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Introduction .......................................................................................................................3
LEED Background and Overview ...................................................................................12
Integrative Process Credits ............................................................................................23
Location & Transportation ..............................................................................................26
Sustainable Sites ...........................................................................................................33
Water Efficiency..............................................................................................................44
Energy and Atmosphere .................................................................................................53
Materials and Resources ...............................................................................................63
Indoor Environmental Quality .........................................................................................74
Innovation .......................................................................................................................85
Regional Priority .............................................................................................................89
Definitions ......................................................................................................................92
Acronym Glossary ..........................................................................................................98
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the prior written consent of Green Buildings Online Inc. This guide is for informational purposes only. This
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owners. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, LEED, LEED AP, LEED Green Associate,
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registered trademark of the Green Building Certification Institute.
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is not affiliated with Green Buildings Online, Inc. and does not
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Introduction
Congratulations!
If you are interested in a green building career, the LEED Green Associate is an
excellent starting point.
By earning your LEED professional credential, you will be in good company. Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design (“LEED”) credentials are arguably the most well-
recognized sustainability credentials on the market today, and as of September 2014,
there are over 200,000 LEED professionals globally.
LEED is the most widely adopted green building standard both domestically in the U.S.
and abroad. Indeed, USGBC reports that over 10 billion square feet of space is
registered in the U.S. alone and that approximately 1.7 million square feet of building
space is certified each day!
LEED is not only the most popular green building rating system in the United States but
also has buildings certified in 140 countries across the globe. The US Green Building
Council (USGBC), the 20+ year old organization that oversees the LEED rating
systems, is actively working to expand even further.
LEED is supported by over 77 chapters, 30,000 members and volunteers and 13,000
member companies and organizations.
The majority of employers in the real estate, building design and construction industries,
both domestic and international, will recognize LEED credentials. However, the appeal
of LEED goes beyond the built environment, and many job postings including those in
sales, marketing, business development, municipal planning, government, and even
finance and banking now include the credentials as a requirement or desired quality in a
candidate.
Consistent with its mission to continually update and improve its rating systems,
USGBC announced the LEED v4 rating system in November 2013 at the Greenbuild
Conference in Philadelphia, PA.
With LEED v4, USGBC is aiming to improve upon the popular LEED 2009 rating system
by building upon it with new criteria that are even more focused on creating a
sustainable built environment. A project certified under LEED v4 aims to accomplish the
following seven goals:
LEED v4 also introduces new real estate market categories, such as data centers,
warehouses and distribution centers, as well as placing a greater emphasis on building
performance, not just design. LEED v4 also introduces new impact categories, taking
health, water resources, biodiversity, community and natural resources into account.
USGBC is also innovating with respect to providing LEED certified buildings with an
opportunity to learn about the performance of their
buildings in real time. USGBC is releasing a “Dynamic
Plaque” that will use digital visualization to reflect a
building’s real time performance while providing a
valuable feedback loop and educational tool for building
occupants.
The LEED professional credentials and exams are administered by the Green Building
Certification Institute (GBCI), the sister organization to USGBC. While LEED credentials
focus specifically on the LEED green building rating systems developed by the US
Green Building Council (USGBC), the training is relevant to many industries and
provides practical knowledge of sustainability that is applicable in almost any field.
GBCI offers two types of LEED credential examinations: the LEED Green Associate and
the LEED AP with specialty. Passing the LEED Green Associate exam is a prerequisite
to earning the LEED AP credential. While you may choose to take both exams in a
back-to back four hour “marathon” session, but you must pass the LEED Green
Associate exam during that 4-hour session to earn the LEED AP credential - if you pass
the LEED AP but fail the LEED Green Associate portion, you will not earn either
credential.
The LEED Green Associate exam and LEED AP exams are not only quite different in
terms of their content, but also in terms of the strategy one should employ when
preparing. For these reasons, we recommend that you take the LEED Green Associate
and LEED AP exams separately, due to the added difficulty of passing both exams at
the same time. If you are new to LEED, we recommend that you start with the LEED
Green Associate and pass that exam first.
Exam content includes 15 “pre-test questions” that touch on concepts in specific Task
Domains and 85 questions that touch on specific Knowledge Domains.
According to USGBC/GBCI, Task Domains are defined as those areas that reflect the
tasks necessary to perform LEED safely and effectively. These include:
• Building loads (e.g., building components, space usage [private office; individual
space; shared multi-occupant spaces])
• Energy efficiency (e.g., basic concepts of design, operational energy efficiency,
commissioning, energy auditing)
• Alternative and renewable energy practices (e.g., demand response, renewable
energy, green power, carbon offsets)
• Energy performance management (e.g., energy use measurement and
monitoring; building automation controls/advanced energy metering; operations
and management; benchmarking; ENERGY STAR)
• Environmental concerns (e.g., sources and energy resources; greenhouse
gases; global warming potential; resource depletion; ozone depletion)
• Indoor air quality (e.g., ventilation levels; tobacco smoke control; management of
and improvements to indoor air quality; low-emitting materials; green cleaning)
• Lighting (e.g., electric lighting quality, daylight)
• Sound (e.g., acoustics)
• Occupant comfort, health, and satisfaction (e.g., controllability of systems,
thermal comfort design, quality of views, assessment/survey)
• Environmental impacts of the built environment (e.g. energy and resource use in
conventional buildings; necessity of green buildings; environmental externalities;
triple bottom line)
• Codes (e.g., relationship between LEED and codes [building, plumbing,
electrical, mechanical, fire protection]; green building codes)
• Values of sustainable design (e.g., energy savings over time; healthier
occupants; money-saving incentives; costs [hard costs, soft costs]; life-cycle)
• Regional design (e.g., regional green design and construction measures as
appropriate, regional emphasis should be placed in Sustainable Sites and
Materials & Resources)
The LEED AP with Specialty credential is the “Tier II”, or advanced LEED credential. It
designates an advanced knowledge of a specific LEED rating system. While the LEED
Green Associate exam requires general knowledge of the prerequisites and credits in
the LEED rating systems, the LEED AP with Specialty exams require specific
knowledge of each prerequisite and credit in a particular rating system.
The LEED AP with Specialty candidate is required to choose a specialty, which means
that he or she must specialize in a specific rating system. The following are the
available specialties and their corresponding rating systems:
While the LEED Green Associate exam is a prerequisite to earning the LEED AP
credential, you have the option of taking both the LEED Green Associate and LEED AP
exam in a back-to-back, 4-hour marathon session. You cannot earn the LEED AP if you
fail the LEED Green Associate exam during that session.
While it is certainly possible to pass both exams in one session, we do not recommend
taking both exams in the same session, as it is much more difficult to study for and pass
both exams.
This study guide was developed by Poplar Education as a component of the Poplar
Education LEED Green Associate curriculum. It was developed by LEED credentialed
professionals who have taken and passed the LEED exams multiple times. The guide
has been proven as an effective study tool for passing the LEED Green Associate exam
the first time.
We recommend studying for about 20-40 hours for the exam. Use this study guide
along with exam simulators, which simulate the actual exam itself, or use the full 100
question practice test included at the end of this guide.
The “LEED Background and Overview” section covers the green building rating system,
certification process, and the USGBC and GBCI.
Next, the study guide covers each of the individual credit categories: “Integrative
Process”, “Location and Transportation”, “Sustainable Sites”, “Water Efficiency”, “Energy
and Atmosphere”, “Materials and Resources”, “Indoor Environmental Quality”, “
Innovation” and “Regional Priority”. Each section contains the prerequisites and credits,
along with their intent and requirements.
Full Time Equivalent (FTE) calculations are sometimes used in LEED to estimate the
number of full-time employees, part-time employees, residents and transient visitors
(optional to include) in the building on an average day. Part-time employees count as
1/2 a full time employee.
The back of this guide contains a list of definitions, terms and acronyms. If you don’t
recognize a term or acronym, refer to those lists for help.
You should read through this guide in its entirety, and then go through section by section
and memorizing the material. Highlight and write notes in the margins to help yourself
remember the information as necessary.
Toward the end of the guide is a full 100 question practice test. Again, while not
required, we highly recommend using the free and/or premium LEED Green Associate
exam simulators available on Poplar Network.
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LEED Background and Overview
In this section, you will learn about the LEED Green Associate exam, USGBC, the
organization that created and administers the LEED rating systems, GBCI, the
organization that oversees the LEED certification and professional credentialing
process, the structure of the LEED certification program, and the certification process.
The points on the exam are awarded based on difficulty using a weighted formula
known only to GBCI. There is no partial credit awarded on this exam. You should
answer every question on the exam, or you will automatically lose points.
The exam itself offers takers the ability to mark questions for review later. Use this tool
to mark questions you are not sure about. You may come back to “marked” questions at
any time.
The exam is computerized and held in a Prometric testing center. You will be given a
sheet of paper and a pen or pencil when you enter the exam room. There is a 10 minute
introductory tutorial before the exam and a 10 minute optional survey afterward.
This introductory “tutorial” is designed to providing the exam taker with the most basic of
information, such as “how to use a computer mouse”. As such, this “tutorial” is a waste
of time for 99% of exam takers. A better use of this time may be for you to write down
information on the piece of paper that you have been given by the Prometric staff. Once
you are in the exam room, you may use this piece of paper to write down whatever
information you are having trouble remembering, etc. as it could come in handy during
the exam. This is totally legal.
When starting the exam, the clock on your two hours will start ticking down. We
recommend that during two hour period, you take the exam at least twice. In other
words, go through all 100 questions at least two times, but three times might be even
better for your final score.
The first time, go through all the questions once and answer any questions that you are
confident that you know the answers to. Mark all others. Once you have completed the
100 questions the first time, go back through the exam a second time. Re-read each
question that you have answered and confirm you are happy with those choices. By
going through the entire exam once, you may remember information that is triggered by
other questions and recall answers to questions you could not remember on your first
pass through the questions.
If possible, once you have answered all questions the second time, go through the
entire exam again for a third time to triple check your answers.
LEED Overview
The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) develops the Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating systems for green buildings.
Only companies who are USGBC national members in good standing can use the
USGBC logo.
There are five LEED rating systems, as listed below. Each rating system may have sub-
rating systems beneath it, focusing on a particular type of building:
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• Warehouses & Distribution Centers
• Core and Shell Development: For projects where the developer controls the
design and construction of the entire mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire
protection system—called the core and shell—but not the design and
construction of the tenant fit-out.
• Schools. For buildings made up of core and ancillary learning spaces on K-12
school grounds. Can also be used for higher education and non-academic
buildings on school campuses.
• Healthcare. For hospitals that operate twenty-four hours a day, seven days a
week and provide inpatient medical treatment, including acute and long-term
care.
• Retail. Guides retailers interior spaces used to conduct the retail sale of
consumer product goods. Includes both direct customer service areas
(showroom) and preparation or storage areas that support customer service.
Less than 50% of the floor is altered, and the operations are improved. They are tested
during the performance period.
LEED O+M certified buildings are the only buildings that must re-certify every 5 years.
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• Existing Buildings. Specifically projects that do not primarily serve K-12
educational, retail, data centers, warehouses and distribution centers, or
hospitality uses.
