Which biophilic design provision applies?
We’re adding planting, daylight or nature views. Which provision applies to our project, and what evidence should we gather?
Start with the registration record: rating system, version, adaptation, project boundary and applicable addenda. Building Design and Construction (BD+C) covers whole-building construction or major renovation. Interior Design and Construction (ID+C) covers applicable interior fit-outs; a seating change alone does not establish a certifiable project.
For an office fit-out, confirm Commercial Interiors and follow the ID+C row for the registered version. WELL uses owner-occupied and WELL Core scope distinctions, not LEED’s BD+C / ID+C labels. USGBC rating-system selection guidance.
Source review and substantive update: November 11, 2026.
Compare the decision, then collect the evidence
Optional LEED credits are not prerequisites. WELL preconditions are required; optimizations are optional. Do not add points across these systems or substitute one pathway’s denominator for another.
| Rating system, version, and project type | Relevant credit, option, or feature | Design decision it addresses | What the project team must establish | Official source and edition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEED v4.1 BD+C — New Construction (office) | EQ Quality Views — optional credit, 1 point | Preserve qualifying outdoor views through vision glazing; indoor planters are not an outdoor-view substitute. | 75% of regularly occupied area with direct outdoor sightlines, plus two of four view types for 75% of that area. Include permanent obstructions; this edition permits movable furniture/partitions to be excluded. Interior atria may satisfy up to 30% of required area. Other BD+C adaptations must be checked separately. | Getting started guide for beta participants, January 2020, printed p. 237 |
| LEED v4.1 ID+C — Commercial Interiors | EQ Quality Views — optional credit, 1 point | Test the fit-out layout against exterior views, not simply the amount of planting visible. | 75% of regularly occupied area with outdoor sightlines and two of four qualifying view types. Include permanent obstructions AND movable furniture/partitions. Interior atria may satisfy up to 30% of required area. The four view types are multiple directions ≥90° apart; specified combinations of outdoor content; proximity within three times glazing head height; or view factor ≥3. | Getting started guide for beta participants, July 2020, printed p. 144 |
| LEED v5 BD+C — New Construction | EQc2 Occupant Experience, Option 1 Biophilic Environment — optional credit pathway | Choose integrated biophilic design (Path 1) and/or qualifying views (Path 2). | Path 1: demonstrate all five adapted Kellert/Calabrese principles (1 point). Path 2: 75% / 90% regularly occupied floor area for 2 / 3 points; glazing transmittance >40%, qualifying outdoor content, direct access and distance within three times glazing head height. Atria allowance up to 30%. Core and Shell has additional distinctions; do not transfer this row unchanged. | LEED v5 BD+C Rating System, July 2026 edition, printed pp. 157–158 |
| LEED v5 ID+C — Commercial Interiors | EQc2 Occupant Experience, Option 1 Biophilic Environment — optional credit pathway | Integrate nature as a sustained, connected design strategy; assess quality views independently. | Path 1: all five principles (1 point). Path 2: 75% / 90% regularly occupied floor area (2 / 3 points), >40% glazing transmittance, qualifying outdoor content, direct access and glazing-head-height distance limit. Atria allowance up to 30%. Option 1 is 1–4 points; the overall credit cap is 7, not the sum of every option. | LEED v5 ID+C Rating System, July 2026 edition, printed pp. 93–94 |
| WELL v2 — owner-occupied; applicable spaces except dwelling units | M02 Nature and Place — precondition, both parts required | Integrate nature throughout applicable spaces AND establish connection to place. | Part 1: natural materials, patterns, shapes, images or sounds AND at least one of plants, water or nature views throughout applicable circulation, shared seating, rooms and workstations. Part 2: culture, place, art and human delight. Both are verified by Professional Narrative. No M02 optimization points; confirm WELL Core scope separately. | WELL v2 web standard, Q2 2025 edition available in selector; Access Now → Mind → M02 Parts 1–2, Requirements / Verification |
| WELL v2 — optional follow-on, applicable seating/workstations | M09 Enhanced Access to Nature — optimization, Part 1 | Investigate who can see or reach nature from their actual seat. | At least 75% of listed workstations and seats have direct sight to indoor plants/water/nature views OR are within 33 ft (10 m). Part 1 is 1 point, verified by audited Technical Document. This is not a floor-area plant-visibility percentage or an M02 point. | WELL v2 web standard, Q2 2025 selector; Access Now → Mind → M09 Part 1, Requirements / Verification |
WELL feature pages render after navigation but returned HTTP 404 on direct requests in this check. The official links therefore open the working standard entry: choose Access Now, the project edition, Mind, then M02 or M09.
Edition and addenda control
The v4.1 rows deliberately describe the dated official beta guides above, not a claim that they are the latest consolidated requirements. Their furniture treatment differs. The v5 rows use the July 2026 documents, not earlier drafts. WELL’s public selector offered Q2 2025 as the latest displayed edition during this review. Check your project’s locked edition, later applicable addenda and approved alternatives before submission; this comparison does not certify that every project-specific addendum has been resolved.
The July 31, 2026 BD+C addenda table clarifies the Core and Shell outdoor-connection path; the ID+C addenda table updates EQc2 referenced standards. These distinctions are not transferred into the other project type.
Official LEED v5 hub · Official ID+C document landing page · Official WELL standard and edition selector
Worked example: office lobby retrofit
Freestanding planters sit beside lounge seating. Exterior glazing stays in place; the team proposes a different seating layout. This is an illustrative scenario, not a compliance result.
The planter schedule documents tags, quantities, exterior size, opening, usable depth, grow-pot fit, containment and service responsibilities. It does not document qualifying view area, glazing transmittance or a WELL Professional Narrative.
Project-team investigation: annotate the floor plan with occupied seats, plant positions, obstructions and sightlines at seated eye level. Photograph the actual exterior view; record glazing properties and head height. These are useful investigations, not a substitute for the official submission method.
- LEED v4.1: Which occupied areas have qualifying outdoor views and two view types? For the cited ID+C edition, include movable furniture and partitions. A view of an indoor pot alone is insufficient.
- LEED v5: Does the whole strategy demonstrate the five integrated-design principles, or is the team pursuing Quality Views? Confirm the selected path, area denominator, glazing and distance limits.
- WELL v2: How does nature occur throughout applicable spaces, and how does the design address culture, place, art and delight? A lobby planter does not establish both M02 parts. If pursuing M09, count qualifying seats and measure nature access separately.
Still missing: registration scope and edition, applicable addenda, regularly occupied-area classification, full seating count, view content, glazing data, obstructions, complete nature/place strategy and verification evidence. Even if no credit is pursued, the team leaves with a clearer seating drawing, measured supplier questions and agreed maintenance access.