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USGBC LEED Green Associate: Strategies to Improve Daylighting in Office Buildings

Learn effective strategies to enhance daylighting in office buildings for the USGBC LEED Green Associate Certification Exam. Discover how office layout and design impact natural light.

Table of Contents

Question

Which of the following strategies help improve daylighting in an office building?

A. Locate private offices toward the building core and organize cubicles at the perimeter
B. Locate private offices toward the building perimeter and organize cubicles toward the building core
C. Work with the project glazing contractor to specify low argon windows
D. Provide individual occupant task lighting

Answer

A. Locate private offices toward the building core and organize cubicles at the perimeter

Explanation

Locating private offices toward the building core and organizing open workspaces like cubicles along the perimeter helps maximize daylighting for the greatest number of occupants. Perimeter zones tend to receive more natural light through windows and glazing compared to core areas. By placing enclosed private offices that require less daylight in the core and more open workstations near the exterior, daylighting is optimized.

Additional details:

  • Placing private offices at the perimeter (choice B) would reduce daylighting for the majority of occupants in the cubicles.
  • Low-argon windows (choice C) can improve thermal performance but don’t directly impact daylighting. Argon is used between panes for insulation.
  • Individual task lighting (choice D) is important for occupant comfort and reducing eye strain, but doesn’t improve daylighting which comes from natural sources. Task lights are artificial.

In summary, strategically locating open workspaces at the perimeter and private offices in the core is the most effective layout strategy presented to enhance daylighting in an office building. This approach ensures the greatest number of occupants benefit from natural light.

USGBC LEED Green Associate certification exam practice question and answer (Q&A) dump with detail explanation and reference available free, helpful to pass the USGBC LEED Green Associate exam and earn USGBC LEED Green Associate certification.