• Retail. Guides existing retail spaces, both showrooms, and storage areas.
• Schools. For existing buildings made up of core and ancillary learning spaces on
K-12 school grounds. Can also be used for higher education and non-academic
buildings on school campuses.
• Hospitality. Existing hotels, motels, inns, or other businesses within the service
industry that provide transitional or short-term lodging with or without food.
• Data Centers. Existing buildings specifically designed and equipped to meet the
needs of high density computing equipment such as server racks, used for data
storage and processing.
Homes and Multifamily Lowrise: Designed for single family homes and multifamily
buildings between one and three stories.
Multifamily Midrise: Designed for midrise multifamily buildings between four and eight
stories.
Plan: For neighborhood-scale project currently in any phase of planning and design and
up to 75% completed construction.
Built Project: Designed for neighborhood-scale projects that are near completion, or
were completed within the last three years.
LEED Certification
LEED buildings earn credits, each of which is worth a certain number of points. 100
base points are available, plus additional points for Innovation and Regional Priority.
Prerequisites are mandatory and are worth zero points.
• Integrative Process
• Location and Transportation
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• Sustainable Sites
• Water Efficiency
• Energy and Atmosphere
• Materials and Resources
• Indoor Environmental Quality
• Innovation and Regional Priority (additional points)
LEED Boundaries
LEED Project Boundary: Site area affected by the construction, including parking and
open space.
Property Boundary: The project’s property line from the tax map.
Minimum Program Requirements (MPRs)
All LEED projects (except LEED for Homes and Neighborhood Development) must
meet all MPRs to become certified. MPRs include:
USGBC develops the LEED Reference Guides. Each rating system has its own
Reference Guide with intent, requirements, and strategies for each prerequisite and
credit. The reference guides can be found at USGBC.org (not LEED Online).
Note: This guide is designed to cover everything you need to know for the LEED Green
Associate exam. You do not need the USGBC Core Concepts Guide.
Once you pass the LEED Green Associate exam, if you are considering moving on to
the LEED AP exam you should purchase the appropriate Reference Guide from
USGBC.
However, while the Reference Guides are the source of 100% of the questions for the
LEED AP exams, because of the length of the reference guides (817 pages in LEED v4
for BD+C, for example) using a focused LEED AP exam study guide that covers the
questions actually found on the exam is highly recommended.
LEED Online
Project teams should manage their projects on the LEED Online website.
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LEED Online contains credit templates and allows teams to upload documentation
(photos, site plan, floor plan, site rendering, project description) and submit Credit
Interpretation Requests (CIRs).
LEED Online contains the LEED Scorecard, which lists all the credits that the project is
attempting. It helps teams to keep track of their LEED certification plan.
The Project Team Administrator can submit either one (1) Construction Phase Review or
two (2) separate Design and Construction Phase reviews. Certification is only awarded
after Construction Phase (it can be “anticipated” after Design Phase).
They must be submitted through LEED Online, are limited to 600 words, and must NOT
contain documentation. Anyone on the project team who has access to LEED Online
may submit a CIR.
The LEED project team must choose a LEED Project Administrator by the time of LEED
Project registration to perform the following tasks:
2) For which of the following should the LEED project use the 40/60 rule?
a) Buildings
b) Companies
c) People
d) Nonprofit Organizations
e) Cities
4) A 750 square foot new construction project earned 62 points toward LEED
certification. Which of the following certification levels did it achieve?
a) Certified
b) Gold
c) Silver
d) Platinum
e) None
Answers:
1) D. Anyone on a LEED project team who has access to LEED Online can submit a
Credit Interpretation Request (CIR).
2) A. Project teams use the 40/60 rule to determine which rating systems to use. If
the project applies to 60% or more of a certain rating system, it should attempt
certification under that system.
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3) C. Only people can become LEED accredited (earn LEED credentials). Only
buildings can become LEED certified, and firms can become USGBC national
members.
4) E. For LEED certification, new construction projects must comply with minimum
floor area requirements of 1000 square feet.
5) C. LEED for Homes is the only rating system that requires inspection by a Green
Rater prior to certification.
Integrative Process Credits
USGBC stresses Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), a process that involves all of the
project participants in the design and construction processes as early as possible using
an integrated and collaborative process.
Benefits of IPD:
In LEED 2009, USGBC only stressed the benefits of IPD, and did not award project
teams for it. Under LEED v4, IPD is available as a credit.
There is only one credit in this category, worth up to one point. It is a prerequisite only
for Healthcare projects.
Requirements:
Use the analyses to inform the owner’s project requirements (OPR), basis of design
(BOD), design documents, and construction documents.
Energy Related Systems: Perform a preliminary “simple box” energy modeling analysis
that explores how to reduce energy loads in the building before the completion of
schematic design. Document how the analysis affected the OPR and BOD.
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Water Related Systems: Perform a preliminary water budget analysis that explores how
to reduce potable water loads (indoor, outdoor, process water, and supply sources)
before the completion of schematic design. Document how the analysis affected the
OPR and BOD.
Preliminary Rating Goals: (required for Healthcare Projects, suggested for all)
Integrated Project Team: Assemble a project team with a minimum of four (4)
professionals in addition to the owner or owner’s representative. Examples of team
members include: architect or building designer, mechanical engineer, energy modeler,
equipment planner, acoustical consultant, landscape architect, commissioning agent,
community representatives, general contractor, green building consultant, lighting
designer, facility managers.
4) What is the minimum duration of the Design Charrette to consider it eligible to meet
the prerequisite / credit?
a) 8 hours
b) 5 hours
c) 4 hours
d) 6 hours
a) All projects
b) Healthcare projects
c) School projects only
d) School and Healthcare projects
Answers:
1) A
The design charrette for a LEED project should be held “as early as practical and
preferably before schematic design”.
2) C.
An owner or owner’s representative must participate. The other choices are not required
at all.
3) C.
LEED projects are not awarded lower certification fees for integrative project planning
and design; rather, it is a prerequisite and is required by all projects.
4) C
The Design Charrette should last a minimum of 4 hrs.
5) B
A Health Mission Statement is required for LEED for Healthcare projects only.
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Location & Transportation
In the last section, you learned about Integrative Process Credits.
Requirements: Locate the project within the boundary of development certified under
LEED for Neighborhood Development.
Projects applying for this credit cannot apply for points in other credits in Location and
Transportation.
Intent: To avoid the development of environmentally sensitive lands and reduce the
environmental impact from the location of a building on a site.
Requirements:
Option 1: Locate the development footprint on land that has been previously
developed.
Option 2: Do not develop on sites that meet any of the following criteria:
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1) Prime farmland (as defined by US Code of Federal Regulations and as identified
by Natural Resources Conservation Soil Survey)
2) A flood hazard area (as listed by a legally adopted map or by the jurisdiction or
the state) or in areas without legally adopted flood hazard areas, a site that is
outside a floodplain subject to a 1% or greater chance of flooding in a given year
3) Habitat for any species listed as threatened or endangered by the US
Endangered Species Act or other local equivalent standards
4) Habitat for species or ecological communities classified by NatureServe as GH
(possibly extinct), G1 (critically imperiled) or G2 (imperiled)
5) Land within 50 feet of wetlands
6) Land within 100 feet of a water body
Minor improvements are allowed only within water bodies and wetlands, if specified by
LEED.
Requirements:
Option 1: Historic District (1-2 points)
Locate the project on an infill location in a historic district.
EP: Earn an exemplary performance point by pursuing both option 1 AND option 2 or 3.
Location & Transportation Credit: Surrounding Density
and Diverse Uses
Intent: To conserve land and protect farmland and wildlife habitat by encouraging
development in areas with existing infrastructure. To promote walkability, and
transportation efficiency and reduce vehicle distance traveled. To improve public health
by encouraging daily physical activity.
Requirements:
Option 1: Surrounding Density
Locate on a site whose surrounding existing density within a 1/4 mile of the project
meets certain values.
• Services: Bank, family entertainment venue (i.e. theater, sports), gym, health
club, exercise studio, hair care, laundry, dry cleaner, restaurant, cafe, diner
(excluding drive-thru only), adult or senior care, child care, community or
recreation center, cultural arts facility (i.e. museum, performing arts), education
facility (i.e. K-12 school, vocational school, community college, university, adult
education center), government office that serves public on-site, medical clinic/
office that treats patients, place of worship, police or fire station, post office,
public library, public park, social services center
• Community Anchor Uses (BD+C and ID+C only): Commercial office (100+ full
time jobs)
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Location & Transportation Credit: Access to Quality
Transit
Requirements: Locate any functional entry of the project within 1/4 mile walking
distance of a bus, streetcar or ride share stop OR 1/2 mile of bus rapid transit stops,
light or heavy rail stations, commuter rail stations or ferry terminals. The transit service
at these stops must meet a minimum number of weekday and weekend trips.
Note: Transit sites may be existing or planned within 2 years of building occupancy
EP: Earn an additional point by doubling the highest transit service point threshold
Intent: To promote bicycling and transportation efficiency and reduce vehicle distance
traveled. To improve public health by encouraging utilitarian and recreational physical
activity
Requirements:
Bicycle Network: Functional entry or bicycle storage must be within 200 yard walking or
bicycling distance from a bicycle network that connects:
• At least 10 diverse uses
• A school or employment center, if the project is 50%+ residential
• A bus rapid transit stop, light or heavy rail station, commuter rail station, or ferry
terminal
Residential Projects:
• Short-term bicycle storage for 2.5% of peak visitors, and at least 4 spaces per
building AND
• Long-term bicycle storage for 30% of regular building occupants, with at least one
long-term storage space
All Projects:
Bicycle storage must be within 100 feet of main entrance or functional entry.
Location & Transportation Credit: Reduced Parking
Footprint
Intent: To minimize the environmental harms associated with parking facilities, including
automobile dependence, land consumption, and rainwater runoff
Requirements:
Do not exceed the minimum local code requirements for parking capacity.
Provide parking capacity that is 20-40% lower than the base ratios recommended by the
Parking Consultants Council, as shown in the Institute of Transportation
Engineers’ Transportation Planning Handbook.
EP: Achieve improvements of 60-80% beyond the stated base ratios by incorporating
strategies such as parking space leasing, pedestrian travel, bicycles and public
transportation usage.
Requirements:
Designate 5% of all the parking spaces used by the
project as preferred parking for green vehicles.
Discounted parking rate of at least 20% must be given
to green vehicles. An electric vehicle charging
station would contribute to
AND Green Vehicles.
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Option 1: Electric Vehicle Charging
Install electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) in 2% of all parking spaces, and
designate those spaces for plug-in electric vehicles
2) A Low Emitting and Fuel Efficient Vehicle must meet which of the following
requirements?
a) A minimum green score of 45
b) Green-e certification of 45
c) A Green Label Plus score of 35 or higher
d) Made by a U.S. automobile manufacturer
3) A LEED certified building has 100 full time employees, 200 part time
employees, and 100 peak time customers. How many bike storage spaces does it
need to earn the Location & Transportation, Bicycle Facilities credit?
a) 20
b) 15
c) 13
d) 12
e) 10
Answers:
1) C
An alternative fuel vehicle runs on non-petroleum based fuels. A diesel sedan is the
only one of these vehicles without an alternative fuel (hydrogen or electricity).
