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160 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back

What term refers to a mandatory project characteristic, measurement, quality, value or function as identified within the LEED rating system?

Prerequisite


LEED contains unique prerequisite requirements that must be satisfied in order to achieve certification. The term prerequisite refers to a mandatory project characteristic, measurement, quality, value or function as identified within the LEED rating system. Prerequisites represent the key criteria that define green building performance.

...

Each project must satisfy all specified prerequisites outlined in the LEED rating system under which it is registered. Failure to meet any prerequisite will render a project ineligible for certification.

Minimum Program Requirement. LEED projects must comply with each applicable MPR.

Requirements defining the types of buildings that the LEED Green Building Rating Systems were designed to evaluate, and taken together serve three goals:



  • to give clear guidance
  • to customers to protect the integrity of the LEED program
  • to reduce complications that occur during the LEED Certification process

Credit

Credits are optional. A minimum number of points must be earned from the available credits in each rating system to earn certification.

Exemplary performance

Exemplary performance can help a project earn Innovation credits.

What LEED credit category encourages strategies that minimize the impact on ecosystems and water resources?

Sustainable Sites


Sustainable sites credits encourage strategies that minimize the impact on ecosystems and water resources.

Regional Priority

Regional priority credits address regional environmental priorities for buildings in different geographic regions.

Water Efficiency

Water efficiency credits promote smarter use of water, inside and out, to reduce potable water consumption.

Location and Transportation

Location and transportation credits reward projects within relatively dense areas, near diverse uses, with access to a variety of transportation options, or on sites with development constraints.

Who is responsible for ensuring the use of the consensus process to evolve LEED in accordance with the mission, guiding principles, and strategic plan of USGBC?

LEED Steering Committee


The LEED Steering Committee (LSC) is an integrated group of volunteers and staff charged with developing and maintaining LEED as a leadership tool, preserving the integrity of the LEED rating systems, and ensuring the use of the consensus process to evolve LEED in accordance with the mission, guiding principles, and strategic plan of USGBC.

LEED Technical Advisory Groups

The groups provide a consistent source of technical advice to LEED committees and working groups regarding credit and prerequisite improvement and supporting tool development.

In what instances would a project team submit a Credit Interpretation Request (CIR)?

When a conflict in a credit or prerequisite requires resolution



  • CIRs should be used when there are conflicts in a credit/prerequisite.
When the reference guide does not address a specific issue


  • CIRs should be used when you can't find the answer in the reference guide.

What LEED rating system addresses exterior site maintenance programs?

LEED O+M: Existing Buildings


The LEED O+M Rating Systems helps building owners and operators measure operations, improvements and maintenance on a consistent scale, with the goal of maximizing operational efficiency while minimizing environmental impacts.

What are the goals of the Minimum Program Requirements?


  • Reduce certification process challenges
  • Give clear guidance to customers
  • Protect the integrity of the LEED program
A project must adhere to the LEED Minimum Program Requirements, (MPRs) in order to achieve LEED certification. LEED projects must comply with each applicable MPR.

...

These requirements define the types of buildings that the LEED Green Building Rating Systems were designed to evaluate, and taken together serve three goals:



  • to give clear guidance to customers
  • to protect the integrity of the LEED program
  • and to reduce complications that occur during the LEED Certification process

...

MPRs are minimum characteristics that a project must possess in order to be eligible for LEED Certification. The certification process and the people reviewing LEED applications ensure the prerequisites are met and that the building has met the credits applied for.

Which of the following helps reinforce the open consensus process of new LEED versions?

The balloting process with USGBC membership.


'LEED is developed by USGBC member-based volunteer committees, subcommittees, and working groups in conjunction with staff. LEED development follows a structure that includes a balanced representation of stakeholders and management of conflict of interest, to ensure that the development of LEED is transparent and consensus-based.

Promoting the triple bottom line is a part of USGBC's:

Guiding principles...USGBC has seven guiding principles outlined in the 2013-2015 strategic plan.



  • PROMOTE THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE
  • ESTABLISH LEADERSHIP
  • RECONCILE HUMANITY WITH NATURE
  • FOSTER SOCIAL EQUITY
  • MAINTAIN INTEGRITY
  • BE INCLUSIVE
  • EXHIBIT TRANSPARENCY

Grammatically, what language is the appropriate usage to describe a project that has been certified at any level?

LEED-certified


'LEED-certified' with lowercase 'c' is used to describe a project that has been certified.

Some credits have an LPE option. What does LPE mean?

