Question 1

When required to measure residential and non-residential densities, Location and Transportation
Credit, Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses, Option 1. Surrounding Density requires project teams
to measure the residential and non-residential densities in what way?

Accepted Answer

A

Explanation: Detailed For the Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses credit, LEED requires project teams to calculate residential and non-residential densities within a 1/4-mile (0.40 km) radius of the project boundary. This measurement ensures that projects are located in areas with sufficient infrastructure and services to reduce dependency on vehicles and promote walkability.

Question 2

A design team is working on a hospital project. In order to meet the Energy and Atmosphere Prerequisite, Minimum Energy Performance, what option is used?

Accepted Answer

A

Explanation: The Whole Building Simulation option is used to meet the Energy and Atmosphere Prerequisite, Minimum Energy Performance for a hospital project. This option involves creating a detailed computer model of the building to simulate its energy performance and identify opportunities for improvement. Reference: LEED AP Building Design + Construction (LEED AP BD+C) V4 resources 1

Question 3

For Indoor Environmental Quality Credit, Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Plan, which of the following items is required for credit compliance?

Accepted Answer

B

Explanation: The Indoor Air Quality Assessment credit under LEED v4.1 BD+C rating system (Building Design and Construction) seeks to establish better quality indoor air in the building after construction and during occupancy. The credit provides two options for compliance, which cannot be combined1. Therefore, Indoor Environmental Quality test results would be required for credit compliance. Reference: LEED (BD+C)- Indoor Environmental Quality Credit: Indoor air Quality …

Question 4

U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)'s vision for using LEED internationally includes

Accepted Answer

D

Explanation: USGBC’s vision for using LEED internationally is to promote green building practices that are globally applicable, locally relevant, and culturally sensitive1. To achieve this vision, USGBC provides opportunities for alternative compliance paths (ACPs) that meet the unique needs of a particular region, such as climate, codes, standards, market conditions, and priorities2. ACPs are modifications or additions to existing LEED credits or prerequisites that recognize regional differences and allow for more flexibility and applicability of LEED3. ACPs are developed by USGBC in collaboration with local green building councils, experts, and stakeholders, and are reviewed and approved by the LEED Steering Committee3. ACPs are available for various regions and countries, such as China, India, Brazil, Europe, and Canada2. Reference: LEED International | U.S. Green Building Council Alternative Compliance Paths (ACPs) | U.S. Green Building Council USGBC’s 2020 vision will use LEED to further global connectedness | U.S. Green Building Council LEED Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction v4

Question 5

Which of the following strategies would be considered an acceptable minor improvement within the wetland buffer for Location and Transportation Credit, Sensitive Land Protection?

Accepted Answer

C

Explanation: Providing a vehicular access drive that is less than 16 ft. (5 m) in width is considered an acceptable minor improvement within the wetland buffer for Location and Transportation Credit, Sensitive Land Protection. This credit requires avoiding development on land that meets one or more of the following criteria: prime farmland, floodplains, threatened or endangered species habitat, water bodies, wetlands, or land within 100 feet (30 meters) of these water bodies or wetlands1. However, the credit allows minor improvements within the wetland buffer if they are necessary for the project and have minimal environmental impact2. Examples of minor improvements include trails, boardwalks, stormwater outfalls, and utility crossings2. Reference: Credit: Sensitive land protection | U.S. Green Building Council NC-v4.1 LTc2: Sensitive land protection | LEEDuser

Question 6

Which of the following sinks is classified as a private lavatory faucet under Water Efficiency Credit, Indoor Water Use Reduction?

Accepted Answer

C

Explanation: A sink in a hotel room bathroom is classified as a private lavatory faucet under Water Efficiency Credit, Indoor Water Use Reduction. According to the LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, a private lavatory faucet is defined as “a faucet that is not generally accessible and is used only by the building’s occupants and not by the public or visitors” 1. A sink in an office restroom, a school classroom, or a shared office restroom are examples of public lavatory faucets, which have different baseline flow rates and requirements. Reference: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, Water Efficiency Category, WEc Indoor Water Use Reduction, page 681.

Question 7

What type of project would benefit from showing compliance with Energy and Atmosphere
Prerequisite, Minimum Energy Performance, Option 2. Prescriptive Compliance: ASHRAE 50%
Advanced Energy Design Guide?