2) A
LEED defines a low emitting and fuel efficient vehicle as either a Zero Emissions
Vehicle (as defined by the California Air Resources Board) or a vehicle that scores a
minimum of 45 on the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy Guide.
3) C
For the Bicycle Facilities credit, bike storage must be provided for 2.5% of all peak
visitors and 5% of regular building occupants users (but no fewer than 4 in addition to
the visitor/short-term spaces). 100 full time employees + 0.5 x 200 part time employees
= 200 total full-time employees (FTEs). 5% of 200 FTE = 10 spaces. 2.5% of 100 peak
time visitors is 2.5 spaces. So, in total, the project must have 12.5 spaces, or 13
(rounded up - you can’t have half a space). There is no consideration in this question of
short term vs. long term spaces.
Sustainable Sites
In the last section, you learned about the LEED Location and Transportation credit
category.
In this section, you will learn about the prerequisites and credits in the Sustainable Sites
credit category. The intent of this credit category, according to USGBC, is to “reward
decisions about the environment surrounding the building, with credits that emphasize
the vital relationships among buildings, ecosystems, and ecosystem services”.
Sustainable Sites credits encourage restoring site elements, integrating the site with
local ecosystems, and maintaining biodiversity.
Take note of each prerequisite and credit’s intent and requirements, as they may appear
on the exam. They include:
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Included in Which Rating Systems?
Credit Points (for New
Construction)
Open Space 1 point New Construction, Schools, Core
& Shell, Retail, Healthcare, Data
Centers, Hospitality, Warehouses/
Distribution Centers
Requirements: Create & implement erosion and sedimentation control plan for all
construction activities. Must meet either (whichever is more stringent):
Requirements: Complete and document a site survey or assessment that includes the
following information: topography, hydrology, climate, vegetation, soils, human use,
human health effects.
The survey or assessment should demonstrate the relationships between the site
features and how they influenced the project design.
Requirements:
Preserve and protect all development and construction activity 40% of the greenfield
area on the site (if such areas exist).
Option 1: On-Site Restoration (2 points for all except Healthcare, 1 point Healthcare)
Using native or adapted vegetation, restore 30% (including the building footprint) of all
portions of the site identified as previously developed.
OR
EP: By doubling the requirements in either Option 1 or Option 2, the project may earn
an additional point.
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Intent: To create exterior open space that encourages interaction with the environment,
social interaction, passive recreation, and physical activities.
Requirements:
Requirements:
Heat island: The difference in thermal gradient between developed and undeveloped
areas.
Solar reflectance index (SRI): The most effective measure of a roofing material’s
ability to reject solar heat, SRI measures the ability of a surface to reject solar heat on a
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scale of 0 to 100. The higher the SRI, the better it is at rejecting solar heat. SRI is a
combination of reflectance and emittance.
Requirements:
EP: By achieving both Option 1 and Option 2 AND locate 100% of parking under cover.
Requirements:
Meet uplight and trespass requirements, using either the backlight-uplight-glare (BUG)
method or the calculation method.
UPLIGHT:
BUG method: Do not exceed luminaire uplight ratings, based on the specific light source
installed in the luminaire, as defined in IES TM-15-11, Addendum A.
Calculation method: Do not exceed given percentages of total lumens emitted above
horizontal.
LIGHT TRESPASS:
BUG method: Do not exceed the given luminaire backlight and glare ratings (based on
the specific light source installed in the luminaire), as defined in IES TM-15-11,
Addendum A, based on the mounting location and distance from the lighting boundary.
Calculation method: Do not exceed the given vertical illuminances at the lighting
boundary.
Requirements:
Publish for tenants an illustrated document with the following content, as applicable:
• A description of the sustainable features, goals and objectives in the Core & Shell
project
• Recommendations and examples for sustainable strategies, products, materials, and
services
• Information that enables a tenant to coordinate space design and construction with the
building systems when pursuing LEED v4 for Commercial Interiors prerequisites and
credits
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Requirements:
The project must achieve at least 4 of the following 6 credits, then use the associated
calculation methods. The achieved credits must then be recalculated using the data
from the master plan.
Develop a site master plan for the school in collaboration with school authorities.
Include current construction activity plus future construction plans affecting the site,
including parking, paving and utilities. Existing infrastructure should be maintained in
the plan whenever possible.
Note: Projects where no future development is planned are not eligible for this credit.
Requirements:
Option 1: (1 point)
• Make at least 3 of the following available for public use: auditorium, gym,
cafeteria, 1+ classrooms, playing fields and stadiums, joint parking.
• Provide access to toilets in joint-use areas after normal school hours.
Option 2: (1 point)
Contract with community or other organizations to provide at least 2 types of dedicated
use spaces in the building: commercial office, health clinic, community service centers,
police offices, library or media center, parking lot, 1+ commercial sector businesses
Option 3: (1 point)
Ensure that at least 2 spaces that are owned by other organizations/agencies are
accessible to students: auditorium, gym, 1+ classrooms, cafeteria, swimming pool,
playing field and stadiums
SS Credit: Place of Respite (Healthcare)
Intent: Provide patients, staff and visitors with the health benefits of the natural
environment by creating outdoor places of respite on the healthcare campus.
Requirements:
Provide places of respite that are accessible to patients and visitors, equal to 5% of the
net usable program area of the building. Provide additional places of respite for staff,
equal to 2% of the net usable program area of the building.
Outdoor spaces must have a minimum of 25% vegetated space, and must be open to
fresh air, the sky, and natural elements. Signage must meet FGI guidelines, and it may
not be within 25 feet of a smoking area.
EP: Projects may earn exemplary performance by demonstrating both of the following:
• Provide 10% of net usable program area as places of respite for patients and
visitors
• Provide 4% of the net usable program area as places of respite for staff
Requirements:
Provide direct access to an exterior courtyard, terrace, garden or balcony. The space
must be at least 5 square feet per patient for 75% of all inpatients and 75% of qualifying
outpatients whose length of stay exceeds 4 hours.
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Quiz: Sustainable Sites
1) Which of the following does NOT reduce heat island effect?
a) Roof with a low solar reflectance index (SRI) value
b) A vegetative roof
c) Open-grid pavement
d) Solar panels
e) Shade from trees
Answers:
1) A
Vegetative roofs, open-grid pavement, solar panels and shade from trees all reduce
heat island effect. A roof with a high SRI, rather than a low SRI, reduces heat island
effect.
2) C
Eutrophication is the ecosystem’s response to excess nitrates or phosphates from
fertilizers or sewage. Therefore, Rainwater Management could prevent runoff (which
contains fertilizers) and prevent eutrophication.
3) B
The ASTM E-1527-05 Phase I Environmental Site Assessment defines contaminated
land, including brownfields.
4) A
The purpose of Site Development - Protect or Restore Habitat, is “to conserve natural
areas and restore damaged areas to provide habitat and promote biodiversity”. It does
this by promoting restoration with native or adapted vegetation.
5) A
Open space is defined as the project’s property area minus the development footprint.
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Water Efficiency
In the last section, you learned about the Sustainable Sites credit category and its
prerequisites and credits.
Potable water: Meets or exceeds the EPA’s standards for drinking water quality and is
approved for human consumption for state or local authorities. It may be supplied from
wells or municipal plumbing systems.
Process water: Process water is water that is used for industrial processes and
building systems, such as cooling towers, boilers, and chillers. It can also refer to water
used in operational processes, such as dishwashing, clothes washing, and ice making.
Graywater: Untreated wastewater that has not come in contact with toilet waste.
Includes used water from bathtubs, showers, bathroom sinks, and laundry machines.
Does NOT include water from kitchen sinks or dishwashers. Governed by the Uniform
Plumbing Code.
Tertiary Standards or Tertiary Treatment: the highest form of water treatment, and
removes phosphorus and nitrogen from wastewater.
Requirements:
Option 1: No irrigation required
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Prove no irrigation after two-year occupancy.
Strategies:
• Drought tolerant species: Xeriscaping
(little or no water), herbaceous perennials
• Plant density
• Irrigation efficiency: Drip irrigation, weather sensing systems
• Non-potable water reuse: Graywater reuse, rainwater catchment, treated non-
potable water
Definitions:
• Evapotranspiration: Loss of water by evaporation
• Evapotranspiration rate: Amount of water lost via a specific plant, a.k.a. the water
necessary to grow a plant
All newly installed toilets, urinals, private lavatory faucets, and showerheads that are
eligible for labeling must be WaterSense labeled (or a local equivalent for projects
outside the U.S.).
Fixtures must use 20% less water than the following baselines:
Fixture Baseline
Use appliances that meet the requirements listed in the table below:
Appliance Baseline
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Process Requirement
EP: Projects may earn exemplary performance by achieving 55% water use reduction.
Requirements:
• Install permanent water meters in building and on grounds
• Commit to sharing water data with USGBC for 5 years after certification or
occupancy, whichever is first
Requirements:
Requirements:
25% = 1 point
30% = 2 points
35% = 3 points
40% = 4 points
45% = 5 points
50% = 6 points (except Hospitality, Schools, Retail, Healthcare)
EP: Indoor Water Use Reduction may earn exemplary performance by achieving 55%
water use reduction.
Indoor Water Use Reduction calculations are based on Full Time Equivalent (FTE)
Occupants.
Peak totals are measured at the moment in a typical 24-hour period when the highest
number of a given occupant type is present.
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In buildings with irregular occupancy patterns, a better calculation is:
FTE employees = (Σ all employee hours / 8)
These show that each part time employee is worth a fraction of a full time employee.
One who works 20 hours per week is 1/2 a full time employee (40 hours per week).
Intent: To support water management and identify opportunities for additional water
savings by tracking water consumption.
Requirements:
Install permanent water meters for two or more subsystems: irrigation, plumbing
fixtures and fittings, domestic hot water, boiler, reclaimed water, other process water
Water Efficiency Credit: Cooling Tower Water Use
Intent: To conserve water used for cooling tower makeup while controlling microbes,
corrosion, and scale in the condenser water system.
Requirements:
For cooling towers and evaporative condensers, conduct a one-time potable water
analysis, in order to optimize cooling tower cycles. Measure at least the five control
parameters:
ASHRAE 189.1 is referenced in Indoor Water Use Reduction for cooling tower and
evaporative condenser requirements.
Comments:
• The Cooling Tower Credit was originally limited to Existing Buildings: Operations +
Maintenance only, but now is included in Building Design + Construction
• Cooling towers cool water by evaporating water, usually at a rate of 3 gallons per
minute in a 100 ton chiller.
