LEED v5
Existing Buildings
Sustainable Sites
Light Pollution and Bird Collision Reduction

EBOM-v5 SSc2: Light Pollution and Bird Collision Reduction 1 point

LEEDuser overview

Explore this LEED credit

Post your questions on this credit in the forum, and click on the credit language tab to review to the LEED requirements.

Credit language

USGBC logo

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

Intent

To increase night sky access, improve nighttime visibility, and reduce the consequences of development for wildlife and people.

Requirements

Option 1. Limit Uplight (1 point)
Meet all of the following uplight, interior lighting, and exterior lighting requirements:

UPLIGHT
All exterior fixtures with a light output greater than 1,000 lumens must meet the full cutoff requirements as defined in the IESNA Cutoff Classifications42

AND

INTERIOR LIGHTING
Meet at least one of the following measures: 

  • Limit the total duration of all nighttime lighting programmed “on” to less than 90 minutes per day. A manual override capability may be provided for occasional after-hours use.
  • Reduce the amount of uplight leaving the building. Any suspended or wall- or floor-mounted luminaires with a direct line of sight above the horizon, through any glass windows, skylights, or doors, must be automatically controlled to turn “off” during all nighttime hours (the time between sunset and sunrise).
  • Install automatic window shades or shielding that limit light transmittance to 10% or less during nighttime.
  • The lighting in at least 50% of the nonresidential spaces adjacent to the building’s perimeter is controlled to turn off after hours and/or when there are no occupants.

AND

EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Meet at least one of the following measures:

  • All nonessential exterior fixtures are turned off between midnight and 6 a.m.
  • Meet the exterior lighting control requirements of ASHRAE 90.1-2019, Section 9.4.1.4.

OR

Option 2. Bird Collision Reduction (1 point)
Glass used below specified heights on the exterior of the building and site structures must have a maximum threat factor of 30, as defined in the American Bird Conservancy Threat Factor database.

This applies to all glass, including spandrel glass, when located:

  • From grade up to 50 feet (15 meters) measured at all points
  • Up to 20 feet (6 meters) measured from the finished grade of a green roof
  • At any distance from grade or roof for glass in guardrails and windshields
See all forum discussions about this credit »

Frequently asked questions

No results found
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 »

For full access, sign up now for LEEDuser Premium

Already a premium member? Log in now

Checklists

Step by step to LEED certification

LEEDuser’s checklists walk you through the key action steps you need to earn a credit, including how to avoid common pitfalls and save money.

For full access, sign up now for LEEDuser Premium

Already a premium member? Log in now

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.

For full access, sign up now for LEEDuser Premium

Already a premium member? Log in now


Addenda

This credit has no LEEDuser summary

See all forum discussions about this credit »

Credit language

USGBC logo

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

Intent

To increase night sky access, improve nighttime visibility, and reduce the consequences of development for wildlife and people.

Requirements

Option 1. Limit Uplight (1 point)
Meet all of the following uplight, interior lighting, and exterior lighting requirements:

UPLIGHT
All exterior fixtures with a light output greater than 1,000 lumens must meet the full cutoff requirements as defined in the IESNA Cutoff Classifications42

AND

INTERIOR LIGHTING
Meet at least one of the following measures: 

  • Limit the total duration of all nighttime lighting programmed “on” to less than 90 minutes per day. A manual override capability may be provided for occasional after-hours use.
  • Reduce the amount of uplight leaving the building. Any suspended or wall- or floor-mounted luminaires with a direct line of sight above the horizon, through any glass windows, skylights, or doors, must be automatically controlled to turn “off” during all nighttime hours (the time between sunset and sunrise).
  • Install automatic window shades or shielding that limit light transmittance to 10% or less during nighttime.
  • The lighting in at least 50% of the nonresidential spaces adjacent to the building’s perimeter is controlled to turn off after hours and/or when there are no occupants.

AND

EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Meet at least one of the following measures:

  • All nonessential exterior fixtures are turned off between midnight and 6 a.m.
  • Meet the exterior lighting control requirements of ASHRAE 90.1-2019, Section 9.4.1.4.

OR

Option 2. Bird Collision Reduction (1 point)
Glass used below specified heights on the exterior of the building and site structures must have a maximum threat factor of 30, as defined in the American Bird Conservancy Threat Factor database.

This applies to all glass, including spandrel glass, when located:

  • From grade up to 50 feet (15 meters) measured at all points
  • Up to 20 feet (6 meters) measured from the finished grade of a green roof
  • At any distance from grade or roof for glass in guardrails and windshields
See all forum discussions about this credit »