For which of the following would a LEED Green Associate use the Green Building Information Gateway (GBIG)

One of the tasks of a LEED Green Associate is to create project profiles/case studies/press releases.
Part of the public relations guidelines for LEED-certified projects may be to utilize the Green Building Information Gateway
(GBIG). The GBIG is a global-innovation platform used for exploring and comparing the green dimensions of the built
environment.

What rating system has a credit category named Smart Location and Linkage?
Smart location & linkage credits promote walkable neighborhoods with efficient transportation options and open space.
Which of the following impact categories are given the greatest weight in LEED?
Weighting of the LEED v4 impact categories account for differences in scale, scope, severity, and relative contribution of the
built environment to the impact. The weightings are:

35% Reverse Contribution to Global Climate Change

20% Enhance Individual Human Health and Well-Being
15% Protect and Restore Water Resources
10% Protect, Enhance and Restore Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
10% Promote Sustainable and Regenerative Material Resources Cycles
5% Build a Greener Economy
5% Enhance Social Equity, Environmental Justice, Community Health and Quality of Life

Commitment to sharing whole-building energy and water usage data

This is an MPR in LEED v2009, not LEED v4.
In LEED v4 the sharing of energy and water data are now prerequisites within the rating systems and no longer MPRs.

Certified 40-49 points

Silver 50-59 points
Gold 60-79 points
Platinum 80+ points

Which of the following must occur before a project team pursues a LEED Interpretation?
The inquiry must first undergo the project CIR process.
All formal inquiries first undergo the project CIR process. Project teams that want their formal inquiry to be considered for a LEED
interpretation must opt in and pay for the LEED interpretation at the time they submit their inquiry.

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

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

Credit forms automatically recognize and link LP information from user account data when that user accesses the credit form. Licensed
Professional (LP) Information must be identified from the My Account Page of the user's account, or during User Registration. This
information is visible within a project on the Team Administration page, but can only be added or changed from the My Account Page. For
LPE paths with multiple sign-offs, more than one team member may be assigned to the credit or prerequisite for signatures. (see 'Assign
Credits') Note: It is not required that the LP be a LEED AP. Also, the LP must have a U.S. license but it does not have to be issued from the
state of the project.

Based on credit, LPE streamlined paths are available to:

Professional Engineers (PE)

Registered Architects (RA)
Registered Landscape Architects (RLA)
Registered Interior Designers (RID)

A member company wants to display its USGBC member logo. What would be an appropriate use for the USGBC member logo?
On company letterhead
While we receive many comments about the relevance of these types of questions, the subject matter may come up on your exam.

A LEED Green Associate's tasks includes creating project profiles/case studies/press releases which require knowledge of the USGBC
trademark and logo policies.

Use of the USGBC member logo is limited to member companies.

Credit Interpretation Requests (CIRs) are most likely used for what part of the LEED process?
Technical guidance for LEED credits
CIRs are used for technical guidance on credits. Anyone on the project team can submit a CIR, as long as the person has access to LEED
Online (through the project administrator). Once a CIR is submitted a payment must be made to GBCI in order for GBCI to review the CIR.

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

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

What LEED developments address specific space types and international requirements?
LEED Rating System adaptations
The LEED Rating System adaptations can be considered extensions of existing rating system to address specific types of spaces or
requirements for international projects. For example the LEED BD+C: New Construction rating system currently has the following
adaptations:

LEED BD+C: Core and Shell

LEED BD+C: Schools
LEED BD+C: Retail
LEED BD+C: Data Centers
LEED BD+C: Warehouses
LEED BD+C: Hospitality
LEED BD+C: Healthcare
Which of the following is NOT a component of the impact category Enhance Social Equity, Environmental Justice, Community Health
and Quality of Life?