That the credit has a Licensed Professional Exemption


Licensed Professional Exemption (LPE) is an optional credit documentation path in which professionals can submit license information and a declaration of compliance in lieu of a number of otherwise required submittals.

Which of the following is NOT a component of the impact category Enhance Social Equity, Environmental Justice, Community Health and Quality of Life?

Support Occupant Comfort and Well-Being.


Support Occupant Comfort and Well-Being is a component of the impact category Enhance Individual Human Health and Well-Being.

Which of the following is an alternative compliance path to the International Green Construction Code (IgCC)?

ASHRAE 189.1


Standard 189.1 is a set of technically rigorous requirements, which like the IgCC, covers criteria including water use efficiency, indoor environmental quality, energy efficiency, materials and resource use, and the building's impact on its site and its community.

Who develops ongoing improvements to LEED?

USGBC member-based volunteer committees in conjunction with USGBC staff.


LEED development follows a structure that includes a balanced representation of stakeholders and management of conflict of interest, to ensure that the development of LEED is transparent and consensus-based.

...

The LEED committee structure balances market needs and constraints with consistency and technical rigor in the development and improvement of the credits within LEED, to ensure the quality and integrity of the LEED brand. The balloting process of new versions with USGBC membership reinforces the open consensus process.

How are LEED credits that significantly contribute to accomplishing the system goals of the seven impact categories given more emphasis?

They can earn more points.


'For LEED to be successful in driving the market toward certain priorities while still maintaining flexibility, credits that significantly contribute to accomplishing the system goals of the seven impact categories are given more emphasis by being assigned more points.

Which of the following statements regarding LEED Interpretations is NOT true?

LEED interpretations are used to add new requirements to the LEED Rating System.


LEED interpretations are not an avenue for making significant changes or new requirements to the LEED rating system. LEED interpretations are also not the intended path for fixing errors in the LEED rating systems and reference guides. USGBC publishes clarifications (also called addenda) to address those issues.

How many of the 110 possible LEED points can be earned for addressing regionally specific environmental issues?

4


LEED points are awarded on a 100-point scale, and credits are weighted to reflect their potential environmental impacts. Additionally, 10 bonus credits are available, four of which address regionally specific environmental issues.

...

All rating systems with 100 baseline points and 10 bonus points. Of the 10 bonus points 4 are for regional priority.

What LEED credit category rewards projects within relatively dense areas, near diverse uses, with access to a variety of transportation options, or on sites with development constraints?

Location and Transportation

Innovation

Innovation credits address sustainable building expertise as well as design measures not covered under the five LEED credit categories.

Smart Location and Linkage

Smart location & linkage credits promote walkable neighborhoods with efficient transportation options and open space.This is a credit category in LEED ND only.

Sustainable Sites

Sustainable Sites credits encourage strategies that minimize the impact on ecosystems and water resources.

What are the roles of USGBC?

Administering and creating the LEED rating systems and issuing LEED building certifications.



USGBC is responsible for administering and creating the LEED rating systems. USGBC issues LEED building certifications once they have been approved by GBCI's third-party review.

Which of the following LEED rating systems would the project team of a planned new three-story apartment building choose?

The LEED Homes rating system that corresponds to the ENERGY STAR program in which they are participating.





...

For LEED Homes and Multifamily Lowrise is used for single-family homes and multi-family residential buildings of one to three stories. Projects three to five stories may choose the homes rating system that corresponds to the ENERGY STAR program in which they are participating.

Credit Interpretation Requests (CIRs) are most likely used for what part of the LEED process?

Technical guidance for LEED credits.



CIRs are used for technical guidance on credits. Anyone on the project team can submit a CIR, as long as the person has access to LEED Online (through the project administrator).

A CIR can be used for administrative inquiries, although doing so is rare.

Inquiries must request guidance on just one credit or prerequisite (unless there is technical justification to do otherwise) and generally contain one concise question or a set of related questions. It is often helpful to discuss the inquiry within context of the credit's intent.

Addenda and updates to the LEED Rating Systems

These are available from the USGBC website.

Appeal of denied credits

This is done via LEED Online.

Communicating with the project administrator and/or project team

This is done via LEED Online.

What components are included in the impact category for Reverse Contribution to Global Climate Change?

GHG Emissions Reduction from Building Operations Energy Use and GHG Emissions Reduction from a Cleaner Energy Supply.



Where should a project team go for updates and errata for the LEED BD+C: New Construction rating system?

usgbc.org



  • Any updates, changes, errata to any LEED rating system are found on USGBC's website and nowhere else.

LEED reference guides

The reference guides don't always have the most recent updates. Check USGBC's website instead.

Which LEED rating system has pre-certification?

