11 Atriums That Inspire for LEED Daylight and Views

In the new LEED v4 rating system, certain changes have occurred with respect to Daylight and Views.

First, unlike in LEED 2009, Daylight and Views in LEED v4 is now two separate credits in the Indoor Environmental Quality credit section: IEQ credit Daylight and IEQ credit Quality Views. Changes were also made in regard to the types of glazing that are appropriate, as well as instructions for eliminating any obstructions by "fibers, frits, patterned glazing, or added tints that distort color or balance". While such features may enable privacy and glare reduction, LEED considers these characteristics to be detrimental to occupants’ views outside.

However, another significant change is that in the LEED v4 Quality Views credit, atriums can now account for up to 30% of the required area with access to quality views - a change based on industry recognition that atria can not only increase daylight and views for interior spaces, but also reduce the need for electrical lighting in spaces that would otherwise likely require it.

Indeed, some indoor atriums can be as beautiful as outdoor spaces and provide as much inspiration as any exterior landscape.

Below are eleven inspiring atriums from around the world that celebrate this change in LEED and the importance of connecting occupants with the outdoors through natural light.

1) The BP Refinery of Rotterdam, designed by Group A architects (image by Roos Aldershoff)

2) The Lunder Building of Massachusetts General Hospital, designed by NBBJ (Image by Anton Grassl/Esto)

3) 311 South Wacker, designed by Kohn Pederson Fox Assocaites (Image by Dan Perry via Flickr)

4) Unilever Headquarters, designed by Behnisch Architects

5) Syracuse University Life Sciences Complex, designed by Ellenzweig Associates

6) Page Museum at LaBrea Tar Pits designed by CO Architects

7) University of British Columbia at Vancouver Allard Hall Building, designed by CEI Architecture

8) The Atrium, designed by D’Ambrosio Architecture + Urbanism (Image credit to silentSama)

9) FriedlandCampina Innovation Centre, designed by Fokkema & Partners

10) Toyota Motor Sales Torrance headquarters, designed by the Sustainable Innovators at LPA Inc.

11) The SUB Atrium at SUNY New Paltz, designed by IKON.5 Architects