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

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

A. Exemplary performance
Exemplary performance can help a project earn Innovation credits.

B. Prerequisite
In addition to the Minimum Program Requirements, each version of LEED contains unique prerequisite requirements that must be
satisfied in order to achieve certification. The term prerequisite refers to a mandatory project characteristic, measurement, quality, value
or function as identified within the LEED rating system. Prerequisites represent the key criteria that define green building performance.
Each project must satisfy all specified prerequisites outlined in the LEED rating system under which it is registered. Failure to meet any
prerequisite will render a project ineligible for certification.

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

D. Minimum Program Requirement

A project must adhere to the LEED Minimum Program Requirements, (MPRs) in order to achieve LEED certification. LEED projects must
comply with each applicable MPR. These requirements define the types of buildings that the LEED Green Building Rating Systems were
designed to evaluate, and taken together serve three goals:

to give clear guidance to customers

to protect the integrity of the LEED program
and to reduce complications that occur during the LEED Certification process
(GBCI)

What is one difference between LEED Interpretations and project CIRs?

There are three significant ways in which LEED Interpretations are different from Project CIRs:

1. Precedent-setting

LEED Interpretations are to be used by any project certifying under an applicable rating system. All project teams are required to adhere to
all LEED interpretations posted before their registration date. This also applies to other addenda. Adherence to rulings posted after a
project registers is optional, but strongly encouraged.

A Project CIR can only be used by the project that submitted it.

2. Published Online

LEED interpretations will be published in a searchable database at usgbc.org. Project CIRs are not published publicly.

3. Subject to consensus-based review

LEED interpretations undergo review by the US Green Building Council's (USGBC) member-selected volunteer LEED committees.

Project CIRs are created by the certification review teams at the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).

What are the goals of the Minimum Program Requirements?

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

From GBCI Website GBCI Policy Manual:

A project must adhere to the LEED Minimum Program Requirements, (MPRs) in order to achieve LEED certification. LEED projects must
comply with each applicable MPR. These requirements define the types of buildings that the LEED Green Building Rating Systems were
designed to evaluate, and taken together serve three goals:

to give clear guidance to customers

to protect the integrity of the LEED program
and to reduce complications that occur during the LEED Certification process

MPRs have 3 goals (above), and 7 things that must be complied with. The difference is goals vs. tasks. MPRs are minimum characteristics
that a project must possess in order to be eligible for LEED Certification.

MPRs do not ensure prerequisites are met. The certification process (leedonline) and the people reviewing LEED applications ensure the
prerequisites are met and that the building has met the credits applied for.

In addition to the Minimum Program Requirements, each version of LEED contains unique prerequisite requirements that must be
satisfied in order to achieve certification. The term prerequisite refers to a mandatory project characteristic, measurement, quality, value
or function as identified within the LEED rating system. Prerequisites represent the key criteria that define green building performance.
Each project must satisfy all specified prerequisites outlined in the LEED rating system under which it is registered. Failure to meet any
prerequisite will render a project ineligible for certification.

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

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

They are:

PROMOTE THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE - USGBC will pursue robust triple bottom line solutions (people, planet, profit) that clarify and
strengthen a healthy and dynamic balance between environmental, social, and economic prosperity.

ESTABLISH LEADERSHIP - USGBC will foster both revolutionary and evolutionary leadership by championing societal models that achieve a
more robust triple bottom line.

RECONCILE HUMANITY WITH NATURE - USGBC will endeavor to create and restore harmony between human activities and natural
systems.

FOSTER SOCIAL EQUITY - USGBC will continue to respect all communities and cultures and aspire to be a fully inclusive movement that
embraces opportunities which broaden and expand our reach through partnerships and initiatives.

MAINTAIN INTEGRITY - USGBC will be guided by the precautionary principle in utilizing technical and scientific data to protect, preserve
and restore the health of the global environment, ecosystems, and species.

BE INCLUSIVE - USGBC will ensure inclusive, interdisciplinary, multi-sector, and democratic decision making with the objective of building
understanding and shared commitments toward a greater common good. In this spirit, USGBC will continue to seek common ground and
partner with allied, influential organizations and leaders in the field to confront mutual challenges.

