LEED EXAM 3: Review
Green building design attempts to reduce emissions from out buildings and transportation systems, which produce about ______ of combined global emissions?
- 2/3 - Around 40% of GHG emissions are due to buildings and around 30% from transportation which equals around two-thirds of total GHG emissions
Minimum program requirements and prerequisites must be met if a building wants to eventually become LEED certified. Which of the following situations would not be eligible?
- A new building project that uses CFC-based refrigerants - An existing building project that uses CFC-based refrigerants without having a CFC phase-out plan
Temperature, air speed, and humidity are addressed by which standard?
- ASHRAE 55-2010 - ASHRAE Standard 55-2010 establishes the six factors that affect thermal comfort, air temperature, radiant temperature, air velocity, humidity, clothing insulation, and metabolic heat. - The others: • ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2010: ventilation (minimum rates) • ASHRAE Standard 52.2-2007: ventilation (air filters) • ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2010: energy efficiency
Which of the following can a project do to minimize its certification review fees?
- Become a USGBC corporate member - they receive certification discounts
The material specification team requires information on the environmental impact of a manufacturer's extraction operations and the product's supply chain. How can this be found?
- By reviewing the manufacturer's corporate sustainability report - a third party, verified report that includes information on how the manufacturer extracts or sources materials.
Rabinowitz Development wants to certify their 9-story multi-family residential project but needs to determine a baseline to compare itself to by:
- Calculations made using ASHRAE 90.1 - A 9-story multi-family residential project will fall under the LEED for New Construction rating system, and thus uses the LEED BD+C reference guide. In LEED BD+C projects use this project fits under because of its height.
California has had many forest fires and the team on a project nearby wants to provide financial support for reforestation by investing in:
- Carbon offsets - Purchasing carbon offsets helps fund projects that decrease carbon emissions or remove carbon from the atmosphere. Examples of these types of projects include reforestation, changing land-use, and methane abatement.
What process uses heat recovery to capture heat from electricity generation and then turns the recovered heat into thermal energy that can be used to heat a building?
- Cogeneration - electricity generation technology that recovers waste heat from the electricity generation process to produce other forms of useful energy, such as usable heat or steam.
LEED v4 takes a new approach to the water efficiency credit category and requires which strategy/approach?
- Conservation first - For both energy efficiency and water efficiency, LEED requires an conservation/efficiency-first approach. Efficiency means doing the same with less. After efficiency, the focus should then be placed on other ways to reduce demand such as rain water reuse
When calculating the baseline water usage of a building, the EPAct of 1992 does not include which one of the following:
- Dishwashers - Dishwashers are not within the scope of the EPAct 1992/2005, but are covered by ENERGY STAR.
Looking at water metering in more detail which of the following subsystems may be 80% metered to earn a point?
- Domestic hot water - Indoor plumbing fixtures
Site Assessment
- Existing physical structure - Hydrology and vegetation - Geology
How is Floor Area Ratio (FAR) defined?
- FAR is the measure of the density of non-residential land-use on buildable land - The Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is an important element in LEED, as it one of the metrics used to establish density requirements for credits such as Surrounding Density. Density is a ratio of building coverage on a given parcel of land relative to the size of that parcel. Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is the density of non-residential land-use measured as the total non-residential building floor area divided by the total buildable land area available for non-residential buildings. Buildable land is the portion of the site where construction can occur, including land voluntarily set aside and not constructed on. When used in density calculations, buildable land excludes public rights-of-way and land excluded from development by codified law (e.g., set-backs). Residential buildings generally use Dwelling Units per acre to describe density
Prior to submitting a LEED Interpretation, a project team must first do the following:
- Have the inquiry go through the project CIR process - All formal inquiries first undergo the project CIR process. Project teams that want the formal inquiry to be considered for a LEED Interpretation must opt in and pay for the LEED Interpretation at the time that it submits the inquiry.
What type of buildings do 'LEED BD+C: New Construction', 'LEED BD+C: Core and Shell', 'LEED BD+C: Schools', and 'LEED O+M: Existing Buildings' evaluate?
- High-rise residential buildings - Institutional buildings - Commercial buildings
If you show exemplary performance in the SS category where are you awarded the points?