LEED BD+C: Core and Shell


Once a project is registered as a LEED BD+C: Core and Shell project, the project team may apply for pre-certification. LEED BD+C: Core and Shell pre-certification is a formal recognition by the USGBC given to a candidate project for which the developer/owner has established a goal to develop a LEED BD+C: Core and Shell building.

...

Once pre-certification is granted, the developer/owner can market the building's proposed green features to potential tenants and financiers.'

A project team is shrinking the building footprint to increase the amount of open space on a project. What impact category does this design decision support?

Protect, Enhance and Restore Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.



  • By increasing open space the project could earn a LEED credit for increasing open space.

What best defines the project boundary?

Platted property line of the project defining land and water within it.




The project boundary is the platted property line of the project defining land and water within it.

What best defines the property boundary?

The property boundary is the total area within the legal property boundaries of the site; it encompasses all areas of the site, including constructed and non-constructed areas.

Describes the integrative process?

An approach to design and operations that brings team members together to work collaboratively on all of the project's systems, finding synergistic solutions that support greater levels of sustainability.

Which of the following best describes systems thinking?

An understanding of the built environment as a series of relationships in which all parts influence many other parts.




This type of exam question tests an ability to accurately know the exact (or best) definition of a term as defined by USGBC.

Describes Value Engineering?

A formal review process of the design of a project based on its intended function in order to identify potential alternatives that reduce costs and improve performance.

What type of products would carry a Green Seal label?

Paints.



  • Green Seal is a nonprofit organization that has created several standards used to certify products that are more environmentally friendly. This includes paints, coatings, and cleaning products.

What type of products would carry a Green Label Plus?

Carpet.



  • Carpet that has the Green Label Plus certification can be used towards LEED credit for materials with low VOC content.

What does ASHRAE 62.1 specify?

Indoor air quality.



  • ASHRAE 62.1 Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality specifies minimum ventilation rates. These rates are used to improve indoor air quality as part of the IEQ credit category.

Review laws and standards

Reviewing laws and standards should be done as early as possible in the process since these have a significant impact on what can be built, where, and how.

Which of the following best describes the LEED charrette?

An intensive, multiparty workshop that brings people from different disciplines and backgrounds together to produce specific deliverables

The integrative process

Meetings with the project team at least monthly to review project status, introduce new team members to project goals, discuss problems, formulate solutions, review responsibilities, and identify next steps.

Systems thinking

Systems thinking is a process of understanding how each part of the built environment affects every other part. It is the belief that the component parts of a system can best be understood in the context of relationships with each other and with other systems, rather than in isolation.

Closed systems

A closed system with a closed loop is thought of as more sustainable. For example, plants growing in a field, grow, produce oxygen, take in water, then die and decay which helps plants grow. Closed systems can be linked so one system uses the byproducts of another.

Life cycle approach

A life cycle approach considers all stages of a project, product or service. For example a life cycle approach for materials would consider growing raw materials and production, to distribution, consumer use and product disposal.

Integrative process

The integrative process is the approach of having separate stakeholders or designers work together to ensure the project is benefiting from synergy which allows for greater levels of sustainability throughout the project's life.

Success in LEED and green building design is best accomplished through an integrative design process that prioritizes which of the following:

Success in LEED and green building design is best accomplished through an integrative design process that prioritizes cost-effectiveness over both the short and long terms and engages all project team members in discovering beneficial interrelationships and synergies between systems and components.

What is an example of systems thinking?

Considering how occupants will get to the project building.



  • In this choice the people are considered and the relationship to the transportation options and/or parking at the site.

LEED Technical Advisory Groups

Technical Advisory Groups are structured to include expertise for specific technical issues: location and planning, sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality.

The operation of buildings, including landscaping, accounts for 14% of total water use in the United States.

14%

What are examples of structural incentives that may be available to a developer to encourage green building?


Structural incentives include:



  • Expedited review / permitting process
  • Density and height bonuses

Financial incentives include:

Financial incentives include:



  • Tax credits
  • Fee reductions / waivers
  • Grants
  • Revolving loan funds (low-interest loans)

Non-financial incentives include:

Non-financial incentives include:


  • Technical assistance
  • Marketing assistance

Green buildings have on average energy use intensities that are 24% lower than in typical buildings.

24%



  • This comes from an independent study by the New Buildings Institute.

Globally, transportation is responsible for what 25% of greenhouse gas emissions?

25%



  • Selecting sites in dense areas where existing infrastructure exists helps reduce automobile use, as addressed in the Location and Transportation credits.