• Cooling towers evaporate water, leaving the remaining water with dissolved
minerals and contaminants – so it’s drained and replaced with fresh water (called
“blowdown”)
• LEED requires cooling towers to run the water through more cycles before
blowdown, and can be captured and reused for irrigation, often if mixed and diluted
• Projects can save more water through cooling towers than through other water
efficiency measures
1) For the Indoor Water Use Reduction credit, the baseline for lavatory toilets (water
closets) is:
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d) 3.8 Liters per flush
e) 5 Liters per flush
4) Which of the following are considered Full Time Equivalent (FTE) occupants
when calculating indoor water use for Indoor Water Use Reduction? (Choose 3)
a) Full time employees
b) Part time employees
c) Construction workers prior to occupancy
d) Retail customers
e) Primary school students
5) The local law prohibits rainwater harvesting, but the LEED project team has
incorporated it into the building design and will be able to earn Water Efficiency
credits by doing so. What should the project team do?
a) Submit a Credit Interpretation Request
b) Request a variance from the local government
c) Pursue rainwater harvesting without contacting the local government or USGBC
d) Eliminate rainwater harvesting from the design
Answers:
1) B
The baseline for toilets (water closets) is 1.6 gpf.
2) A
WaterSense labeled fixtures use about 20% less water than other products on the
market.
3) C
Dual flush toilets conserve water by using less water to flush liquid waste and more
water for flushing solid waste.
4) A, B, and E
Full time equivalent (FTE) occupants include full time employees, part time employees,
residents, primary and secondary school students, inpatients, hotel guests and regular
volunteers. Visitors are considered to include retail customers, outpatients, periodical
volunteers, and higher-education students.
5) D
LEED projects should always adhere to local laws, which have precedence over LEED
prerequisites and credits.
In this section, you will learn about the Energy and Atmosphere credit category, which
according to USGBC, “approaches energy from a holistic perspective, addressing
energy use reduction, energy-efficient design strategies, and renewable energy
sources”.
Buildings account for approximately 40% of the energy used today. This credit category
intends to promote energy efficiency, then supplementing that reduced energy use with
renewable energy, green power, or a demand response program.
Take note of the prerequisites and credits in Energy and Atmosphere, as they may
appear on the exam. They include:
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Included in Which Rating Systems?
Credit Points (for new
construction)
Prerequisite, Fundamental 0 (Required) New Construction, Schools, Core
Refrigerant Management & Shell, Retail, Healthcare, Data
Centers, Hospitality, Warehouses/
Distribution Centers
Green Power and Carbon Offsets Up to 2 points New Construction, Schools, Core
& Shell, Retail, Healthcare, Data
Centers, Hospitality, Warehouses/
Distribution Centers
Requirements:
• Designate an individual as a commissioning
authority (CxA). They should have
commissioning experience and be unrelated
to the project design/construction
management.
Commissioned Systems:
• HVAC&R (Heating, Ventilation, Air A LEED certified office building
Conditioning and Refrigeration) may use lighting sensors to
• Electrical systems including distribution, reduce wasteful or excess
lighting and daylighting controls lighting, as seen in this building.
• Plumbing systems including - Domestic hot
water, pumps and controls
• Renewable energy systems
References:
Requirements:
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• Option 1: Whole Building Energy Simulation - baseline as per ASHRAE/IESNA
Standard 90.1-2010 (BD+C)
• Option 2: ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guides (prescriptive)
• Option 3: Advanced Buildings Core Performance Guide (prescriptive)
Intent: To support energy management and identify opportunities for additional energy
savings by tracking building-level energy use.
Requirements:
Install new or use existing building-level energy meters or submeters that provide data
representing total building energy consumption. Commit to sharing the data with
USGBC for 5 years or till the building changes ownership or lessee.
Definitions:
Cholorofluorocarbon = CFC, a type of refrigerant with the most impact on the ozone
layer, high ODP and med-high GWP
Hydrocholorofluorocarbon = HCFC, a type of refrigerant (less harmful than CFCs), low
ODP and medium GWP
Ozone Depleting Potential = ODP
Global Warming Potential = GWP
Requirements:
New Building: Zero use of CFC refrigerants in HVAC&R
Existing Building: CFC phase-out prior to project completion
Refrigerant Ozone Effect Note
High ODP,
CFCs Do not use, most harmful
Med-High GWP
Note: You do not need to know what the additional activities are, just that it requires
extra commissioning.
For Enhanced Commissioning, the CxA can be the owner of the project or the owner’s
representative or a sub-consultant to the architecture or engineering firm. Employees of
architecture or construction firm cannot be CXA for enhanced commissioning
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EA Credit: Optimize Energy Performance
Requirements:
Projects will earn points based on their degree of improvement in energy efficiency.
Compare the proposed building’s energy performance to a baseline.
Projects not eligible for ENERGY STAR: Benchmark against national data averages or
historical data
EP: Achieve at least 54% energy savings (in New Construction, Major Renovation and
Core and Shell projects)
Requirements:
Install advanced energy metering for (1) all whole-building energy sources and (2) any
individual energy end uses that represent 10% or more of the total annual energy
consumption
EA Credit: Demand Response
Intent: To increase participation in demand response technologies and programs that
make energy generation and distribution systems more efficient, increase grid reliability,
and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Requirements:
Design building and equipment for participation in demand response programs through
load shedding or shifting. On-site electricity generation does not meet the intent of this
credit.
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• Biofuel (in some cases)
• Low-impact hydroelectricity
• Wave and tidal energy
• Geothermal energy (in some cases)
EP: Renewable energy must account for 15% of total energy. For Core and Shell
projects the threshold is 10%.
Requirements:
Option 1. No Refrigerants or Low-Impact Refrigerants
Option 2. Calculation of Refrigerant Impact
Definitions:
Scope 2 emissions: Indirect greenhouse gas emissions associated with the generation
of purchased electricity,
heating/cooling, or steam off site, through a utility provider for the entity’s consumption.
2) On-site renewable energy is often more expensive than Green Power (such as
renewable energy certificates) because:
a) On-site renewable energy provides fewer energy savings over time than Green
Power
b) On-site renewable energy has high upfront installation and materials costs, whereas
those costs are spread over many customers with off-site green power
c) LEED charges higher certification costs for projects with on-site renewable energy
d) On-site renewable energy requires upfront investment whereas Green Power does
not
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c) The lowest possible amount of water or energy the building could consume
d) The highest possible amount of water or energy the building could consume
Answers:
1) B
Refrigerants enter the atmosphere when they leak from air conditioners, refrigerators,
etc.
2) B
On-site renewable energy often costs more up front than green power because of the
additional installation, labor and materials costs to add renewables to an individual on-
site. The costs of green power are distributed across many customers.
3) B
The baseline is the amount of energy or water the building would consume if it used
traditional materials.
4) C
Green power is off-site renewable energy that is purchased through a contract. It does
not affect the building’s energy consumption, only the building’s carbon emissions
(which are reduced through carbon offsets).
5) B
LEED considers wave and tidal energy, wind energy, landfill gas and low-impact hydro-
electric as valid forms of on-site renewable energy. Forestry biomass (other than mill
residue) is not considered a valid form of on-site renewable energy in LEED.
Materials and Resources
In the last section, you learned about how the Energy and Atmosphere credits promote
energy conservation, renewable energy and refrigeration management.
Take note of the prerequisites and credits Recycling plastic, glass, and metal is
in this credit category, as they may mandatory for LEED certification.
appear on the exam. They include:
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Included in Which Rating Systems?
Credit Points (for New
Construction)
Building Product Disclosure and Up to 2 points New Construction, Schools, Core
Optimization - Sourcing of Raw & Shell, Retail, Healthcare, Data
Materials Centers, Hospitality, Warehouses/
Distribution Centers
Requirements:
At a minimum, recycle:
• Metal
• Glass
• Mixed Paper
• Plastic
• Corrugated Cardboard
Take appropriate measures for safe collection, storage and disposal of two of the
following:
• Batteries
• Mercury-containing lamps
• Electronic waste (“e-waste”)
Intent: To reduce the construction and demolition of waste disposed in landfills and
incineration facilities by reusing, recovering and recycling materials.
Requirements:
Requirements:
Maintain the existing building structure, envelope and interior nonstructural elements of
a historic building or contributing building in a historic district. To qualify, the building or
historic district must be listed or eligible for listing in the local, state, or national register
of historic places.
Maintain at least 50% of a blighted building structure, enclosure, and interior structural
elements by surface area.
Reuse or salvage building materials from off site or on site as a percentage of the
surface area.
Include:
• structural elements (e.g., floors, roof decking)
• enclosure materials (e.g., skin, framing)
• permanently installed interior elements (e.g., walls, doors, floor coverings, ceiling
systems)
EP: Reuse 95% of the building in Option 3; or achieve any improvement over the
required credit thresholds in all six (6) impact categories.
MR Credit: Building Product Disclosure and Optimization
(BPDO) - Environmental Product Declarations
Intent: To encourage the use of products and materials for which life-cycle information
is available and that have environmentally, economically, and socially preferable life-
cycle impacts. To reward project teams for selecting products from manufacturers who
have verified improved environmental life cycle impacts.
Requirements:
(1) Third party certified products that demonstrate impact reduction in at least three
categories:
• Global warming potential
• Depletion of the stratospheric
ozone layer
• Acidification of land and water
sources
• Eutrophication
• Formation of tropospheric
ozone
(2) USGBC approved program
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MR Credit: Building Product Disclosure and Optimization
(BPDO) - Sourcing of Raw Materials
Intent: To encourage the use of products and materials for which life cycle information
is available and that have environmentally, economically and socially preferable life
cycle impacts. To reward project teams for selecting products verified to have been
extracted or sourced in a responsible manner.
Requirements:
Reports may be self declared (worth 1/2 of a product) OR third-party verified corporate
sustainability reports (CSR) (worth 100% of a product).
Requirements:
(1) Manufacturer Inventory, with all ingredients identified by name and the Chemical
Abstract Service Registration Number (CASRN)
(2) Health Product Declaration
(3) Cradle to Cradle
(4) USGBC approved program
Use products that document their material ingredient optimization using these paths for
at least 25% (by cost) of the total value of permanently installed products in the project:
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(2) Cradle to Cradle Certified
(3) REACH Optimization (international projects)
(4) USGBC approved program
EP: Option 1: Purchase at least 40 permanently installed building products that meet
the credit criteria.
Option 2: Purchase at least 50%, by cost, of permanently installed building products that
meet the credit criteria.
Requirements:
Exclude excavated soil, land-clearing debris, and alternative daily cover (ADC). Include
wood waste converted to fuel (biofuel) in the calculations; other types of waste-to-
energy are not considered diversion for this credit.
Requirements:
Specify and install fluorescent lamps with both low mercury content (MR Prerequisite
PBT Source Reduction—Mercury) and long lamp life as listed in LEED Requirements,
Do not specify or install circular fluorescent lamps or probe start metal halide lamps.
Requirements:
Specify and install fluorescent lamps with both low mercury content (MR Prerequisite
PBT Source Reduction—Mercury) and long lamp life as listed in LEED Requirements,
Do not specify or install circular fluorescent lamps or probe start metal halide lamps.
Requirements:
Use at least 30% (1 point) or 40% (2 points), by cost, of all freestanding furniture and
medical furnishings (e.g.,mattresses, foams, panel fabrics, cubicle curtains, window
coverings, other textiles) that meets the criteria in one of the following three options.
