incorrect. Therefore I recommend CIR as a method to verify whether the exclusion and the argument are acceptable by GBCI.
Carlie Bullock-Jones replied Director, Ecoworks Studio May 20 2010
Hi Elliot,
I would agree with all comments provided above on this issue. Overall I think you can make a good argument/case for excluding the target training room, especially since it appears that you are providing ample daylight for all other regularly occupied spacesRegularly occupied spaces are areas where workers are seated or standing as they work inside a building. In residential applications, these areas are all spaces except bathrooms, utility areas, and closets or other storage rooms. In schools, they are areas where students, teachers, or administrators are seated or standing as they work or study inside a building.. Just provide a signed letter from the owner describing why the introduction of daylight would hinder the activities in this room, noting your approach and careful strategy to include daylight for the benefit of other regularly occupied spaces - basically you want to make the review team aware of your overall approach to a daylighting strategy and that you didn't simply exclude the target training room to achieve the credit.
Note that while the CIRs you reference are good examples, it is my understanding that they do not apply to LEED 2009.
Hope helpful.
Elliot Powers replied LEED AP BD+C May 20 2010
Thanks to all of you for your valued input. I'd say it's pretty unanimous that a CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide submittal is what's going to be necessary to get this credit/point. Carlie, I particularly felt your approach made great sense in how we script the CIR narrative. This is a registered NC v2.2 project, so there's some benefit to the historical CIRs, but as Eddy said it's going to still be on a case-by-case basis.
Elliot
Carlie Bullock-Jones replied Director, Ecoworks Studio May 20 2010
Elliot,
It is up to you but I would not spend the money asking a CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide on this - since you have a NCv2.2 project I would submit this credit with a detailed narrative that includes those referenced CIRs allowing other projects to exclude areas where daylight would hinder activities.
I have never designed a target training room but you might also be able to argue that windows cannot be included for saftey and/or sound control reasons.
Good luck!
Daylighting calcs
How do you calculate stairs into the area regularly occupied space. Do you calculate its area as a part of one of the floors its connected to or do you exclude it from the calculations?
Carlie Bullock-Jones replied Director, Ecoworks Studio Jun 16 2010
I would exclude stairs from the calculations since it is technically circulation space and considered non-regularly occupied similar to a corridor.
NC 2.2 EQ C8.2- Daylighting & View Calculation for open building
This pertains to a “naturally ventilated building” where
some window openings are not glazed. They are open.
For daylighting calculation, how would these open areas be factored
into the calculations? Technically, the openings will have a visible
transmittance factor of 1.0. Can someone please provide some guidance on this issue?
Eddy Santosa replied Sustainable Design Coordinator, HMC Architects Jun 24 2010
Ravi, I am not sure that I understand your question. If they are open (hole), I will consider that area as outdoor space. If it is a solid surface like a wood/metal door, I think you have consider as a solid surface. I hope it will help.
Ravi Sharma replied Jun 26 2010
Thanks for your reply. Openings do not have any glazing. They have a roof overhang to prevent rainwater from getting inside the naturally ventilated building.
Eddy Santosa replied Sustainable Design Coordinator, HMC Architects Jul 02 2010
Hi Ravi,
I think it will depend on your building design. If your opening/wall ratio is not really high, i think you can use TvisVisible light transmittance (VLT) (Tvis) is the ratio of total transmitted light to total incident light (i.e., the amount of visible spectrum, 380780 nanometers of light passing through a glazing surface divided by the amount of light striking the glazing surface). The higher the Tvis value, the more incident light passes through the glazing. 1. However if opening/wall ratio is high, it may be considered as an outdoor area.
Athletic Facility - determining "regularly occupied spaces"
Hi everyone - we have an athletic facility which consists of a fitness center, pool, field house/gym, and ice rink. I'm struggling to determine which spaces would fit the definition of "regularly occupied". Does anyone have any experience with this type of facility?
All of the staff office areas would be included, but I'm assuming locker rooms would not (same as washrooms). Other spaces include an enclosed press box overlooking the rink and a concession stand off the main corridor.
I understand that corridors and stairwells are exempt, but we have a large lobby with a reception desk which will be staffed during operating hours and fixed seating for students. What do you think?
Thanks!