Regional priority credits are specific to:

LEED project type (schools, healthcare, data centers, etc.)



  • Each LEED project type may have different impacts so each rating system has its own RP credits. For example a warehouse may not have high priority for indoor water use if there are not a lot of occupants.

How can the greenhouse gas emissions caused by the built environment be reduced?

  • Improving the energy efficiency of communities
  • Improving the energy efficiency of buildings

A developer for an office building will lease out spaces to tenants. What is the value to the developer for certifying the building?

Certified green office buildings rent for 2% more than comparable buildings.




  • Studies show on average a green building can charge higher building rents (2% on average) and have less empty tenant spaces than non-green buildings.

Which of the following use-type categories determine diverse uses?

A diverse use is a distinct, officially recognized business, nonprofit, civic, religious, or governmental organization, or dwelling units or offices.


  • Food retail
  • Community-serving retail
  • Services
  • Civic and community facilities
  • Community anchor uses

A developer is planning a mixed-use project that will include 1,000 single family homes, office space, retail, and townhomes. Which neighborhood design strategies help promote community connectivity?

Street-grid patterns


  • A street pattern is how the streets are laid out. A street-grid pattern is one in which streets are laid out in squares/rectangles.

Whom can project teams use to identify a sensitive habitat?

State fish and wildlife agencies (or local equivalent)



  • People from this agency can assist with determining sensitive habitats on land.



The Natural Heritage Program



  • People from this agency can assist with determining sensitive habitats on land.

A project team wants to reuse a building in a historic district for a project. Which of the following credit areas will this aid?

High-priority sites



  • A historic building is a type of high-priority site LEED rewards projects for choosing.



Building lifecycle impact reduction



  • Building lifecycle impact reduction is rewarded in the Materials credits.

A project team is removing from the design a solar car shading device that also serves as a fueling station. Which of the following is this most likely to impact?

Heat island reduction



  • Solar car shading devices are a shading strategy for reducing heat islands.



Green vehicles



  • Green vehicles require recharging stations. Taking away the fueling station impacts this requirement.

What is aided by the avoidance of building on sensitive land or previously undeveloped land?

Rainwater management



  • If undeveloped site areas are left undisturbed, this may help with managing rainwater runoff.

How would access to quality transit be documented?

By a map showing the project, project boundary, transit stop locations, walking routes, and distances to those stops

Which of the following are reasons an owner should build a new construction project in a LEED for Neighborhood Development location?

The certification process would be easier.


  • By locating a project in a LEED-ND location, the LT credits are streamlined because the LEED-ND project already has all of the necessary documentation for the LT credits; therefore the certification process is easier.



A health-conscious business owner wants to consider design selections that would encourage employee health. Which of the following strategies meet this goal?

Site the project near a city's downtown area



  • Sidewalks promote walking, and diverse uses give people somewhere to walk.

Build within walking distance of a bicycle network



  • Locating a project near a bicycle network provides an opportunity for people to bike to work.

Locate the project near public transportation

While access to quality transit can encourage some physical activity; such as walking to the bus stop - the intent of this LEED credit is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and other environmental and public health harms associated with motor vehicle use.

How would the distance from a building's entrance to the nearest bus stop be measured?

By calculating the walking distance along infrastructure that is safe and comfortable for pedestrians


  • When calculating the walking distance for credits such as Diverse Uses, a walk-able route is used for the measurement. LEED 2009 used a radius to calculate the distance, but this did not accurately determine pedestrian access.

What are the goals of the Minimum Program Requirements?


  • Protect the integrity of the LEED program
  • Reduce certification process challenges
  • Give clear guidance to customers

A project developer is creating an erosion and sedimentation control plan. The plan must conform to which requirements?

The EPA Construction General Permit or the local equivalent.



  • An erosion and sedimentation control plan is required for the Construction Activity Pollution Prevention prerequisite. The plan must conform to the EPA Construction General Permit or local equivalent, whichever is more stringent.

A project team wants to reuse a building in a historic district for a project. Which of the credit areas will this aid?

Building lifecycle impact reduction


  • Building lifecycle impact reduction is rewarded in the Materials credits.

High-priority sites


  • A historic building is a type of high-priority site LEED rewards projects for choosing.

What types of energy sources generate the least air and water pollution?

Wind


Bio-fuel




  • Wind, solar, and biomass are types of renewable energy sources (green power) LEED rewards projects for using.



  • Coal, nuclear, natural gas, oil, and other fossil fuels have greater environmental impacts to the air and water.

If a building has already earned LEED BD+C: New Construction certification what additional certifications could the building earn in the future?