- Innovation in Design - Exemplary Performance is awarded in the Innovation in Design Category no matter which credit it pertains to
How can you, as a LEED consultant, make a suggestion that would lower operating costs and increase energy efficiency in a new school?
- Install all LED lighting - For building energy use, you can increase efficiency by using LED lighting, ENERGY STAR appliances and equipment, high-efficiency HVAC systems, and high-efficiency boilers.
How can a project team prevent pollution and sedimentation due to construction?
- Install natural buffers around the property - Buffers help prevent rainwater from carrying pollutants off the site and into adjacent streams.
It is understood that parking leads to a variety of negative environmental effects. How can a project minimize its amount of parking spaces?
- Instituting transportation demand management strategies - Selecting a site in a dense and diverse area - Building in places near transit
LeadingGreen owns 100% of the LEED® boundary. The project includes a major HVAC renovation, significant envelope modifications, and core plumbing renovation but may also allow for future tenant fit-outs. Which LEED rating system should be selected based on the 40/60 rule?
- LEED BD+C: Core and Shell - The key terms here are envelope and core renovations. LEED Building Design and Construction: Core and Shell applies to the exterior shell of the building and the core mechanical, electrical, and plumbing units, but not a complete interior fit-out. LEED BD+C: Core and Shell is the appropriate rating system to use if more than 40% of the gross floor area is incomplete at the time of certification.
Impact Categories were developed for incorporation into LEED v4 to address which of the following?
- LEED's goals - LEED's system goals are referred to as Impact Categories, of which there are seven. The more effective the credit requirements are at addressing the goals of the system, the more points it receives. The seven categories address: Climate change, Human health, Water resources, Biodiversity, Natural resources, Greener economy, and Community. The seven Impact Categories answer the question: "What should a LEED project accomplish?"
A project owner in Colorado is hoping to reduce the amount of potable water used for irrigation through rainwater harvesting and should first look at:
- Local/state regulations - Regulations and rules/codes are always the first item to be looked at. For example, some water in Colorado is owned by Texas
The LEED Integrative Process has three phases crucial to the project's ongoing success. What are they?
- Occupancy, Operations, and Performance Feedback - Discovery - Design and Construction (Implementation)
A project team is trying to source sustainable fertilizer for its landscaping. What can a composting fixture help with?
- Reducing indoor water use - Composting toilets use no potable water and thus save from the baseline. You cannot use that compost for anything (gross), besides reducing the indoor water-usage.
Which of the following demonstrates Systems Thinking?
- Researching how occupants will travel to the project - Systems Thinking is a process of understanding how each part of the built environment affects the other parts
Construction and demolition debris are responsible for a large amount of the waste in our landfills. How can a project team reduce the energy use and waste associated with demolition?
- Select a blighted building - Restore existing buildings - Re-build an historic project
ISO 14021 defines the different types of recyclable materials. Which of the following would be considered a "pre-consumer" material if it is recycled one day?
- Sunflower seed hulls - Walnut shells - Sawdust
Which of the following describes site energy?
- The amount of heat and electricity consumed by a building as reflected in utility bills - Site energy is the amount of heat and electricity consumed by a building as reflected in utility bills and is delivered to a building in one of two forms: primary or secondary energy. • Primary energy is the raw fuel that is burned to create heat and electricity. • Secondary energy is the energy product (heat or electricity) created from a raw fuel, such as electricity purchased from the grid or heat received from a district steam system.
A new development implemented ESC (Erosion and Sedimentation Control) and LID (Low Impact Development) plans throughout its site, which helps with 2 of the following:
- The creation of buffers between development and water resources - On-site rainwater management
The city of Toronto is attempting to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in its municipally owned buildings and should encourage:
- The improvement of the energy efficiency of communities - The improvement of the energy efficiency of buildings
The building code in Pittsburgh allows for smoking in restaurants. As a result, a consultant for a new bar suggests having a dedicated smoking room, which would mean:
- The project can not be certified - The prerequisite for Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Control (EQp2) requires smoking to be prohibited in the building
What is one of the primary goals of the commissioning process?
- The project complies with the Owner's Project Requirements (OPR) - Commissioning is a process for achieving, verifying, and documenting that the performance of facilities, systems, and assemblies meets defined objectives and criteria as established by two fundamental documents, one prepared by the Owner—Owner's Project Requirements (OPR)—and the second prepared by the project team—Basis of Design (BOD).