Jean Marais replied b.i.g. Bechtold INGENIEURGESELLSCHAFT MBH Jul 13 2010
Regularly occupied spacesRegularly occupied spaces are areas where workers are seated or standing as they work inside a building. In residential applications, these areas are all spaces except bathrooms, utility areas, and closets or other storage rooms. In schools, they are areas where students, teachers, or administrators are seated or standing as they work or study inside a building. are areas where workers are seated or standing as they work inside a building. In residential applications, these areas are all spaces except bathrooms, utility areas, and closets or other storage rooms. In schools, they are areas where students, teachers, or administrators are seated or standing as they work or study inside a building.
Furthermore ASHRAE standard 62.1 also has a definition to this, i think...may even be time constraint.
Roxanne Button replied Architect & Sustainable Design Consultant, Architectural Reoources Jul 13 2010
Thanks for the comment, but these types of spaces are really not workspaces or learning spaces. So I'm not sure how to treat them.
If I follow the definition as the LEED reference guide states it, then the only places where occuapnts are "seated or standing while they work or study" would be a dozen or so offices. That excludes about 90% of the space in this building. There must be some precedents out there for LEED-certified athletic facilities.
Roxanne Button replied Architect & Sustainable Design Consultant, Architectural Reoources Jul 13 2010
Found a post by Joel McKellar on RealLifeLEED -
http://www.reallifeleed.com/2009/05/defining-regularly-occupied-space.html
Based on the CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide's that he looked at, field houses and gyms are not considered to be regularly occupied. I'm going to take a closer look at ASHRAE 62.1 - thanks.
Jean Marais replied b.i.g. Bechtold INGENIEURGESELLSCHAFT MBH Jul 14 2010
Found it! ASHRAE 55 (thermal comfort) - zone, occupied
"the region normally occupied by people within a space, generally considered to be between the floor and 1.8 m (6 ft) above the floor and more than 1.0 m (3.3 ft) from outside walls/windows or fixed heating, ventilating or air-conditioning equipment and 0.3 m (1 ft) from internal walls.
4. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Use of this standard is specific to the space being considered and the occupants of that space. Any application of this standard must specify the space to which it applies or the locations within that space to which it applies, if not to the entire space. Any application of this standard must identify the occupants (who must have a residency of more than 15 minutes in the space) to which it applies."
The 15 min may only be for statistical significance reasons for some of the formulas used in the standard, but it may be thought that the indoor environmental conditions are important to anyone staying longer than 15 min in the space.
You could consider also that a training session or game duration will seldomly exceed 2 hrs. And then there will be a change of people. Their exposure will only be 2 hrs and is therefor not health impact relevant, only comfort impact relevant...especially when spaces with high physical activity and population density will usually be well ventilated and cooled just to keep the temperature down...it's not like they're going into a coal mine for 2 hrs. On that basis I would say NOT regularly occupied, as the same person will not regularly occupy the space. And yes, that means a lot of space that is excluded for things like Daylight-Views.
When I first started doing LEED it was on Stadiums, and I understand that LEED was designed for offices, and there are not very many sport facilities out there that are certified, so "president" may be looking for too much.
In your case you should also consider that there are usually staff that work in a particular space, like the gym, just as user support. They stand around and check no ones hurting themselves or the equipment or if people need help. You should check out their patterns. Do they spend their entire day in this space or half in the office half in the space?
LEED definately says minimum 1 hr occupation for classroom and core learning spaces (BD&C userguide p404). And don't ask me what a "receiving area" is. I know people that work 12 hr shift at the receiption desk and they deserve a good environment.
Roxanne Button replied Architect & Sustainable Design Consultant, Architectural Reoources Jul 14 2010
Thank you! This does make some sense. I need to go back to the client and get a better idea of who's using which areas and for how long. The Field House itself will be used for a lot of different sports. The Lobby/Reception area is staffed all day long and during events, so I think that should be counted. But the Ice Rink is a more specialized use - need to find out more about how much use it will get.
Thanks again!
Retail Space excluded from calculations?
Hi everyone. We are working on an eight story residential building with a small retail component on the ground floor. The retail space, which will be built as a shell and leased. is less than 10% of the total building square footage. I was under the impression that if it was less than 10% of the square footage, the building could be considered as 100% residential and the space could be excluded from the EQc8.1 calcs. But after a review, we have received pushback from GBCI and they have asked for us to include the space. (they have also requested that we include the space in the SSc4.2 & WEc3 calcs). Any insight?
David Posada replied Sustainability Manager, GBD Architects Jul 21 2010
Yes, mixed-use projects with commercial space less than 10% of the gsf have been considered "100% residential" in pre-2009 projects in terms of what credit requirements get applied to the building.
