Rating System

LEED BD+C: New Construction, LEED BD+C: New Construction, LEED BD+C: New Construction, LEED BD+C: Schools, LEED BD+C: Schools, LEED BD+C: Core and Shell, LEED BD+C: Core and Shell, LEED O+M: Existing Buildings, LEED O+M: Existing Buildings, LEED O+M: Existing Buildings

Rating System Version

v2 - LEED 2.2, v2 - LEED 2.2, v3 - LEED 2009, v2 - Schools 2007, v3 - LEED 2009, v2 - LEED 2.0, v3 - LEED 2009, v2 - LEED 2.0, v3 - LEED 2008, v3 - LEED 2009

Inquiry

Our project is located at the instersection of two Class 1 Pedestrian Streets in Downtown Seattle. The neighborhood is zoned Downtown Mixed Commercial, allowing for a variety of uses. The project is an 11 story Research and Development facility programmed as operable 24 hours per day. Immediate neighbors include the Greyhound Bus Terminal, The West Precinct Seattle police Department Headquarters, Qwest Communications and, dirctly across the Street, surface parking. These are all active 24 hour operations and contribute to the neighborhood\'s high ambient light level. Considering these factors we have selected lighting for the building which maintains safety for pedestrians while being uniform and understated. along the alley deep shielded Ruud E8-F fixtures are installed at 8\' above the pavement at egress and service doors. On the two street facades at sidewalks, we have utilized Bega 7475MH surface washers mounted at 10\' - 12\' above the walking surface and aimed at the underside of the translucent overhead protection canopies. This provides an even wash of indirect light to the pedestrian walking surface while eliminating the escape of direct light. The fourth side of the building is against the adjacent structure and has no lighting. Three parking levels above street level have cut-off fixtures installed 20\' or more from the exterior walls, further shielded by aluminum screening at the exterior openings to the garage. Lobby lighting is limited to recessed cans, recessesed track and diffuse light from an internally lit large glass sculpture.\n\nOur project replaces a surface parking lot that included two unshielded pole area-lights and two 2-sided illuminated billboards. Light level measurements were not taken when these elements were operational so comparative data is not available.\n\nI feel that we have responded to both the neighborhood and the credit although the light trespass onto the alley and sidewalks ranges from 2 to 10 footcandles. However, the light trespass onto "adjacent properties" is less than 0.6 footcandles (or 6 lux).\n\nI would appreciate your view on this particular situation.