EXHIBIT TRANSPARENCY - USGBC will continue to operate in an organizational culture that places honesty, openness, and transparency
above all else.

Which of the following is an alternative compliance path to the International Green Construction Code (IgCC)?
ASHRAE 189.1
An addition to the technical content of the IgCC is the inclusion of ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1, Standard for the Design of
High Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, as an alternate path of compliance. Standard 189.1 is a set of
technically rigorous requirements, which like the IgCC, covers criteria including water use efficiency, indoor environmental quality, energy
efficiency, materials and resource use, and the building's impact on its site and its community.

What are the basic types of LEED improvements that are updated through revisions on a regular development cycle?
LEED ratings systems are updated through revisions on a regular development cycle.

There are three basic types of LEED improvements:

Implementation and maintenance of the current version of LEED: This process includes the correction and clarification of credit language
as well as fixing more substantive inaccuracies and omissions, which require a more rigorous review and approval process.
Adaptations: The process for adaptations to existing ratings systems and their credits provides an efficient and streamlined approach for
responding to the particular needs, constraints and opportunities of different project types.

Next version: This is the comprehensive improvement phase of LEED development that occurs through a periodic evaluation and revision
process. This phase includes multiple avenues for stakeholder input and final approval by USGBC members.

A hamburger franchise is planning on building thirty new restaurants across the country in the next two years. Each restaurant is based
on the same prototype. How should the multiple buildings be certified?
The LEED Volume Program is a streamlined certification process for organizations planning to certify a large number of new construction
projects that are prototype-based.

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

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

Which of the following appropriately refers to LEED's system goals?

LEED's system goals are referred to as 'Impact Categories.' Seven Impact Categories were developed and approved by the LEED Steering
Committee for incorporation into LEED v4. These Impact Categories answer the question: 'What should a LEED project accomplish?'

What is the purpose of the LEED Pilot Credit Library?

To manage the LEED documentation process
This is done through LEED Online.

B. Provide precedent-setting rulings reviewed by USGBC on formal inquiries submitted by LEED project
teams that can be applied to multiple projects.
This is the purpose of LEED Interpretations.

C. To provide extensions of existing rating systems to address specific types of spaces or requirements for
international projects
The LEED Rating System adaptations can be considered extensions of existing rating system to address specific types of spaces or
requirements for international projects. For example the LEED BD+C: New Construction rating system currently has the following
adaptations:

LEED BD+C: Core and Shell

LEED BD+C: Schools
LEED BD+C: Retail
LEED BD+C: Data Centers
LEED BD+C: Warehouses
LEED BD+C: Hospitality
LEED BD+C: Healthcare

D. To allow credits to be refined through LEED project evaluations before they complete the balloting process for introduction into LEED
The LEED Pilot Credit Library facilitates the introduction of new prerequisites and credits to LEED. The process allows projects to test
credits that haven't been through USGBC's complete drafting and balloting process.

. Project CIR process

Project CIRs give project teams the quick answer they need to proceed with the certification process.

B. LEED Interpretations
LEED Interpretations, just like project credit interpretation rulings (Project CIRs), are official answers to technical inquiries about
implementing LEED on a project. They help people understand how projects can meet LEED requirements.

C. LEED Addenda
USGBC periodically publishes clarifications (also called addenda) to address errors in the LEED rating systems and reference guides.

D. Consensus-based review
LEED Interpretations undergo review by the USGBC member-selected volunteer LEED committees.

Project CIRs are created by the certification review teams at the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).

MPRs are the minimum characteristics or conditions that make a project appropriate to pursue LEED certification. These requirements
are foundational to all LEED projects and define the types of buildings, spaces, and neighborhoods that the LEED rating system is
designed to evaluate.

A. Water Efficiency
Water efficiency credits promote smarter use of water, inside and out, to reduce potable water consumption.
 B. Sustainable Sites
Sustainable sites credits encourage strategies that minimize the impact on ecosystems and water resources.