This was established by a SSc4.4 CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide ruling from 4/4/2005. A very useful CIR ruling for SSc4.2 dated 9/10/2007 clarifies how this may be applied for bike racks and showers.
The commercial space has still had to comply with relevant credits. Most of that retail space will be considered regularly occupied space, and so has to be included in the areas for EQc8. You also have had to include the FTEFull-time equivalent (FTE) represents a regular building occupant who spends 8 hours a day (40 hours a week) in the project building. Part-time or overtime occupants have FTE values based on their hours per day divided by 8 (or hours per week divided by 40). Transient Occupants can be reported as either daily totals or as part of the FTE. Residential occupancy should be estimated based on the number and size of units. Core and Shell projects should refer to the default occupancy table in the Reference Guide appendix. All occupant assumptions must be consistent across all credits in all categories. of employees and visitors in these spaces in the building total FTE for calculating water use, bike racks, fuel efficient vehicle spaces, etc.
So how does the 10% exception help? It applies when a credit has one method for determining compliance for residential projects and a different one for commercial, such as the formula for calculating the number of bike racks per FTE (5% for commercial, 15% for residential) and whether the racks need to be covered from weather.
Since the retail space of a mixed use building will often be built as core and shell space for a later tenant improvement, you can make some assumptions about space areas and occupancy. See the Appendix 1 for Core and Shell default occupancies based on sf of different space types in the BD&C reference guide, page 611 (1 employee per 550 sf, 1 transient per 130 sf). To estimate the regularly occupied space of the future retail, we've often assumed an efficiency of 85%; so 15% of each retail area could be unoccupied back-of-house space.
Other CIRs have addressed the need to provide LEED compliant TI guidelines for issues such as finishes, HVAC, lighting, controls, etc for the future retail TIs that the owner does not control.
One result of those CIRs for SSc4.2 and 4.4 is that you have to provide bike racks for the total building FTE including retail employees and transient visitors, but you should not be compelled to provide showers for those retail FTEs. Make sure you reference and include any relevant CIRs with your documentation.
NC V2.2 EQ 8.1 Option 3
I am considering documenting a Community College building with an atrium, clerestory into most of the rooms and large windows in all regularly occupied spacesRegularly occupied spaces are areas where workers are seated or standing as they work inside a building. In residential applications, these areas are all spaces except bathrooms, utility areas, and closets or other storage rooms. In schools, they are areas where students, teachers, or administrators are seated or standing as they work or study inside a building. using light measurements. I am fairly confident that the building can achieve the 25 footcandle requirement over 75% of the regularly occupied spaces.
I have not found any reference to how to set this up other than using a 10x10 grid super imposed on all regularly occupied spaces. One of my questions is should I take measurements at 9 am and 3 pm or only at 12 noon or just pick a random time and take measurements.
Any help would be appreciated.
Eddy Santosa replied Sustainable Design Coordinator, HMC Architects Jul 27 2010
I think there is no more requirement for measurement except grid size. Regarding measurement time, You can pick up random time. However, I would recommend to consider sky condition when you take the measurement.
Tristan Roberts replied Editor – LEEDuser, BuildingGreen, LLC Jul 27 2010
Eddy, since this is NC-v2.2, I think the grid does apply.
Pinky, the grid is the main thing, but there is more detail in the LEED Reference Guide, and above under the Getting It Done tab here on LEEDuser.
How to calculate Open Space workstations and circulation areas.
We have a corporate headquarters renovation with major shell modifications to introduce daylighting to the interior. There are a few open plan workstation spaces distributed through out and I can not locate the complete ruling on how much floor area to include around these spaces in the "Regularly Occupied Space" category. RealLifeLEED refers to a ruling on Circulation paths within open office environments in offices (LEED-NCv2.0 and 2.1 - EQc6.1 - 06.26.01), but I can't find the teexet of the full ruling. Can anyone point me to the consensus method for determination of ROS in an office environment? Do I include or exclude corridors. Can I an exclude and existing Lecture Hall, Kitchen and Servery that are internal and not adaptable to natural light?
Eddy Santosa replied Sustainable Design Coordinator, HMC Architects Jul 29 2010
Gary,
http://www.usgbc.org/LEED/Credit/CIRDetails.aspx?RequirementID=61
You may check in above link if you want to see the full ruling. If you have a future interior of the space, you can use the layout to determine the circulation path. For corridors, you can exclude the space. For other rooms, you can check "Exclusion of Space Requiring No Light Intrusion" discussion.