• Option 1. Minimal Chemical Content
• Option 2. Testing and Modeling of Chemical Content
• Option 3. Multi-Attribute Assessment of Products
EP: Use at least 50%, by cost, of all freestanding furniture and medical furnishings that
meet the credit criteria.
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Design for Flexibility:(Healthcare only)
Requirements:
Increase building flexibility and ease of adaptive use over the life of the structure by
employing at least three of the strategies. mentioned by LEED Reference Guide like
interstitial space, programmed soft space, horizontal expansion capacity, etc.
Answers:
1) C.
GreenScreen v1.2 Benchmark is one of the options for complying with Option 2,
Material Ingredient Optimization, in Building Product Disclosure and Optimization -
Material Ingredients.
2) A.
Bio-based products must meet the Sustainable Agriculture Network’s Sustainable
Agriculture Standard.
3) D
Post-consumer recycled content is waste material generated by households or
commercial, industrial and institutional facilities in their role as end-users of the product.
Examples include newspaper, glass bottles, yogurt containers, construction and
demolition debris, plastic bottles, soup cans, and steel. Used car tires have already
been used by a consumer, so they are considered post-consumer recycled content.
4) B.
AccountAbility’s AA1000 is not a listed acceptable CSR framework for the credit.
5) A and C.
Industry-wide EPDs are generic and product-specific EPDs are specific to one product;
therefore, industry-wide EPDs are valued as one half of a product and product-specific
EPDs are valued as one product.
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Indoor Environmental Quality
In the last credit category, you learned about how LEED encourages the use of
sustainable building materials.
Many people think of energy efficiency when they hear “green building”. However,
USGBC takes a whole building approach to green building and considers the health of
its occupants an important component of sustainable living.
According to USGBC, “green buildings with good indoor environmental quality protect
the health and comfort of building occupants” and “high-quality indoor environments
also enhance productivity, decrease absenteeism, improve the building’s value, and
reduce liability for building designers and owners”. Therefore, Indoor Environmental
Quality is a credit category that encourages designing for thermal, visual and acoustic
comfort.
Take note of the prerequisites and credits in Indoor Environmental Quality, as they may
appear on the exam. They include:
Requirements:
Ventilation:
Mechanically ventilated spaces: Meet ASHRAE 62.1-2010 or CEN Standards EN
15251-2007 and EN 13779-2007
Naturally ventilated spaces: Meet the requirements of ASHRAE Standard 62.1 or a local
equivalent, whichever is more stringent and follow the flow diagram in the CISBE
Applications Manual AM10, March 2005, Natural Ventilation in Nondomestic Building,
Figure 2.8
Monitoring:
Mechanically ventilated spaces:
• Variable air volume: direct airflow measurement device to measure the minimum
outdoor intake air flow
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• Constant-volume: Design the outdoor
airflow according to ASHRAE
62.1-2010. Install a monitoring device
such as a current transducer or airflow
switch.
Requirements:
Intent: Provide classrooms that are quiet so that teachers and students can effectively
communicate without raising their voices.
Requirements:
1) Background Noise: Achieve a maximum background noise level of 40 dBA from
HVAC systems in classrooms and core learning spaces
2) Exterior Noise
For high-noise sites (peak-hour Leq above 60 dBA during school hours), implement
acoustic treatment and other measures to minimize noise intrusion from exterior
sources and control sound transmission between classrooms and core learning spaces.
3) Reverberation Time: Limit reverberation in classrooms and core learning spaces with
sound absorptive finishes
Case 1: Classrooms and Core Learning Spaces < 200,00 cubic feet (566 cubic m)
Case 2: Classrooms and Core Learning Spaces > 200,00 cubic feet (566 cubic m)
Meet the recommended reverberation times for classrooms and core learning spaces
described in the NRC-CNRC Construction Technology Update No. 51, Acoustical
Design of Rooms for Speech (2002), or a local equivalent.
Requirements:
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Option 2: Additional Enhanced IAQ Strategies (1 point)
(1) Exterior contamination prevention
(2) Increased ventilation
(3) Carbon dioxide monitoring
(3) Additional source control and monitoring
(4) Natural ventilation room-by-room calculations
EP: Achieve both Option 1 AND Option 2, while incorporating an additional Option 2
strategy.
Requirements:
This credit covers VOC emissions into indoor air, VOC content in materials, and testing
methods for VOCs.
- Products must also either be inherently non- Low VOC paint contributes to
Low Emitting Materials.
emitting or tested and determined compliant by the
California Department of Health Standard Method
v1.1-2010.
Requirements:
Develop and implement IAQ management plan:
4. Prohibit the use of tobacco products inside the building and within 25 feet of the
building during construction
Requirements:
Option 1: Flush-Out
1. Before occupancy: Flush building with 14,000 cubic ft. air per square foot at constant
temperature and humidity OR
2. During occupancy: Flush with 3,500 cubic ft. per square foot before occupancy, then
14,000 cubic ft. per square foot after occupancy. Maintain constant temperature and
humidity.
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Indoor Environmental Quality Credit: Thermal Comfort
Intent: To promote occupants’ productivity, comfort and well-being by providing thermal
comfort.
Requirements:
Provide thermal comfort controls for at least 50% of individual occupant spaces, and
provide group thermal comfort controls for all shared multi-occupant spaces. The
controls should adjust at least one of: air temperature, radiant temperature, air speed
and humidity.
Option 2: ISO and CEN Standards. Design HVAC systems according to ISO
7730:2005, Ergonomics of the Thermal Environment, and CEN Standard EN
15251:2007, Indoor Environmental Input Parameters for Design and Assessment of
Energy Performance of Buildings.
Requirements:
• For all regularly occupied spaces, use light fixtures with a luminance of less than
2,500 cd/m2 between 45 and 90 degrees from nadir.
• For the entire project, use light sources with a CRI of 80 or higher. Exceptions
include lamps or fixtures specifically designed to provide colored lighting for
effect, site lighting, or other special use.
• Use direct-only overhead lighting for 25% or less of the total connected lighting
load for all regularly occupied spaces.
Indoor Environmental Quality Credit: Daylight
Intent: To connect building occupants with the outdoors, reinforce circadian
rhythms, and reduce the use of electrical lighting by introducing daylight into the space.
Requirements:
Provide manual or automatic glare-control devices for all regularly occupied spaces.
Option 1: Simulation – Spatial Daylight Autonomy (2-3 points, 1-2 points Healthcare)
Demonstrate through annual computer simulations that spatial daylight autonomy300/50%
of at least 55%, 75%, or 90% is achieved AND demonstrate that annual sunlight
exposure1000,250 of no more than 10% is achieved.
Requirements:
Achieve a direct line of sight to the outdoors via vision glazing for 75% of all regularly
occupied floor area.
75% of all regularly occupied floor area must have at least two of the four following
kinds of views:
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(1) multiple lines of sight to vision glazing in different directions at least 90 degrees
apart
(2) views that include at least two of the following: (1) flora, fauna, or sky; (2) movement;
and (3) objects at least 25 feet from the exterior of the glazing
(3) unobstructed views located within the distance of three times the head height of the
vision glazing
(4) views with a view factor of 3 or greater, as defined in “Windows and Offices; A Study
of Office Worker Performance and the Indoor Environment”. Views into interior atria
may be used to meet up to 30% of the required area.
EP: New Construction: Meet the requirements for 90% of all regularly occupied areas.
Requirements:
1) HVAC Background Noise: Achieve maximum background noise levels from heating,
ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems per 2011 ASHRAE Handbook, HVAC
Applications, Chapter 48, Table 1; AHRI Standard 885-2008, Table 15; or a local
equivalent. Calculate or measure sound levels.
For measurements, use a sound level meter that conforms to ANSI S1.4 for type 1
(precision) or type 2 (general purpose) sound measurement instrumentation, or a local
equivalent.
2) Sound Transmission: Meet the composite sound transmission class (STCC) ratings
listed in Table 1, or local building code, whichever is more stringent.
1) Which of the following is not regulated for volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
by LEED?
a) Interior walls
b) Exterior walls
c) Ceilings
d) Flooring
e) Furniture
Answers:
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1) B. Only compounds inside the building are considered for Low Emitting Materials
because VOCs cause poor indoor environmental quality. Outdoors, there is enough air
to disperse the VOCs.
2) A and C.
Both Daylight and Views must meet certain percentage requirements for regularly
occupied spaces. Therefore, the project team must define regularly and non-regularly
occupied spaces.
3) C
The Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning National Contractors Association’s (SMACNA)
rules apply to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in adhesives, sealants, finishes,
coatings, stains, sealers, etc. VOCs negatively affect indoor air quality.
4) A and C
Temperature and humidity are the two main factors affecting thermal comfort.
5) A.
ANSI Standard S12.60–2010 addresses acoustics and is referenced in the Acoustic
Performance credit.
Innovation
Innovation is a “bonus” credit category. It does not have prerequisites, only credits,
available for a total of six points.
The points are not included in the “base points”, but rather additional “bonus” points that
the project team can opt to achieve.
It awards points for using innovative design measures, exemplary performance (going
above and beyond the credit requirements) and by having a LEED AP as a principal
project participant.
Take note of the requirements in this credit category, as they may appear on the exam.
They include:
IN Credit: Innovation
Intent: Opportunity to achieve exceptional performance and/or innovative performance
Requirements:
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Pilot (1 point per credit, up to 3 points)
Achieve one pilot credit from USGBC’s LEED Pilot Credit
Library
LEED Pilot Credit: a credit that has not yet been balloted and
introduced to LEED, but can be attempted for one point in
Innovation in Design. LEED project teams give feedback on
the credits so that they can be adjusted before the ballot or
thrown out.
This building’s
Credits with Exemplary Performance points available:
innovative, energy-
saving facade is an
Note: Bolded information refers to the exemplary
example of a strategy
performance thresholds that you should memorize. These
that could contribute to
are listed with each respective credit in the guide. Just be
Innovation.
familiar with the rest.
Water Efficiency Indoor Water Use Reduction Achieve 55% water use
reduction.
Materials and Resources Building Life Cycle Impact Reuse 95% of the building
Reduction
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Credit Category Credit Exemplary Performance
Threshold
Indoor Environmental Enhanced Indoor Air Quality Achieve both Enhanced IAQ
Quality Strategies Strategies (Option 1) &
Additional Enhanced IAQ
Strategies (Option 2)
Requirements:
At least 1 principal participant of the project team shall be a LEED AP with Specialty
appropriate for the project. Legacy LEED APs (LEED APs without specialty) are no
longer eligible for the Innovation point.
Note: 1 point for 1+ LEED AP with Specialty on the project. No additional points for
incremental increases in additional LEED APs.
Regional Priority
Like Innovation in Design, Regional Priority is another “bonus” credit category with no
prerequisites, only credits. According to USGBC, its purpose is to “address regional
environmental priorities for buildings in different geographic regions”.
There is only one credit in this category, Regional Priority, which you should know for
the exam. The credit is worth up to 4 “bonus” points.