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

D. Location and Transportation

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

GBCI administers the LEED certification program, performing third-party technical reviews and
verification of registered projects to determine if they have met the standards set forth by the LEED rating
system.

Once a project is registered as a LEED BD+C: Core and Shell project, the project team may apply for
precertification. LEED BD+C: Core and Shell precertification is a formal recognition by the USGBC given
to a candidate project for which the developer/owner has established a goal to develop a LEED BD+C:
Core and Shell building. Once precertification is granted, the developer/owner can market the building's
proposed green features to potential tenants and financiers.' -USGBC

Which of the following helps reinforce the open consensus process of new LEED versions?
A. The balloting process with USGBC membership
What is consensus in LEED?

'LEED is developed by USGBC member-based volunteer committees, subcommittees, and working groups in conjunction with staff. LEED
development follows a structure that includes a balanced representation of stakeholders and management of conflict of interest, to
ensure that the development of LEED is transparent and consensus-based. The LEED committee structure balances market needs and
constraints with consistency and technical rigor in the development and improvement of the credits within LEED, to ensure the quality and
integrity of the LEED brand. The balloting process of new versions with USGBC membership reinforces the open consensus process. The
appeal procedures that are implemented by USGBC further support the consensus process and ensure the fair treatment of affected
stakeholders. All of these measures are essential to protecting and enhancing the integrity, authority, and value of LEED.' – USGBC

What best defines the project boundary?

Portion of the project site submitted for LEED certification
The LEED boundary is the portion of the project site submitted for LEED certification. (-USGBC)

For single building developments, this is the entire project scope and is generally limited to the site boundary - they are not necessarily the
same thing.

In the case of a multiple building project the LEED boundary is that part of the entire project being submitted for certification as
determined by the project team. For example for a campus project that might have 5 buildings, each building is submitted separately for
certification. The LEED boundary is set for each of the 5 buildings though they cannot overlap if they property is contiguous.

B. Total area within the legal property boundaries of the site; this encompasses all areas of the site,
including constructed and nonconstructed areas
The property boundary is the total area within the legal property boundaries of the site; it encompasses all areas of the site, including
constructed and nonconstructed areas. (-USGBC)

C. Platted property line of the project defining land and water within it
The project boundary is the platted property line of the project defining land and water within it. (-USGBC)

D. Total area within the platted property line not including any non-constructed areas
This is not any type of area.

What is submitted to document that the requirements of a credit or prerequisite were met?
LEED credit form
Each rating system will have its own set of forms that must be completed and submitted for documentation and verification. These credit
forms accessed via LEED Online.

Credits/prerequisites are assigned by the project administrator. Whoever has been assigned responsibility for the credit/prerequisite by
the administrator fills out the credit form using LEED Online. Once all of the credit forms are completed for those credits being attempted,
the project administrator will submit the project for review.

The credit forms are also referred to as credit templates, submittal templates, or submittals.

B. Building operating plan

This would be used by operations and maintenance staff to keep up the building.

C. LEED Project Checklist

The LEED Credit Checklist helps project teams track their credits against requirements for certification. The LEED Credit Checklist is also
called the LEED Scorecard.

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

In what instances would a project team submit a Credit Interpretation Request (CIR)?
When the reference guide does not address a specific issue
CIRs should be used when you can't find the answer in the reference guide.

B. When a conflict in a credit or prerequisite requires resolution

CIRs should be used when there are conflicts in a credit/prerequisite.

A LEED credit that supports local economies and strengthens the green building industry and supply chains supports what impact
category?
Build a Greener Economy
The Build a Greener Economy impact category components are:

Enhance the Value Proposition of Green Building

Strengthen the Green Building Industry and Supply Chain
Promote Innovation and Integration of Green Building Products and Services
Incentivize Long Term Growth and Investment Opportunities
Support Local Economies

BREEAM
BREEAM is the world's leading environmental assessment method and rating system for buildings.

B. ASHRAE
ASHRAE advances the arts and sciences of heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigerating to serve humanity and promote a
sustainable world. It is specific to HVAC and energy efficiency.

