Big Green: Lines of Sight in LEED

[James A. Wise]

Krysta,

This is one of those instances where a LEED credit is terribly  
nonspecific, and could be worded much better.  The intent here is a  
connection between occupants and the outdoors and the introduction of  
views and daylight to regularly occupied spaces. Since daylighting is  
much more specified in 8.1, you'd think that a minimum angle of view  
would be specified here, but it isn't.

Apparently, one can get the credit if a direct line of sight can be  
drawn from the outdoors to any eyepoint within 2.5 -7.5 ft above  
finished floor in 90% of regularly occupied spaces.  This is sort of  
silly.  You could have an office floor completely enclosed with  
cubicles of 6' ht with no 'views out' except over the tops of the  
cubicle wall when an occupant stands up, and still get the credit.   
This is hardly 'connecting' to the outdoors.  There is an incredible  
amount of research going back at least 40 years on 'views' out of  
interior spaces, and what's restorative and emotively connective for  
occupants,  yet none of this knowledge is reflected in the credit.   
I'm generally in support of the changes I see being made in LEED  
2009, but I believe much more could have been done here (and in LEED  
as a whole)  if the intent was really to ensure that 'green  
buildings' have a high interior environmental quality that produces  
occupant benefits.

Sincerely,

Jim W.

James A. Wise, Ph.D.
Mid-Columbia Sustainable Business Network



>
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:01:53 -0400
> From: "Krysta Schell" <kschell at TheBCGroup.com>
> Subject: Big Green: Sight Lines EA CR 8.2
> To: <biggreen at lists.biggreen.org>
>
> Confused about line of sight in LEED-NC EA Credit 8.2.  How do you
> determine line of sight on a floorplan?  Is it just an arbitrary line
> that you draw or should there be some special angle or something?
> Thanks for your help.
>
>
>
> Krysta
>
>