LEED ID+C: Commercial Interiors



  • LEED ID+C: Commercial Interiors could be earned for the interior spaces.

LEED O+M: Existing Buildings



  • LEED O+M: Existing Buildings could be earned for the ongoing operations of the building.

LEED BD+C: Core and Shell

LEED BD+C: Core and Shell cannot occur after LEED BD+C: New Construction certification.

LEED for Neighborhood Development

LEED for Neighborhood Development applies to the community, not to a building.

How can a project team learn about the environmental impacts of a manufacturer's extraction operations and the product's supply chain?

By reviewing the manufacturer's corporate sustainability report (CSR)


  • A CSR report is a third-party verified report that includes information on how the manufacturer extracts or sources materials.

A project owner wants to create a healthy work environment for employees. To help ensure indoor air quality, what should be monitored?

Carbon-dioxide level



  • Carbon-dioxide monitoring indicates the quality of the air in a space. If there is too much CO2, the system can increase airflow to improve quality.
Outdoor airflow


  • Ventilation takes fresh outdoor air and pushes it inside. The monitors on the outside measure how much air the system is moving to make sure it is adequate.

A developer is considering pursuing LEED for an eight-story, multi-family residential project. How would the baseline building performance be determined?

By calculations made using ASHRAE 90.1



  • In LEED BD+C projects use ASHRAE 90.1 to determine the baseline building performance.

By using the EPA's ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.

EPA's ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager can be used to compare buildings of similar size and function (office to office, for example).

By the project obtaining a HERS index

HERS index is for LEED for Homes and Multifamily Lowrise projects. This question indicates that the project is an eight-story residential building, so LEED BD+C: Multifamily Midrise would be used.

After a building is completed and occupied, how can energy demand be reduced?

By opening and closing shades to control solar energy.


The use of free energy can contribute to reducing energy demand during normal operations and maintenance of a building:



  • Interior shades to control heat gain and lighting levels
  • Operable windows to control natural ventilation

What is true about a project that is located in an urban area?

The project is likely to experience higher cooling costs due to the heat island effect.



  • Because the air around the building is heated, more air conditioning is required in the building to keep it cool. This in turn, further heats the surrounding air and creates a vicious cycle.

What is most important to the design and construction of a building for emissions reduction?

Building location



  • Consider the same building design for one building located in the suburbs and one located in a dense urban center. Which reduces emissions more?
  • The one in the suburbs requires users to drive automobiles to it each day throughout its life which could be longer than 30 years, contributing to more than half of the project's emissions.

A benefit of commissioning?

Fewer system deficiencies



  • One of the main benefits of commissioning is finding problems that result in system deficiencies.

How can the greenhouse gas emissions caused by the built environment be reduced?


  • Improving the energy efficiency of communities
  • Improving the energy efficiency of buildings

In which of the following ways does integrated pest management (IPM) help a building owner save money?

Because over application can be avoided


Because only appropriate chemicals are used



  • IPM can help by choosing the best ways to handle pests by first addressing underlying causes of the problem rather than treating problems after they occur. An example would be taking steps to keep pests out of the building envelope before they find a way in.
  • IPM avoids over application and only using appropriate chemicals to save on costs.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

IPM is 'a method of pest management that protects human health and the surrounding environment and improves economic returns through the most effective, least-risk option.'

If a project owner wants to create a landscape with plants that require watering, what is the minimum outdoor water reduction from a baseline required for a new office project?

30%

A project team in a dry region is designing a project with an entryway that leads to a downtown city block. The building owner wants to reduce dirt, dust, and contaminants tracked into the building from people's shoes. What would an appropriate choices for an entryway system that would improve indoor air quality?

  • Rubber mats manufactured overseas
  • Metal grills made of aluminum
  • Steel grates

LEED entryways should be grills, grates, or mats to help clean people's shoes off as they walk in. This keeps dust/dirt/contaminants out.

What is a benefit of a building owner choosing to install a wind turbine on site to reduce the building's use of grid-source nonrenewable energy?

Reduced greenhouse gas emissions



  • When renewable energy (wind, geothermal, solar) is chosen over nonrenewable energy (oil, coal, natural gas), greenhouse gas emissions are decreased.

A developer is building a medical park that will have ten buildings for doctors' offices. Which of the following is a strategy for achieving energy efficiency?

Building a district heating and cooling system



  • A district energy system (DES) is 'a central energy conversion plant and transmission and distribution system that provides thermal energy to a group of buildings (e.g., a central cooling plant on a university campus). It does not include central energy systems that provide only electricity.'

.