C. WaterSense
WaterSense is used for products not buildings.

D. Green Globes
Green Globes is an online green building rating and certification tool that is used primarily in Canada and the USA.

E. Green Star
Green Star is Australia's trusted mark of quality for the design and construction of sustainable buildings, fit outs, and communities.
Energy and atmosphere
Which of the following project team members is responsible for verifying and documenting that a building
and all of its systems and assemblies are planned, designed, installed, tested, operated, and maintained to
meet the owner's project requirements?
A. The mechanical engineer
The mechanical engineer may assist the commissioning authority (CxA) but the CxA has other systems to verify besides just the mechanical
systems.

B. The commissioning authority

This is another way of asking who is responsible for commissioning.'

Commissioning is 'the process of verifying and documenting that a building and all of its systems and assemblies are planned, designed,
installed, tested, operated, and maintained to meet the owner's project requirements.' - USGBC

The owner's project requirements (OPR) are 'a written document that details the ideas, concepts, and criteria determined by the owner to
be important to the success of the project.' - USGBC

C. The LEED project reviewer

This person reviews the submitted credit documentation. They do not show up on site and test systems.

D. The project administrator

The project administrator is not responsible for this (unless they are also the commissioning authority).

What minimum contract length is required for an owner to purchase renewable energy certificates (RECs)
for LEED credit?

In LEED v4 5 years is the contract term for purchasing RECs.

Why is it important to categorize spaces in LEED?

Depending on the space categorization, the credit requirements may not apply
The space types in LEED sometimes have different requirements.

For example, the lighting requirements may differ for an individual occupant (task lighting) or for a shared multi-occupant space
(occupancy sensors).

A data center in a rural area wants to be net-zero. Which of the following design decisions will help the
project team achieve this?
Install a photovoltaic system on site
On-site renewable energy (solar, wind, geothermal) would help the project generate all of the electricity it needs.

Notes:
A net-zero energy (NZE) building is one that relies on renewable sources to produce as much energy as it uses, usually as measured over
the course of a year. Net-zero energy buildings start with energy-conscious design.

A net-zero building that produces more energy than it needs can feed the excess back into the grid and earn revenue through net-
metering.

What are the environmental benefits of cogeneration?

Combined heat and power (CHP) is an electricity generation technology, also known as cogeneration, which recovers waste heat from the
electric generation process to produce simultaneously other forms of useful energy, such as usable heat or steam. On average, two-thirds
of the input energy used to make electricity is lost as waste heat. In contrast, CHP systems are capable of converting more than 70% of the
fuel into usable energy.

Because less fuel is burned to produce each unit of energy output, CHP reduces air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

A refrigerated warehouse project in the design phase could reduce its electricity demand by taking which
of the following actions?
Enrolling in a demand response program
'Demand response allows utilities to call on buildings to decrease their electricity use during peak times, reducing the strain on the grid
and the need to operate more power plants, thus potentially avoiding the costs of constructing new plants.' - USGBC

A demand response program can work for the most demanding energy projects - data centers, refrigeration, or fully occupied buildings in
areas that hit 110 F degrees (43 C) in the summer.
Which of the following building components contribute to the plug load?
Computers
The plug load or receptacle load is 'the electrical current drawn by all equipment that is connected to the electrical system via a wall
outlet.' - USGBC

Plug loads are a part of the calculation for a building's energy use.

What year does the Montreal Protocol phase out HCFCs?

Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are a class of ozone-depleting chemicals used now primarily as refrigerants and foam blowing agents to
replace CFCs. Although their ozone-depleting potential is less than that of CFCs, their global warming potential is quite high. Developed
countries are already reducing their consumption of HCFCs to meet their phaseout obligations under the Montreal Protocol which call for
a 90% reduction from baseline by 2015 and a 100% reduction by 2030.