Requirements:
Earn up to 4 out of the 6 Regional Priority credits identified by the USGBC chapter for
each region. (Worth 1 point each)
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1) How many points can a project earn for having a LEED Green Associate as a
principal participant in the design process?
a) 0
b) 1
c) 2
d) 3
e) 4
5) Out of the six available credits in the Regional Priority Category, maximum how
many points can a project earn?
a) 6
b) 5
c) 4
d) 3
e) 1
Answer Key:
1) A. Zero. A LEED project can earn one Innovation in Design point for having a LEED
AP (or multiple LEED APs) as a principal project participant. Projects do not earn points
for having LEED Green Associates work on the project.
3) C and D. Using 95% FSC-certified wood would earn an Innovation in Design point for
exemplary performance. Alternatively, using a strategy not addressed in the
rating system to achieve environmental benefits could achieve a point for Innovation in
Design.
5) C. Out of the six available credits in Regional Priority projects can earn up to 4 points.
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Definitions
This is a list of green building and LEED terms that may appear on the exam. Be
familiar with all of terms and how they relate to green building and/or LEED.
• Baseline: the amount of energy or water the building would consume if it used
conventional materials and design.
• Biobased Material: Commercial or industrial products (other than food or feed) that
are composed in whole, or significant part, of biological products, renewable
agricultural materials (including plant, animal and marine materials), or forestry
materials. For the purposes of LEED, this excludes leather and other animal hides.
• Biodiversity: the variety of life in all forms from the ecosystem level to the genetic
level.
• Chain of Custody (COC) Certificate: companies earn the right to market and sell
products as being FSC Certified and to affiliate themselves with the Forest
Stewardship Council.
• Combined Heat and Power (CHP): CHP is an integrated system that captures the
heat, otherwise wasted, that is generated by a single fuel source in the production of
electrical power. Also known as cogeneration.
• Commissioning: the process of verifying that energy systems are installed,
calibrated and performing according to the owner’s project requirements, basis of
design and construction documents.
• Cradle to Cradle: A process for managing materials that emphasizes recycling and
reuse at the end of a product or material’s life, rather than disposal. Products that
are Cradle to Cradle (C2C) certified may qualify for contributing to MR credits in
LEED v4.
• Cradle to Gate: An analysis of a product’s partial life cycle, from resource extraction
(cradle) to the factory (gate) before it has been transported for distribution and sale.
This omits the use and disposal phases of the product.
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• Floor Area Ratio: the ratio of the total floor area of the building to the lot size of the
site. The higher the floor area ratio, the higher the development density.
• Full Time Equivalent (FTE): calculations used in LEED to estimate the number of
full-time employees, part-time employees, residents and transient visitors (optional
to include) in the building on an average day. Part-time employees count as 1/2 a
full time employee.
• Graywater: Untreated wastewater that has not come in contact with toilet waste.
Includes used water from bathtubs, showers, bathroom sinks, and laundry
machines. Does NOT include water from kitchen sinks or dishwashers. Governed
by the Uniform Plumbing Code.
• Green Homes Certification Providers manage and audit the work of the Green
Raters.
• Green-e Certified: Off-site renewable energy that is certified and verified by the
Center for Resource Solutions.
• Hard cost: Purchase price of a hard asset that is a direct construction cost.
Examples: land, equipment, building materials.
• Infill Site: A site where at least 75% of the land area, exclusive of rights of way,
within 1/2 mile of the project boundary is previously developed.
• LEED Project Boundary: Site area affected by the construction, including parking
and open space.
• LEED Online contains the LEED Scorecard, which lists each credit that the project
is attempting. It helps teams to keep track of their LEED certification plan.
• Leq: is the preferred method to describe sound levels that vary over time, resulting
in a single decibel value which takes into account the total sound energy over the
period of time of interest.
• Light Pollution: Light pollution is wasted light that produces glare or is directed up
toward the sky or away from the building.
• Light Rail: Transit service using 2-3 car trains that is separated from other traffic
and separated by transit stations that are approximately 1/2 mile apart, or more.
• Open Grid Paving System: A grid of structurally sound materials or webbing that
can support loose, typically pervious, substrates including grass or gravel.
• Open Space: Open space is defined as the project’s property area minus the
development footprint.
• Plug Loads: Also known as receptacle loads, it is the current drawn by any
electrical equipment that is connected via a wall outlet.
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• Pre-consumer Recycled Content: Material diverted from the waste stream during
the manufacturing process. Reutilization of materials (i.e. rework, regrind or scrap
generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process
that generated it) is excluded. (manufacturer waste, never owned by a consumer).
Examples: shavings, sawdust, walnut shells, fly ash, over-issue publications,
textile clippings, obsolete inventories.
• Prius Effect: The act of responding to data or real time feedback regarding energy
and/or fuel consumption in a manner that further decreases consumption of said
fuel or energy.
• Potable Water: Meets or exceeds the EPA’s standards for drinking water quality
and is approved for human consumption for state or local authorities. It may be
supplied from wells or municipal plumbing systems.
• Process Water: Used for industrial processes and building systems, such as
boilers, cooling towers, clothes washers, chillers, etc.
• Property Boundary: The project’s property line from the tax map.
• Rapidly Renewable: Building materials made from plants that are typically
harvested in a 10 year or shorter life cycle.
• Regularly occupied spaces: Areas where workers are seated or standing as they
work inside a building.
• Each rating system has its own Reference Guide with intent, requirements, and
strategies for each prerequisite and credit.
• Rideshare: A passenger car based transit service for at least 4 people, or human
powered conveyance (e.g.. rickshaw) for at least 2 people, and must include
enclosed passenger seating area, fixed route service, fixed fare structure, regular
operation, and the ability to pick up multiple riders.
• Soft cost: Expense that is not considered a direct construction cost. Examples:
engineering fees, architect fees, legal fees.
• Solar Reflectance Index (SRI): Ability of a surface to reject solar heat, on a scale
of 0 to 100 (the higher, the better it is at rejecting solar heat). Combination of
reflectance and emittance.
• Tertiary Treatment: the highest form of water treatment, and removes phosphorus
and nitrogen from wastewater.
• Total Suspended Solids (TSS): Total suspended solids, which are particles that
are too buoyant to settle out of water by gravity, is a measurement of stormwater
quality.
• VOC Budget: the measurement of the total VOC concentration in the building’s
indoor air. A VOC budget is allowed for Low Emitting Materials - Paints and
Coatings and Adhesives and Sealants.
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Acronym Glossary
This is a list of acronyms commonly used in the green building industry or in LEED.
This glossary will help you to use this guide and to understand the lingo used in some of
the questions on the exam.
• BUG Method: An approach using the BUG (Backlight Uplight Glare) rating for
luminaires. This approach supercedes the former lighting cutoff ratings used in
LEED 2009. This method comes from the IES/IDA Model Lighting Ordinance.
• CFC: Chlorofluorocarbon
• HCFC: Hydrochlorofluorocarbon
• HFC: Hydrofluorocarbon
• HVAC: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
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100 Question LEED Green Associate Practice Test
3) Which of the following credit categories would potentially add the highest first costs in
a New Building, but also with the quickest payback?
a. Sustainable Sites
b. Water Efficiency
c. Energy and Atmosphere
d. Regional Priority
a. GreenGuard
b. FSC
c. Green Spec
d. Green-e
a. Plant material
b. Leather
c. Animal based material
6) What standard would a wet applied liquid adhesive need to meet to be eligible for EQ
Low Emitting Materials credit?
a. Green Seal 36
b. Green Guard
c. Green-e
d. South Coast Air Quality Management District
7) The minimum program requirements for LEED certification serve what purpose?
(choose three)
a. Project drawings
b. Concrete stain
c. GreenGuard Certified furniture
d. Interest payments
12) How is density calculated for Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses credit
calculated? (Choose 3)
14) When local zoning does not define open space, how is it measured?
15) Which of the following is true about exemplary performance credits (choose two)?
17) Which one of the following is not an intent of the Location and Transportation
category?
18) Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction - Building and Materials Reuse is calculated
by...
a. Weight
b. Cost
c. Volume
d. Surface Area
19) Which are the best ways to reduce potable water in irrigation (choose three)?
20) What materials are required to be collected under MR Storage and Collection of
Recyclables?
a. Drywall
b. Clean Wood Waste
c. Plastic Bottles
d. Electronic Waste
22) Which standard is used to set a baseline for energy performance in LEED v4?
a. ASHRAE 62.1-2007
b. ASHRAE 90.1-2004
c. Energy Policy Act of 1992
d. ASHRAE 90.1-2010
24) Planning for optimum daylighting can help in achieving which other credit?
a. Thermal Comfort
b. Acoustic Performance
c. Green Power and Carbon Offsets
d. Optimize Energy Performance
25) When a project is registered with GBCI, it is provided with the following (choose
two):
27) Which of the following would be considered a candidate for Innovation (choose
two)?
28) What international treaty was developed to protect the ozone layer by minimizing or
eliminating destructive activities?
29) Which of the following is required for LEED certification (choose two)?
a. A LEED AP
b. USGBC Membership
c. Reduction in water use by 20%
d. Elimination of CFC refrigerants
a. Interior Lighting
b. Quality ViewsThermal Comfort
c. Optimize Energy Performance
d. Renewable Energy Production
e. Fundamental Commissioning
34) What type of water is included in the definition of graywater by the Uniform
Plumbing Code (choose two)?
a. Bath water
b. Kitchen sink water
c. Bathroom sink water
d. Dishwasher water
a. Open Space
b. Site Development - Protect or Restore Habitat
c. Reduced Parking Footprint
d. Light Pollution Reduction
a. It verifies that products and materials are produced using fair trade principles
b. It indicates that the product is free of volatile organic compounds
c. It represents that energy is renewable and does not include large hydropower
d. It is a sister organization to the US Green Building Council
38) Interior paints and coatings applied on site must comply with what referenced
standard to be eligible for Low-Emitting Materials
39) What is an example of a material which should be labeled free of added urea-
formaldehyde?
40) A project has boulders on site that were uncovered during construction. They were
incorporated into landscape design and used for a decorative partition. What credit(s)
are the boulders eligible for?
42) Which of the following is not true about the US Green Building Council:
a. It is member driven
b. It is a for profit organization
c. It is committee based
d. It is consensus focused
a. Sustainable Sites
b. Water Efficiency
c. Energy and Atmosphere
d. Materials and Resources
a. 69 points
b. 100 points, plus bonus points*
c. 110 points, plus bonus points
d. 100 points, including bonus points
49) Which one of the following is not true regarding the LEED for Neighborhood
Development Credit?
a. Gravel
b. Lime
c. Cement
d. Water
53) An economizer cycle in a HVAC system would likely contribute to which credit?
a. EQ Thermal Comfort
b. EQ Daylighting
c. EA Fundamental Refrigerant Management
d. EA Optimize Energy Performance
54) Which material should not be considered when determining the total VOC content
for the project?
a. Vinyl Flooring
b. Subfloor adhesive
c. Exterior rust paint
d. Recycled carpet
a. HFCs
b. CFCs
c. HCFCs
d. Halon
a. Prime Farmland
b. Project in a historic district
c. Wetland
d. Parkland
58) After a project is registered, the LEED Administrator configures a project by...