Individual buildings served by a district energy system don't need their own boilers or furnaces, chillers or air conditioners. The district energy system does that work for them, providing valuable benefits including improved energy efficiency overall.

What are the roles of USGBC?

Administering and creating the LEED rating systems and issuing LEED building certifications



  • USGBC is responsible for administering and creating the LEED rating systems.
  • USGBC issues LEED building certifications once they have been approved by GBCI's third-party review.

A building owner wants to increase efficiency to lower the operating costs of a new building project. What strategy would help with this goal?

Install all LED lighting



  • For both energy efficiency and water efficiency, LEED requires an efficiency-first approach. Efficiency is 'doing the same with less'. After efficiency, the focus should then be placed on other ways to reduce demand.

Which of the following are effective ways to lessen the overall environmental consequences of an interior space over its lifetime?

Selecting refurbished furniture



  • Reusing materials or furnishings reduces the demand for new materials and thus preserves virgin resources.
Installing demountable interior nonstructural walls

This strategy is part of designing for flexibility which reduces the demand for new building materials over time.

Which of the following is one of the tasks that integrative project team members complete together?

Identifying opportunities for synergy



  • Before any design takes place, every team member is gathered and every issue hashed out. Each team member will take their expertise and bring the relevant information and data they have. The team then analyzes the data and starts to compare notes in order to identify synergies between different strategies and systems.

.

This is a repeating cyclical process of research, analysis, and meeting that continues to further refine solutions, with the goal of achieving the greatest cost effectiveness and environmental performance.

Selecting a target certification level

The owner usually does this. The team may provide assistance, but the owner has the final say on the project's goals for certification.

Construction activity pollution prevention has synergies with which of the following other project areas?


  • Rainwater management
  • Protecting or restoring habitat

When properly implemented, construction activity pollution prevention can reduce the compacting of the site's soil due to grading, construction vehicle traffic, and erosion. By avoiding disturbing the soil, natural infiltration from rainwater can be improved and land can be protected (preserving greenfields).

What are some of the economic benefits of green building?

Reduced liabilities due to poor indoor air quality causing health issues.



  • One of the goals of the IEQ category is to create a healthier indoor environment for occupants. This results in reduced sick days and hopefully cleaner air. Buildings that have mold or contaminants can cause health problems which can lead to lawsuits from the occupants.

.

Reduced utility costs



  • Water use and energy use should be lower in a green building.

When choosing products that have Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), which factor is used in determining if LEED credit can be earned?

The number of different permanently installed products used from different manufacturers


  • For LEED a product must be a permanently installed building product, and is defined as 'an item that arrives on the project site either as a finished element ready for installation or as a component to another item assembled on-site.

Self-guided education program on the green features of a project.

Many projects in the past have earned Innovation credits by included an on-site education program showing the green features of the building. Post some signs around the project, develop an online case study, promote a project tour and create a map, and you are well on your way. This would not be that expensive to do.

What statement is true regarding the LEED Scorecard?

The LEED Scorecard is organized by LEED category



  • Each LEED category is listed, along with the credits and prerequisites for that category.

Which strategy supports improved indoor air quality during operations and maintenance?

Outlining green cleaning procedures and goals for custodians


  • Part of green cleaning involves including the custodians in the integrative process to get their input and to work together to create goals and procedures for reducing indoor contaminants from cleaning chemicals.

What must a project do to earn LEED certification after selecting a rating system?

Satisfy all prerequisites for the selected rating system and earn a minimum number of points


  • After selecting a rating system a project must satisfy all prerequisites and earn a minimum number of points to be certified.

A project team is beginning the integrative process late into the design-phase of a new office building. At this point, which of the following could still be changed and would be a low-cost solution for improving daylighting?

The colors of the surfaces


The types of furnishings


  • While all of the choices impact lighting, changing the types of furnishings and the colors of the interior are inexpensive strategies to improve daylighting and reduce glare, both of which would increase the quality of the indoor lighting.

In LEED Homes and Multifamily Lowrise which standard is used to measure minimum energy performance?

ENERGY STAR for Homes



  • The exam objectives require knowing the standards that support LEED.
  • ENERGY STAR for Homes is the basis of the requirements for energy efficiency in a LEED Homes and Multifamily Lowrise project.

What do the credits in the Materials and Resources (MR) category focus on?

Minimizing the embodied impacts associated with the entire life-cycle of building materials

When evaluating materials that would help with heat-island reduction, which of the following is the most important material attribute?