Energy efficiency is defined as: The use of technology that requires less energy to perform the same function as a conventional item
A LED light bulb that uses less energy than an incandescent bulb to produce the same amount of light is an example of energy efficiency.
The decision to replace an incandescent light bulb with a LED is an example of energy conservation.

Operational energy efficiency

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

Retro-commissioning usually occurs at least one year after the building has been occupied.

Which of the following must occur to ensure energy-efficient design is carried through to efficient
performance?
Staff training
The staff must understand the systems and how to use them or else the design of the systems is irrelevant. For example, if a building has
occupancy sensors to control lighting but someone turns on the manual override and never turns it back off, the automated lighting is no
longer working as designed to save energy.

Which refrigerants are considered environmentally benign?

Hydrocarbons
Hydrocarbons are a classification of natural refrigerants which are benign to the environment.

Propane, butane, ethane, isobutene, and isopentane are types of hydrocarbons.

Propane
Propane is a type of hydrocarbon. Hydrocarbons are a classification of natural refrigerants which are benign to the environment.

What is lighting power density measured in?

Installed lighting power per unit area
Lighting power density is the installed lighting power per unit area (the amount of electrical power used to illuminate a space). It is usually
expressed in Watts per unit of area.

Reducing the lighting power density can reduce energy use.

Increasing the thermal mass of a building and installing a photovoltaic system would help with:
Reducing energy demand and increasing renewable energy
Reducing energy demand, or conservation, considers strategies to reduce building loads. Increasing thermal mass increases a building's
insulation properties allowing it to maintain a more constant temperature thus reducing the need for heating and cooling.

Photovoltaics are a type of renewable energy.

What helps utilities optimize their supply-side energy generation and delivery systems?
Customers that enroll in a demand response program
'Demand response allows utilities to call on buildings to decrease their electricity use during peak times, reducing the strain on the grid
and the need to operate more power plants, thus potentially avoiding the costs of constructing new plants.' - USGBC

An example might be that during a very hot day, the utility company could reduce a building's energy demand by 5%, resulting in the
building's HVAC systems to power down slightly and keep the building slightly warmer.
Notes:

Make sure the differences between demand response, green power and carbon offsets, and on-site renewable energy are clear. The
concepts are quite different but the wording of the benefits and the terminology is similar enough to cause confusion in a well-written
exam question.

Commissioning is 'the process of verifying and documenting that a building and all of its systems and assemblies are planned, designed,
installed, tested, operated, and maintained to meet the owner's project requirements.' - USGBC
The owner's project requirements (OPR) are 'a written document that details the ideas, concepts, and criteria determined by the owner to
be important to the success of the project.' – USGBC

According to the USGBC, on average, the distribution of a building's energy use is below. Variations will exist in different buildings and
different cliamtes, but for the purposes of the LEED exam these are the end use breakdowns to be aware of:

Space Heating - 36%

Lighting - 21%
Cooling - 8%
Water Heating - 8%
Ventilation - 7%
Refrigeration - 6%
Cooking - 3%
Computers - 2%
Office Equipment - 1%
Other - 8%

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

What is the most common way to meet the requirements of off-site renewable energy?
The most common way (according to LEED) of meeting the requirements of off-site renewable energy is by purchasing RECs. Many local
utility companies currently are either closed markets or do not offer renewable alternatives.

RECs represent the reduced emissions of renewable energy compared to conventional fossil fuels. RECs are sold separately allowing
people to purchase the 'greenness' of the electricity. This allows anyone to purchase an REC even if the power to their building is not
green power.

RECs have no geographic constraints, because they are sold separately from electricity. A project in Maine can purchase RECs from any
other state.
Location and transportation
Which of the following can project teams use to identify a sensitive habitat?
The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations
This defines prime farmland.

B. The Natural Heritage Program

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

C. State fish and wildlife agencies (or local equivalent)

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

D. The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)

Arborists certified by ISA can determine tree conditions on a site.