Gary Ashford replied Architect, Duket Architects Planners Jul 29 2010
Eddy,
Thanks, that helps a great deal. I couldn't find these under Public Rulings, didn't think to dig beyond. I am not finding the "Exclusion of space.." discussion, moist likely because I am new to the site. Is there a better way to search than entering the text string?
Eddy Santosa replied Sustainable Design Coordinator, HMC Architects Jul 29 2010
Gary,
Can you access and see the first message in this comment section by Elliot Powers? If you can't, please let me know.
Gary Ashford replied Architect, Duket Architects Planners Jul 29 2010
Eddy,
Yes, and that helps some. My problem is that we are within 500 sf of 75% on a renovation (80,000 SF total building, 40,000+ ROS). We have a large lecture hall and food service areas that are internal and I can't get daylight into the Kitchen (545 SF) due to it's interior location, exhaust hood, ductwork, etc. Is it plausible in this circumstance to exclude the Kitchen area?
Eddy Santosa replied Sustainable Design Coordinator, HMC Architects Aug 04 2010
Gary,
You may try to say that the kitchen area is a support area for the office. However, as a comparison, under LEED for Schools 2009, the kitchen is considered as a regurlarly occupied area.
Option 3 - Measurement Timeframe?
What is the timeframe during the day that is recommended/required for manual indoor light measurement of a space? Must an average be calculated from various times throughout the course of the day?
Pinky Khatri replied Designer/Sustainability Coordinator, VBN Architects Aug 03 2010
Adolfo - based on what I understand you don't have to take an average over the course of the day. I recommend you take the measurements during the time of the day that the most people will experience the space.
EQc8.1 - Room Splitting
We have numerous projects that are so close to getting 75% daylighting but are just a little short. In these cases we usually split the rooms, meaining decreasing the floor sf to increase the Window to Floor Area ratioFloor Area Ratio (FAR) is the measure of the density of non-residential land use. It is the total non-residential building floor area divided by the total buildable land area available for non-residential uses. For example, on a site with 10,000 square feet of buildable land area, an FAR of 1.0 would be 10,000 square feet of built building floor area. On the same site, an FAR of 1.5 would be 15,000 square feet of built floor area; an FAR of 2.0 would be 20,000 built square feet and an FAR of 0.5 would be 5,000 built square feet., therefore increasing the glazing factorThe ratio of interior illuminance at a given point on a given plane (usually the work plane) to the exterior illuminance under known overcast sky conditions. LEED uses a simplified approach for its credit compliance calculations. The variables used to determine the daylight factor include the floor area, window area, window geometry, visible transmittance (Tvis) and window height.. Does anyone else do this? We show on the drawing plans areas that are not receiving daylight and consider these areas that aren't hindered by not having any daylight. By exluding these small portions of the floor area (essentially along the walls and corners where cabinets or printers might be located) we are able to achieve EQc8.1.
GBCI has been picky lately asking to clarify these methods and even denied the credit once although we have been doing it this way for a while.
Does anyone have tips or know more about this loophole?
Thanks
Eddy Santosa replied Sustainable Design Coordinator, HMC Architects Aug 20 2010
You may try to use page 378 in the LEED reference.
For cabinet and printer, in my opinion, you may need include those ones since those areas are actually where the tasks will be conducted, except the cabinet is a full height cabinet.
Regularly occupied spaces within a dining facility
Has anyone had experience with determining "regularly occupied spacesRegularly occupied spaces are areas where workers are seated or standing as they work inside a building. In residential applications, these areas are all spaces except bathrooms, utility areas, and closets or other storage rooms. In schools, they are areas where students, teachers, or administrators are seated or standing as they work or study inside a building." within a dining facility? Would the kitchen, food prep, dish wash areas, be included? I am thinking, yes since they are spaces in which people will be standing while they work, but am not finding any CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide's that specificallly state which spaces should be included for a dining facility.
Tristan Roberts replied Editor – LEEDuser, BuildingGreen, LLC Aug 29 2010
Yes, those spaces would need to be included, since they are work spaces requiring good illuminance.
Daylight calculations for future tenant spaces-HELP!
Question: I am tasked with determining the daylight calculations for a 2-story office and retail building. The building is currently under construction and it includes future tenant spaces that have not been designed with interior space plans. How is it possible to determine the amount of regularly occupied areas within future tenant spaces for compliance with the daylight credit?
Tristan Roberts replied Editor – LEEDuser, BuildingGreen, LLC Aug 30 2010
Peter, the answer here is the same as the similar discussion on EQc8.2.
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