A Health Product Declaration (HPD) leads to the purchase of what kind of materials?
- Those with fewer negative health effects - provide a full disclosure of the potentially concerning chemicals in products by comparing a product's ingredients to "hazard" lists published by government authorities and scientific associations.
LeadingGreen is developing a new campus project in an area without zoning. When would LeadingGreen use the ITE Transportation Planning Handbook?
- To determine the amount of parking needed - For the Reduced Parking Footprint credit (LTc7) under Location and Transportation, there are three requirements: • Do not exceed local zoning code requirement • Provide 5% preferred carpool parking • Reduce parking capacity from baseline (ITE Handbook Standard)
The EPA's WaterSense label is encouraged by LEED for all new fixtures purchased throughout the building's life. Which of the following does it apply to?
- Toilets - Showerheads - Private/public faucets
Water is becoming an increasingly finite resource as we pollute our sources. What percentage of the United States' water usage can be attributed to buildings, including landscaping?
12%
How many points does a project need to become exactly LEED Certified?
40
"Location, location, location!" Location is a very important item for LEED in multiple credit categories. Which location choice can unexpectedly reduce the demand for new materials in a project?
A dense, mixed-use neighborhood
What was missing in the green building industry that the USGBC, along with LEED, has filled?
A standard measurement and definition of green building
Select one low-cost structural incentive that a municipality can give to a developer to encourage green building?
Allowing increases in the floor-area ratio
How many LEED rating systems are there?
BD+C = 10 ID+C = 3 O+M = 6 ND = 2 Total= 21
Donald Sterling only cares about the economic return of a building, so why would he certify it as LEED?
Certified green office buildings rent for 2% more than comparable buildings
Standards are an integral part of LEED, as they avoid the need of reinventing the wheel. What are Green Seal and Environmental Choice used for?
Cleaning products
Refrigerant management is a large factor which detrimentally affects the environmental side of the triple bottom line by:
Contributing greenhouse gas emissions
When conducting a site assessment to show compliance with LEED, which of the following does not need to be included?
Financing Instruments
Green Cleaning used to be a commonly used 'Innovation in Design' point for LeadingGreen's Canadian projects. Now it is an actual credit. What standard can projects outside the United States use for green cleaning products?
Global Ecolabeling Network
How can encouraging cycling not positively contribute to sustainability?
Impact of weather on commuting habits
A project team for a new office tower decides to increase the tower's floor area ratio (FAR), which of the following will it help with most?
Increasing open space
A project team is holding its first LEED Charrette and wants to brainstorm water efficiency improvements. What legal requirements would team members be researching during the integrative process?
Non-potable water sources
A project uses an on-site wastewater treatment plan and uses the treated wastewater to replenish the aquifer below, helping to:
Reduce the demand for wastewater treatment infrastructure
What should the project team do if it changed its mind and decided not to pursue a credit initially attempted?
Remove the credit
LEED incorporates strategies and sustainable practices, such as open and closed systems, into its holistic rating system. Which of the following is FALSE in regards to a closed system in the built environment?
Resources that have been fully used are then released outside the system
Which of the following statements is FALSE regarding Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Control (EQp2)?
Smoking is not permitted in residential projects
The Environmental Protection Agency lists numerous ways to reduce solid waste leaving your site. Which is the priority?
Source reduction
A project engineer is responsible for signing off on a number of LEED credits but is missing the legally binding documents that describe the quality of the materials to be used on the project. What are these documents called?
Specifications
There are 6 main LEED credit categories that make up 100 points. Some of the points are awarded for strategies that minimize the impact on ecosystems and water resources under what credit category?
Sustainable Sites
The Regional Priority credit category is specific to:
The LEED project type (schools, healthcare, data centers, etc.)
Natural ventilation can lead to ample points through the Energy Performance credit but its most troubling factor is that:
The system may not be able to provide enough fresh outdoor air
The EPAct of 1992 as amended is used
To set the baseline water flow requirements of toilets and fixtures
If 16 people work for 4 hours a day, 20 people work for 6 hours a day and 10 people work for 8 hours a day, how many FTEs are there?
[(16×4)+(20×6)+(10×8)] / 8 hr/day= 33 1 FTE = 8 hour/day or = 40 hour per week use the day rate