A health-conscious business owner wants to consider design selections that would encourage employee
health. Which of the following strategies meet this goal?
A. Build within walking distance of a bicycle network
Locating a project near a bicycle network provides an opportunity for people to bike to work.
Site the project near a city's downtown area
What are you going to find in any downtown / city center? Sidewalks and diverse uses. Sidewalks promote walking, and diverse uses give
people somewhere to walk.

If a project owner locates a building close to a bicycle network, which of the following project elements
could decrease?
Reducing parking is a LEED strategy for encouraging alternative transportation. Likewise, locating a project near a bicycle network is
intended to reduce vehicle miles traveled and thus the parking required for those vehicles (local code permitting).

Which of the following is an acceptable way to encourage building users to choose alternative
transportation?
Install preferred parking
See the LT Overview section of the reference.

Preferred parking is 'the parking spots closest to the main entrance of a building (exclusive of spaces designated for handicapped persons).
For employee parking, it refers to the spots that are closest to the entrance used by employees.' - USGBC

Preferred parking is a perk for users that drive alternative transportation (green vehicles).

In LEED, to meet the requirements of the Green Vehicles credit, preferred parking must be provided for these vehicles.

A declarant is the person on the project team who:

is technically qualified to verify the information on the LEED credit forms and is authorized by the project administrator to sign the form
This is the definition of the declarant.
What types of products should be selected for reducing indoor water use?
WaterSense is an EPA certification awarded to fixtures that use less water than comparable fixtures.
ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washers use about 37% less energy and use over 50% less water than regular washers.
A building with a vegetated roof is going to require additional costs for more materials to support the
structure and for waterproofing, as well as plant materials. What are the life cycle costing benefits of a
vegetated roof?
Reduced heat islands
Reducing heat islands is an environmental benefit which would be determined by life-cycle analysis (environmental analysis), not life-cycle
costing.
Reduction in rainwater runoff
Reducing runoff volume is an environmental benefit which would be determined by life-cycle analysis (environmental analysis), not life-
cycle costing.
When selecting windows for a building project, along with performance and adaptability, what else should
the project team consider?
Embodied energy of the windows
Embodied energy is an accounting methodology which aims to find the sum total of the energy necessary for an entire product lifecycle.
This lifecycle includes raw material extraction, transport, manufacture, assembly, installation, disassembly, deconstruction and/or
decomposition.

For example consider a clay brick. This includes the energy to extract the clay, transport it to the brick-works, form the brick, fire it in the
kiln, transport it to the building site and put the brick into place. It also includes all the indirect energy required, i.e., all the energy
required to manufacture the equipment and materials needed to manufacture a brick, e.g. trucks, kilns, mining equipment, etc. All have a
proportion of their energy invested in the brick.

When selecting a building material there are three things that should be considered:
 1. Performance - How will the material perform compared to other alternatives? Consider insulation - should the project use foam
insulation, batt insulation, or something else for the best insulating properties?

2. Adaptability - Can the insulation be reused in the future when the building is at the end of its life or will it need to be disposed of?

3. Embodied energy - How much energy went into manufacturing each type of insulation being considered. Was the insulation sourced
close by or was manufactured in an environmentally unfriendly plant and then shipped from overseas?

An intensive vegetated roof

An intensive vegetated roof is one that, compared with an extensive vegetated roof, has greater soil volume, supports a wider variety of
plants (including shrubs and trees), and allows a wider variety of uses (including human access). The depth of the growing medium is an
important factor in determining habitat value. The native or adapted plants selected for the roof should support the site's endemic wildlife
populations. (USGBC)

B. An extensive vegetated roof

An extensive vegetated roof is covered with plants and typically not designed for general access. Usually an extensive system is a rugged
green roof that requires little maintenance once established. The planting medium in extensive vegetated roofs ranges from 1 to 6 inches
in depth. (USGBC)

Extensive vegetated roofs are less expensive than intensive vegetated roofs because they don't require as much structural support.

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

IPM can help by choosing the best ways to handle pests by first addressing underlying causes of the
problem rather than treating problems after they occur. An example would be taking steps to keep pests out
of the building envelope before they find a way in.