(choose three):
60) Which of the following is not true regarding the Bicycle Facilities Credit?
a. Requirement
b. Submittals
c. International Tips
d. Regional Priority
a. Building footprint
b. Paved surfaces
c. Water bodies
d. Undeveloped area
a. U-value
b. Visual transmittance
c. Solar Heat Gain Coefficient
d. Emissivity
65) A parking lot with 50% or more pervious pavers may contribute to which of the
following credits depending on the soil type (choose two)?
a. SEER
b. EER
c. Kw/ton
d. COP
67) WE Outdoor Water Use Reduction requires a calculation with which method?
68) Which of the following strategies can help achieve the Reduced Parking Footprint
Credit? (Choose 3)
69) To use the LEED New Construction Rating System, a project owner or tenant must
occupy at least ___ % of a building?
a. 40%
b. 75%
c. 50%
d. An owner or tenant must occupy 100% of a building
70) A building has large open offices, which combination of whole building strategies is
the best for achieving daylighting percentage (choose three)?
a. Project team administrator can submit one credit at a time as the documentation
is complete
b. Project team administrator can submit the design documentation, then the
construction documentation
c. Project team administrator can submit the entire project: design and construction,
at the same time
d. Before submitting, it is recommended that the project team administrator contact
the project’s GBCI contact to verify compliance with the attempted credits
a. Conference room
b. Kitchen
c. Lobbies
d. Open office area
a. EQ Daylight
b. EQ Thermal Comfort
c. EQ Quality Views
d. EQ Optimize Energy Performance
75) To reduce the energy demand of a building, which of the following are possible
strategies (choose three)?
79) Which credit would be applicable to a copy room with a dedicated exhaust, self
closing door, and deck to deck partitions?
a. Buildings built today have a greater environmental impact than those built 20
years ago
b. Buildings consume more than 30% of total energy in US
81) For which project type is it necessary and appropriate to use default occupancy
counts?
83) What factors are considered in determining lifecycle cost (choose three)?
84) What is appropriate activity to schedule at the beginning of a LEED project (choose
two)?
85) If wood paneling was installed on the interior walls in an existing building which was
undergoing a major renovation, and that wood paneling was removed and re-installed
as flooring in the entryway, which credit would this material be eligible to contribute to?
(Choose 2)
86) Which of the following strategies can help in reducing the peak demand of
electricity? (Choose 3)
87) A building has stainless steel water efficient flush and flow fixtures. How many
prerequisites/credits will these fixtures contribute to (including Exemplary
Performance)?
a. Rainwater Management
b. Outdoor water use Reduction
c. Heat Island Reduction
d. All of the above
a. 1 prerequisite, 1 credit
b. 0 prerequisites, 2 credits
c. 1 prerequisite, 4 credits
d. 2 prerequisites, 3 credits
91) Which of the following credit categories focuses on hazardous airborne particles
and occupant health?
a. Sustainable Sites
b. Indoor Environmental Quality
c. Materials and Resources
d. Energy and Atmosphere
92) What is the definition of lighting schedule, in the context of construction drawings?
93) A retail store has a 10,000 square foot manufacturing factory. For it to be
considered a densely occupied space, it needs to have more than ___ occupants.
a. 25
b. 50
c. 250
d. 500
e. 1000
94) A wooden door is taken from a barn and installed as a door on a new office space.
In terms of LEED, this material is considered...:
a. Recycled
b. Salvaged
c. Waste
97) How many points is Water Efficiency Prerequisite, Indoor Water Use Reduction,
worth?
a. 0
b. 1
c. 2
a. 3
d. 4
98) Which of the following credit categories does not contain a prerequisite?
a. Sustainable Sites
b. Regional Priority
c. Water Efficiency
d. Indoor Environmental Quality
100) Which type of LEED building cannot be re-certified under LEED Building
Operations + Maintenance - Existing Buildings?
a. Buildings that have already been certified under LEED Building Operations +
Maintenance - Existing Buildings for
b. LEED for New Construction, Platinum
c. LEED for Schools, Certified
d. Any LEED building can be re-certified under LEED Building Operations +
Maintenance - Existing Buildings
2. Answer D:
3. Answer C:
Energy efficient technologies and (especially) on-site renewable energy production can
have high up-front costs, but they can also have the fastest payback because of high
energy prices.
4. Answer B:
Wood that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council has a chain of custody
certificate. It is required for MR Credit Building Product Disclosure and Optimization—
Sourcing of Raw Materials. Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, Requirements
5. Answer B:
Biobased materials are commercial or industrial products (other than food or feed) that
are composed in whole, or in significant part, of biological products, renewable
agricultural materials (including plant, animal, and marine materials), or forestry
materials. For the purposes of LEED, this excludes leather and other animal hides.
6. Answer D:
Wet applied Liquid adhesives must meet the South Coast Air Quality Management
District (SCAQMD) requirements to be eligible for EQ Credit Low Emitting Materials.
Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, EQ c4.1 Low Emitting Materials,
Adhesives and Sealants, Requirements
7. Answer A, B, C:
According to GBCI, the MPRs serve the purpose of giving clear guidance to customers,
protecting the integrity of the LEED program, and reducing challenges that occur during
the LEED process. Reference: Minimum Program Requirements, GBCI Website
(www.gbci.org)
9. Answer A, D:
10. Answer D:
Must have a gross floor area of at least 50% of gross land area within LEED boundary
is not an MPR. Reference: Minimum Program Requirements, GBCI Website
(www.gbci.org)
11. Answer B, C:
Answer: The USGBC logo may be used to indicate that a business is a member of
USGBC or that a building is LEED certified. It may not be used prior to actual
certification from GBCI. Reference: USGBC website: Logo Guidelines
12. Answer A, B, D:
13. Answer D:
Answer: The Project Team Administrator and the Project Team Member assigned to a
given credit are able to upload supporting documentation for that credit on LEED
Online. Reference: LEED Online FAQs.
14. Answer A:
15. Answer C, D:
Answer: Exemplary performance credits are awarded to projects that go above and
beyond the credit threshold requirements and achieve the next level of performance.
Projects are awarded an extra point in Innovation for Exemplary Performance.
Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, Innovation
16. Answer D:
Answer: Light Pollution Reduction is not eligible for exemplary performance. Reference:
LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, Individual Credits, Exemplary Performance.
17. Answer C:
Answer: The Location and Transportation (LT) category promotes thoughtful decisions
about building location, with credits that encourage compact development, alternative
transportation, and connection with amenities.
18. Answer D:
Answer: Reused Building materials are calculated by surface area. Reference: LEED v4
BD+C Reference Guide, Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction Credit
19. Answer A, C, D:
Answer: Irrigation wells do not save water, they just provide water for irrigation.
Reducing the lawn, planting native or adapted plants (that should survive with local
rainfall) and installing drip irrigation (waters directly at the roots) can reduce potable
water use for irrigation. Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, Outdoor Water
Use Reduction.
20. Answer C, D:
Answer: At a minimum, metals, paper, plastic, glass and cardboard must be recycled
forMR, Storage and Collection of Recyclables. Batteries, mercury-containing lamps,
and electronic waste also need to be collected for safe disposal. Reference: LEED v4
BD+C Reference Guide, MR Storage and Collection of Recyclables, Requirements.
21. Answer B:
22. Answer D:
23. Answer C:
Answer: EQ Credit Construction IAQ Management Plan says that the indoor air quality
management plan must meet or exceed Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning National
Contractors Association (SMACNA) IAQ Guidelines for Occupied Buildings Under
Construction. Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, EQ c3.1 Construction IAQ
Management, During Construction, Implementation.
24. Answer D:
Answer: Planning to use daylight optimally will reduce the need for artificial lighting. This
reduces the energy demand of the building.
25. Answer B, C:
Answer: When a project is registered with GBCI, it is provided with access to LEED
online and is registered and listed on the GBCI website. However, project teams should
contact GBCI through LEED Online, not a direct line, and plaques are only given to
certified buildings. Reference: GBCI Website (www.gbci.org), project certification.
26. Answer B:
Answer: A building project is only called “LEED certified” when it has been awarded a
LEED rating by GBCI. Buildings, not people, can become certified. Reference: GBCI
Website (www.gbci.org), project certification.
27. Answer B, C:
Answer: Innovation credits apply to strategies not used in the rating systems, but can
have a significant, quantifiable environmental performance. Since employee wellness
programs and food waste composting are not addressed in the LEED rating systems,
they could potentially contribute to Innovation. The other choices are already
28. Answer C:
Answer: The Montreal Protocol called for a complete phase out of CFCs by 2010 and a
complete phase out of HCFCs by 2030. Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide,
EA Fundamental Refrigerant Management, Referenced Standard.
29. Answer C, D:
Both reduction in water use by 20% and elimination of CFC refrigerants are LEED
prerequisites, which are required for LEED certification. A LEED AP can contribute to
Innovation, which is optional but not required. USGBC membership can help reduce
GBCI fees, but is not required for certification. Reference: LEED Project Scorecard,
Prerequisites and Credits.
30. Answer B:
31. Answer B:
Answer: Renewable Energy Production allows the project team to calculate the baseline
either the building’s annual energy use from EA Prerequisite Minimum Energy
Performance or from the Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.
Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, Individual Credits, Calculations.
32. Answer B:
Answers: While the design of a building may be based on ASHRAE 62.1-2007, the
energy model is not based on the standard, only the actual anticipated or actual energy
use of the building. Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, EA c1 Optimize
Energy Performance, Energy Model.
33. Answer A, D:
Answer: According to LEED, the following are eligible for on-site renewable energy:
Photovoltaics, Solar Thermal, Wind Energy, Wave/Tidal Energy, Low Impact Hydro-
electric, Geothermal Heating and Electric, Some Biofuels (Agricultural crops or waste,
animal waste, landfill gas, and untreated wood waste/mill residue). Passive Solar, Geo-
exchange (Ground Source Heat Pumps), Combustion of Municipal Solid Waste (Landfill
34. Answer A, C:
Answer: The Uniform Plumbing Code defines untreated wastewater as water that has
not come in contact with toilet waste. Includes used water from bathtubs, showers,
bathroom sinks, and laundry machines. Does NOT include water from kitchen sinks or
dishwashers. Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, Glossary, Graywater.
35. Answer C:
Answer: The LEED certification fee is paid when the Project Team Administrator submits
the construction submittal for GBCI review. Reference: GBCI Website (www.gbci.org)
Registration and Certification.
36. Answer A, C:
Answer: Municipal or local zoning laws may require a certain amount of parking, which
could hurt a project’s chance of earning Reduced Parking Footprint. The site’s zoning
may also limit the available open space for the project. Reference: LEED v4 BD+C
Reference Guide, Individual Credits, Requirements.
37. Answer C:
38. Answer D:
Answer: LEED uses the General Emissions Evaluation for low emitting aerosol Interior
paints and coatings applied on site in EQ Credit Low Emitting Materials.
Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, EQ c4.2 Low Emitting Materials, Paints
and Coatings, Requirements, Referenced Standards.
39. Answer B:
Answer: Diverting excavated land or soil does not count toward Construction Waste
Management. However, reusing the boulder on-site can be considered Materials
Reuse. Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, Individual Credits,
Implementation.