A three-year aged SR value



  • New in LEED v4 is the three-year aged SRI value as a performance measurement of roofing/hardscape materials. The three-year aged SR or SRI value is 'a solar reflectance or solar reflectance index rating that is measured after three years of weather exposure.' - USGBC

A business owner wants to have an open office plan in a tenant space. To increase daylighting and optimize views, which of the following should the plan include?

Vision panels


Low partitions



  • A typical LEED synergy is daylighting and views. If more light is let in, most likely this is being accomplished through the use of windows. Those same windows can be used to provide occupants with views to the outside.Low-cube partitions allow more people to have views.Vision panels are interior windows placed in walls or doors allowing people to see through the wall/door.

Which factor would increase outdoor water use?

Using turfgrass for groundcover



  • Turfgrass requires large amounts of irrigation and would impact the project's ability to reduce outdoor water use.

Using low-impact development (LID) strategies

Low-impact development (LID) is 'an approach to managing rainwater runoff that emphasizes on-site natural features to protect water quality by replicating the natural land cover hydrologic regime of watersheds and addressing runoff close to its source.

.

Examples include better site design principles (e.g., minimizing land disturbance, preserving vegetation, minimizing impervious cover) and design practices (e.g., rain gardens, vegetated swales and buffers, permeable pavement, rainwater harvesting, soil amendments).

A tenant of an office space wants an open office layout. What is one trade-off of this decision?

The acoustics may be poor.



  • A trade-off with the open office layout is in a large, open space the acoustics are usually poor.

The baseline water use of a toilet is:

1.6 gpf


  • 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) per the EPAct of 1992.

Which of the following is not a strategy for reducing potable water use for irrigation?

Install building-level metering



  • Building level metering will track the whole building's water use but not allow a determination regarding whether the irrigation potable water use is being reduced. Irrigation water use would have to be tracked separately.

A project is located in an area with a demand-response program and on a site that has enough room for a wind-turbine to allow for on-site renewable energy. If the project implements both of these strategies, what will occur?

The project's energy costs will decrease



  • Demand-response programs usually include financial incentives during demand response events. The utility company asks the building to use less electricity, the building agrees, and the building owner is rewarded with a price break. In turn, the utility company saves money by spending less money on additional transmission lines and power plants.

The developer of a new restaurant wants to include a smoking room inside. Which of the following statements is true about the project's ability to earn LEED certification?

The project cannot earn LEED certification because it will not meet all the prerequisites.



  • No smoking is allowed to meet the LEED prerequisite.

Which of the following materials, if reused, would be considered pre-consumer recycled content?


  • Sawdust
  • Sunflower seed hulls
  • Walnut shells

Pre-consumer content - formerly known as post-industrial content, is the percentage of material in a product that is recycled from manufacturing waste. Examples include planer shavings, ply-trim, sawdust, chips, bagasse, sunflower seed hulls, walnut shells, culls, trimmed materials etc.

A government project with an open office plan will have partitioned cubes with frosted glass above eye level position for privacy. This design choice would negatively impact which of the following elements?

Views to the outside



  • Frosted glass would block the views to the outside.

A rainwater harvesting system can help with:

Reducing potable water use indoors



  • Rainwater can be diverted into cisterns or other storage tanks for use in landscaping, inside for fixture flushing, and for process water needs.

Runoff management



  • Rainwater cisterns (tanks) can be used as a structural measure to remove pollutants from runoff.The most effective method to minimize runoff volume and treatment requirements is to reduce the amount of impervious area.

What options within LEED credits address different geographic and climactic regions while providing solutions to challenges faced by projects at a regional level?

Alternative Compliance Paths



  • Alternative Compliance Paths, or ACPs, allow international projects to identify equivalent means of demonstrating compliance to the credit requirements. For example, where an equivalent country's reference standard exists, an ACP can allow for the use of that standard.

What is each LEED rating system made up of?

A combination of credit categories



  • Each rating system is made up of a combination of credit categories.Within each of the credit categories, there are specific prerequisites projects must satisfy and a variety of credits projects can pursue to earn points. The number of points the project earns determines its level of LEED certification.'

A company is designing an open office plan for seventy-five employees working in an entire floor of a building. Day-lighting will be used to provide natural light and reduce energy costs. To ensure effective lighting quality for all of the occupants, the design should include which of the following?

Zoned daylighting controls



  • Because the plan is for an entire floor of a building, different areas of the project will receive different levels of lighting throughout the day. To make sure all occupants have quality lighting, a zoned system that adjusts lighting levels based on the quantity of daylight coming in will work best.

A project that specifies soil restoration as part of its site design is contributing to which of the following environmental benefits?

Restoring habitat



  • Part of restoring habitat is restoring soil characteristics to support the native plants that will be used.