IPM avoids over application and only using appropriate chemicals to save on costs.

When calculating the Minimum Energy Performance of a building the energy calculations take into

account process and non-process energy. The best way to remember the difference is process

energy generally comes from equipment that is plugged into a wall outlet (it has a plug load). Examples of

process energy include:

 Computers
 Office equipment
 Kitchen stoves
 Kitchen refrigerators
 Washers and dryers
 Elevators and escalators (these don't have regular plugs, but are considered process energy for LEED)

Non-process, or regulated energy generally includes built-in building components:

 Interior and exterior lighting (parking garage, security, landscape, architectural)

 HVAC (heating, cooling, fans, pumps)
 Hot water heating
 Toilet exhaust
 Parking garage ventilation

Sustainable sites
A project developer is creating an erosion and sedimentation control plan. The plan must conform to which
of the following requirements?
An erosion and sedimentation control plan is required for the Construction Activity Pollution Prevention prerequisite. The plan must
conform to the EPA Construction General Permit or local equivalent, whichever is more stringent.

An intensive vegetated roof is one that, compared with an extensive vegetated roof, has greater soil volume, supports a wider variety of
plants (including shrubs and trees), and allows a wider variety of uses (including human access). The depth of the growing medium is an
important factor in determining habitat value. The native or adapted plants selected for the roof should support the site's endemic wildlife
populations. (USGBC)
An extensive vegetated roof is covered with plants and typically not designed for general access. Usually an extensive system is a rugged
green roof that requires little maintenance once established. The planting medium in extensive vegetated roofs ranges from 1 to 6 inches
in depth. (USGBC)

Which part of the development process would inform design decisions, such as locating community
gardens in areas with fertile soils?
Site assessment is one of the most important parts of the integrative process and informs good design decisions.

The site assessment influences over a dozen other LEED credit areas, some directly and others indirectly.

For example:

Access to Quality Transit

Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses
Sensitive Land Protection
Bicycle Facilities
Open Space
Rainwater Management
Heat Island Reduction
Energy Performance
Daylight
Quality Views
Renewable Energy Production

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

When calculating the Minimum Energy Performance of a building the energy calculations take into account process and non-process
energy. The best way to remember the difference is process energy generally comes from equipment that is plugged into a wall outlet (it
has a plug load). Examples of process energy include:

Computers
Office equipment
Kitchen stoves
Kitchen refrigerators
Washers and dryers
Elevators and escalators (these don't have regular plugs, but are considered process energy for LEED)

Non-process, or regulated energy generally includes built-in building components:

Interior and exterior lighting (parking garage, security, landscape, architectural)

HVAC (heating, cooling, fans, pumps)
Hot water heating
Toilet exhaust
Parking garage ventilation

GBCI administers the LEED certification program, performing third-party technical reviews and
verification of registered projects to determine if they have met the standards set forth by the LEED rating
system.
GHG Emissions Reduction from Building Operations Energy Use and GHG Emissions Reduction from a Cleaner Energy Supply
The 5 components of this impact category are:

GHG Emissions Reduction from Transportation Energy Use

GHG Emissions Reduction from Materials and Water Embodied Energy Use
GHG Emissions Reduction by Embodied Energy of Water Reduction
GHG Emissions Reduction from a Cleaner Energy Supply
Global Warming Potential Reduction from Non-Energy Related Drivers
Which of the following are examples of infill development?

A. A design that increases the number of units of residential space per acre
This is an example of a compact development strategy. The project is putting more people in a given amount of space. This reduces the
need for additional construction elsewhere to accommodate the same amount of people.

B. The development of a brownfield site

This is brownfield development. Brownfield sites often occur on infill sites, but not always.

C. A store built between two existing urban buildings

This example is a type of infill project.

D. An office project on a previously developed site in a city center

This example is a type of infill project.

Notes:

Infill development occurs within established urban areas where the site or area either is a vacant place between other developments or
has previously been used for another urban purpose.