41. Answer A, D:
Answer: Pre-consumer recycled content is material diverted from the waste stream
during the manufacturing process. Examples include sawdust, walnut shells, fly ash,
over-issue publications, textile clippings and obsolete inventories. Reference: LEED v4
BD+C Reference Guide, Glossary, Pre-consumer content.
42. Answer B:
43. Answer D:
Answer: Materials and Resources focuses on construction waste management and the
materials that are “inputs” in the project. Reference: LEED Project Scorecard, LEED v4
BD+C Reference Guide.
44. Answer B, D:
Answer: The points allotted to credits in LEED are weighted based on their
environmental impact, and the rating systems have been used in 130 countries. There
are other rating systems for green buildings, such as Green Globes. LEED for Homes
specifically addresses residential, rather than commercial buildings. Reference: USGBC
website (www.usgbc.org), LEED FAQs, LEED v4 reweighting.
45. Answer C:
Answer: The SMACNA guidelines are for indoor air quality of buildings under
construction, which are meant to protect occupant health. It is meant to address the
indoor air quality of the building, not the safety of the workers, so it does not include
hard hat and protective eyewear requirements. Reference: EQ Construction Indoor Air
Quality Management Plan, SMACNA Guidelines, Referenced Standards.
46. Answer B:
47. Answer B:
Several credits in the MR section include a location valuation factor, which adds value to
locally produced products and materials. The intent is to incentivize the purchase of
products that support the local economy. Products and materials that are extracted,
manufactured, and purchased within 100 miles (160 kilometers) of the project are
valued at 200% of their cost (i.e., the valuation factor is 2). Reference: LEED v4 BD+C
Reference Guide.
48. Answer D:
49. Answer C:
Answer: Buildings achieving points for this credit cannot apply for any other credits in
Location and Transportation Category.
50. Answer B, C:
51. Answer A, D:
Answer: Indoor Water Use Reduction is both a prerequisite and a credit, and building
systems commissioning is both a prerequisite (“Fundamental Commissioning and
Verification”) and credit (“Enhanced Commissioning”). Reference: LEED Project
Scorecard.
52. Answer C:
53. Answer D:
54. Answer C:
Reference: LEED v3 BD+C Reference Guide, EQ credits Only compounds used inside
the vapor barrier are assessed for VOC content.
55. Answer A, C, D:
Answer: These three credits require a percentage reduction below a baseline. Thermal
Comfort references a standard but does not need comparison with a baseline.
Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, Calculations.
56. Answer B:
CFCs are the most harmful to the ozone layer because they have the highest ozone
depletion potential (ODP). Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, EA Enhanced
Refrigerant Management.
High ODP,
CFCs Do not use, most harmful
Med-High GWP
HFCs Zero ODP, Med-High (Highest) GWP Less harmful than CFC and HCFC
57. Answer B:
The High priority site credit encourages project location in areas with development
constraints but are preferred including infill location in a historic district. Other
mentioned options are sensitive sites and not preferred.
58. Answer A, B, D:
Answer: The LEED Administrator should invite team members and assign them roles on
LEED online. The checklist does not need to be uploaded to LEED Online, though it
should serve as a reference to the team for which credits they are attempting.
Reference: LEED Online (www.leedonline.com).
59. Answer C:
The LEED Scorecard helps the team keep track of the credits the project is attempting,
but does not need to be submitted to GBCI. Reference: LEED Process, Purpose of
LEED Scorecard.
60. Answer C:
Answer: Requires short term bicycle storage for at least 2.5% of all peak visitors.
61. Answer C:
Answer: The International Tips section of the Reference Guide contains information
about the regional differences of a particular credit. Reference: LEED v4 BD+C
Reference Guide, Individual Credit, International Tips.
62. Answer C:
63. Answer D:
Answer: Landscape area of the site is the total site area less the building footprint,
hardscape area, water bodies, etc. Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide,
Glossary, Landscape Area.
64. Answer B:
Answer: U-value, Solar Heat Gain Coefficient and Emissivity should be low from an
energy efficiency perspective. Visual transmittance (Tvis) should be high from a
daylighting perspective. Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, EA c1 Optimize
Energy Performance, Energy Modeling.
65. Answer A, B:
Answer: Pervious pavement can reduce heat island effect (by reducing the amount of
solar heat radiated) and control the amount of stormwater by allowing it to filter through
the ground. Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, Individual Credits Related
Credits Tips.
66. Answer A:
Answer: The efficiency of air conditioners is often rated by the Seasonal Energy
Efficiency Ratio (SEER). Reference: General Green Building Knowledge, Energy Star
Building Upgrade Manual.
67. Answer A:
Answer: The Credit requires calculating water use as a percentage of total irrigation
and peak-month irrigation demand using the WaterSense Water Budget Tool.
Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, WE Outdoor Water Use Reduction.
68. Answer A, B, C:
Providing green vehicle charging points does not directly reduce the number of vehicles
coming to the site, whereas the other three options support in reducing the number of
individual vehicles coming to the site.
The project owner or tenant must occupy at least 50% of the building to use the New
Construction Rating System. Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, Overview
and Process, xiii.
70. Answer A, C, D:
Minimizing the floorplate (making the building more rectangular than square) helps
increase daylighting. The intent is to align the east-west axis so that the southern sun
will penetrate deeper into the building, allowing for more daylight to occupied spaces.
Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, Daylighting and Quality Views.
71. Answer B, C:
Answer: The LEED Project Administrator can submit either one (1) Construction Phase
Review or two (2) separate Design and Construction Phase reviews to GBCI.
Certification is only awarded after Construction Phase (it can be “anticipated” after
Design Phase). Reference: GBCI website (www.gbci.org) Registration and Certification.
72. Answer C, D:
Answer: Green roofs reduce heat island affect and helps in Rainwater Management.
Green roofs do not produce clean power, and are not required for LEED certification
(nor exclusive to LEED buildings). Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide,
Individual Credits, Technologies and Strategies.
73. Answer B, C:
74. Answer A, C:
Answer: Both Daylight and Views, must meet these percentage requirements for
regularly occupied spaces. Thermal Comfort is for individual and multi-occupant
spaces. Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, Individual Credits, Calculation.
75. Answer A, C, D:
Answer: U-value should be low from an energy efficiency perspective. High SRI roofs,
daylight sensors, and shading outdoor condensers can all save energy. Reference:
Energy Star, LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide EA Optimize Energy Performance.
Answer: Operable windows are included as a strategy for thermal comfort control. The
credit awards points based on percentage of controllability and not the number of
thermostats. It is applicable to both naturally and mechanically ventilated spaces.
Anonymous surveys are for Thermal Comfort-Verification. Reference: LEED v4 BD+C
Reference Guide, EQ Thermal Comfort Requirements.
77. Answer A, C:
Answer: The LEED AP can help to streamline the LEED application and certification
process and to encourage project team integration. LEED project participants do not
communicate with USGBC regularly, they work with GBCI through LEED Online. The
LEED AP does not bridge the gap between design and construction, that is the work of
the team during integrated project delivery. Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference
Guide, ID c2 LEED Accredited Professional.
78. Answer B:
Answer: According to LEED, green buildings are different from conventional buildings
because they use an integrated design process, which leads to a better functioning,
more sustainable building. They are not required to become certified, be low emitting or
use biofuels, and they do not necessarily cost more to build. Reference: Sustainable
Building Technical Manual Part II.
79. Answer C:
Answer: This copy room fulfills the requirements (dedicated exhaust and deck to deck
partitions) of the Enhanced Indoor Air Quality Strategies Credit. Reference: LEED v4 BD
+C Reference Guide, Individual Credits, Requirements.
80. Answer B:
Answer: Buildings use more than 30% of the total energy in the U.S. LEED certified
buildings have a net neutral or negative environmental impact, and daylighting is shown
to improve occupant productivity. Buildings built today are typically more efficient and
better designed than those 20 years ago. Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide,
Environmental Impact of Buildings.
81. Answer B:
82. Answer B, C:
Heat island effect can be mitigated by vegetation (such as trees), shading of areas that
absorb solar heat (such as parking lots), and hardscapes with high SRIs, like gravel
(instead of asphalt, which absorbs solar heat). Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference
Guide, SS c7.1 Heat Island Reduction.
83. Answer A, C, D:
LEED certification costs are not considered part of a building or product’s lifecycle.
Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, Glossary, Lifecycle Costs.
84. Answer B, C:
Answer: Choosing a commissioning agent (CxA) and determining the Owner’s Project
Requirements are important first steps because they will be engaged throughout design
and construction. Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, Individual Credits and
Sustainable Building Technical Manual USGBC References.
85. Answer A, B:
Answer: Since the paneling is diverted from becoming landfill waste, it can contribute to
Construction and Demolition Waste Management Planning. Since the material is
salvaged and reused, it contributes to Building Product Disclosure and Optimization—
Sourcing of Raw Materials:Material Reuse. Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference
Guide, Individual Credits.
86. Answer A, B, C:
Answer: Energy meters must be installed to measure the energy consumption but does
not directly reduce the peak demand as against the other three strategies.
87. Answer A:
Answer: Water efficient flush and flow fixtures could contribute to both Prerequisite and
Credits for Indoor Water Use Reduction and Innovative (Exemplary Performance).
Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide Water Use Reduction category, LEED
Project Scorecard.
88. Answer D:
89. Answer B:
Answer: USGBC asks that the LEED Green Associate not be referred to as “LEED GA”.
If one or more LEED AP is working on a LEED project, a maximum of one point is
added (regardless of the total number of APs). GBCI administers the LEED exams.
LEED Project Experience is gauged from within the LEED AP v4 exams themselves,
therefore to pass the LEED AP exam, project experience is strongly recommended by
USGBC, but is no longer a prerequisite.
90. Answer A:
Answer: Composting toilets contribute to Water Use Reduction, both the prerequisite
and credit.
91. Answer B:
Answer: Indoor Environmental Quality intends to improve occupant health and comfort
by removing indoor pollutants and toxins and improving daylighting and views.
92. Answer C:
Answer: The lighting schedule includes the types and numbers of all the lighting fixtures
on the project. Reference: General Construction Knowledge, Understanding of
Construction Drawings.
93. Answer C:
Answer: A densely occupied space, according to LEED, has more than 25 people per
1000 square feet. So, a 10,000 square foot space would be densely occupied with 250
people or more.
94. Answer B:
95. Answer C, D:
96. Answer B, E:
Answer: LEED and ENERGY STAR are voluntary programs. The ENERGY Policy Act,
zoning codes, and provincial laws are mandated by law.
97. Answer A:
98. Answer B:
Answer: Regional Priority is an optional credit category that awards additional points for
compliance (rather than base points), so it does not contain prerequisites.
99. Answer B:
Answer: From USGBC’s website: “Once a project is registered as a LEED for Core &
Shell project, the project team may apply for pre-certification. LEED for Core & 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 for Core & Shell
building. Once pre-certification is granted, the developer/owner can market the
building's proposed green features to potential tenants and financiers”.
100. Answer D:
All LEED buildings can be re-certified under LEED Building Operations + Maintenance -
Existing Buildings.