What does the emissivity of a material refer to?

The ratio of energy radiated by a particular material to energy radiated by a black body at the same temperature



  • The emissivity of a material is the ratio of energy radiated by a particular material to energy radiated by a black body at the same temperature. It is a measure of a material's ability to radiate absorbed energy.

Which of the following is not a component of the impact category Enhance Social Equity, Environmental Justice, Community Health and Quality of Life?

Support Occupant Comfort and Well-Being



  • Support Occupant Comfort and Well-Being is a component of the impact category Enhance Individual Human Health and Well-Being.

What should be included in a construction waste management plan?

If any construction waste materials to be recycled will be commingled or separated



  • The construction waste management plan will describe where construction and demolition debris is going to go. The plan outlines diverting construction debris from landfills through reusing, salvaging, and recycling materials. Part of this decision is to use commingled or separate recycling.

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Only your actual construction and demolition debris are included - wood scraps, metal, drywall, cardboard boxes, etc. The plan should include a target diversion rate (a goal that can be measured) such as 'divert 75% of construction waste'. Construction waste is calculated by weight or volume.

In what instances would a project team submit a Credit Interpretation Request (CIR)?

When the reference guide does not address a specific issue.


  • CIRs should be used when you can't find the answer in the reference guide.
When a conflict in a credit or prerequisite requires resolution.
  • CIRs should be used when there are conflicts in a credit/prerequisite.

Why is it important to categorize spaces in LEED?

Depending on the space categorization, the credit requirements may not apply.



  • The space types in LEED sometimes have different requirements.
  • For example, the lighting requirements may differ for an individual occupant (task lighting) or for a shared multi-occupant space (occupancy sensors).

Which of the following project areas would retro-commissioning aid?

Operational energy efficiency



  • Retro-commissioning is 'a commissioning process that can be performed on existing buildings to identify and recognize system improvements that make the building more suitable for current use.
  • Retro-commissioning usually occurs at least one year after the building has been occupied.

Identifying system problems prior to occupancy

Commissioning identifies problems before occupancy

When thinking about room layouts early in the design process, which of the following should be considered?

Acoustics



  • Acoustics are often overlooked, but they should be considered early in the design process when designing room layouts in order to select a room design that aids this element.

Once occupants are in a building, how can the project team maintain ongoing energy efficiency?

By monitoring building automation systems


By retro-commissioning



  • Retro-commissioning and BAS systems can be used to keep a building running efficiently and identify issues that need to be addressed.

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  • Retro-commissioning is 'a commissioning process that can be performed on existing buildings to identify and recognize system improvements that make the building more suitable for current use.' - USGBC

Which of the following are the environmental benefits of reusing a building?

Makes landfills last longer



  • Reuse - whether a building or material - prevents the building or material from ending up in the landfill, extending the landfill's life.

Reduces demands on virgin resources



  • Because less new materials are required, virgin resources are preserved.

A project design includes low-impact development and erosion and sedimentation control. Which of the following will be aided by these strategies?

The creation of buffers between development and water resources



  • When a project implements erosion and sedimentation control, waterways are being protected through the use of some type of buffer.


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On-site rainwater management



  • Examples include better site design principles (e.g., minimizing land disturbance, preserving vegetation, minimizing impervious cover) and design practices (e.g., rain gardens, vegetated swales and buffers, permeable pavement, rainwater harvesting, soil amendments).

What does the built environment refer to?

Any environment that is human-made and provides a structure for human activity.



  • The term built environment refers to any environment that is human-made and provides a structure for human activity, ranging in scale from personal shelter and buildings to neighborhoods and cities that can often include their supporting infrastructure, such as water supply or energy networks.

Success in LEED and green building design is best accomplished through an integrative design process that prioritizes which of the following:

Cost-effectiveness over both the short and long term.



  • Success in LEED and green building design is best accomplished through an integrative design process that prioritizes cost-effectiveness over both the short and long terms and engages all project team members in discovering beneficial interrelationships and synergies between systems and components

Which of the following is aided by the avoidance of building on sensitive land or previously undeveloped land?

Rainwater management



  • If undeveloped site areas are left undisturbed, this may help with managing rainwater runoff.

An existing office building has a 20-year old chiller that uses CFC-11. An owner is considering a major renovation of the building and applying for LEED for New Construction certification. What statement is true about the project's ability to earn LEED certification?

The owner can implement a phase-out plan to earn LEED certification



  • Existing buildings that have CFC based systems are still eligible for certification. A phase out plan must be implemented if a third party audit shows that the simple payback for the new system would be 10 years or less.