Accepted Answer

A

Explanation: This option allows the project to comply with the minimum energy performance prerequisite by following the prescriptive recommendations of the ASHRAE 50% Advanced Energy Design Guide (AEDG) for the applicable building type and climate zone1. This option simplifies the decision making and analysis process by providing clear and specific guidance on how to achieve 50% energy savings compared to the baseline standard2. This option also reduces the need for energy modeling and documentation, which can save time and money for the project3. Reference: = [LEED v4: Building Design + Construction Guide], Minimum Energy Performance Calculator - ASHRAE 90.1 - 2010, 50 Percent AEDG Free Download - ASHRAE.

Question 8

Which of the following statements is correct when defining the project boundary?

Accepted Answer

C

Explanation: . The land associated with the project supports typical operations According to the LEED v4 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction, the LEED project boundary must include all contiguous land that is associated with the project and supports its typical operations. This includes land altered as a result of construction and features used primarily by the project’s occupants, such as hardscape (parking and sidewalks), septic or stormwater treatment equipment, and landscaping1. Therefore, statement C is correct when defining the project boundary. Statement A is incorrect because the LEED project boundary must be contiguous. Statement B is incorrect because the LEED project boundary can include more than one building, as long as they are on the same site and share a common scope of work. Statement D is incorrect because there is no such requirement for the gross floor area of the LEED project to be a certain percentage of the gross land area within the LEED project boundary. Reference: Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction v4 – Page 282 NC-v4.1 MPR2: Must use reasonable LEED boundaries | LEEDuser1

Question 9

What stage of LEED for Neighborhood Development certification listed below is eligible for points
under Building Design and Construction: New Construction, Location and Transportation Credit, LEED
for Neighborhood Development Location?

Accepted Answer

B

Explanation: The only stage of LEED for Neighborhood Development certification that is eligible for points under Building Design and Construction: New Construction, Location and Transportation Credit, LEED for Neighborhood Development Location, is LEED for Neighborhood Development Pilot, Stage 3 LEED for Neighborhood Development Certified Project. This is because the credit requires that the project be located within the boundary of a development that has achieved certification under LEED for Neighborhood Development (either Stage 2 or Stage 3 under the Pilot or 2009 rating systems, or Certified Plan or Certified Project under the LEED v4 rating system)1 The other stages listed in the question are either conditional approvals or pre-reviews that do not guarantee certification23 Reference: 1: LEED v4 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction, Location and Transportation Credit: LEED for Neighborhood Development Location, page 460. 2: LEED for Neighborhood Development Location – Above Green 3 3: LEED v4: Building Design + Construction Guide - U.S. Green Building Council 1

Question 10

Which of the following will result in a higher demand for potable water use in irrigation?

Accepted Answer

C

Explanation: The answer is C. A high evapotranspiration rate will result in a higher demand for potable water use in irrigation. Evapotranspiration is the process by which water is transferred from the land to the atmosphere by evaporation from the soil and other surfaces and by transpiration from plants. The higher the evapotranspiration rate, the more water is lost from the soil and plants, and the more irrigation is needed to replenish the moisture. The other options will not increase the demand for potable water use in irrigation. A sparsely planted area will have less vegetation and less transpiration, reducing the water demand. A drip irrigation system will deliver water directly to the plant roots, minimizing evaporation and runoff, and saving water. A rainwater harvesting system will collect and store rainwater for irrigation, reducing the reliance on potable water sources. For more information on outdoor water use reduction and irrigation efficiency, you can refer to the LEED v4 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction1 or the WaterSense Water Budget Tool2.

Question 11

An existing vacant office building will be completely renovated and new mechanical, electrical and
plumbing systems will be installed. 20% of the building's gross floor area will be complete at the time
of certification. There will be a data center and some retail stores on the ground floor of the building
at a future date. Which rating system is applicable for the building?

Accepted Answer

C

Explanation: This rating system is suitable for projects where the developer controls the design and construction of the entire core and shell base building, but has no control over the design and construction of the tenant fit-out. Since the building will have a data center and retail stores in the future, but these are not the primary function of the entire building, LEED BD+C: Core & Shell is more appropriate than LEED BD+C: Data Centers or LEED BD+C: Retail. Reference: = LEED rating system selection guidance, LEED v4: Building Design + Construction Guide

Question 12

Which item is included in the reuse calculation for Materials and Resources Credit, Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction?

Accepted Answer

A

Explanation: The reuse calculation for MR Credit Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction includes the surface area of structural elements that are reused in place or salvaged and reinstalled, such as floor decking, columns, beams, and roof decking. Exterior glazing and plumbing fixtures are not considered structural elements and are not included in the reuse calculation. Asbestos insulation is a hazardous material that should be removed and disposed of properly, not reused. Reference: MR Credit Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction, LEED v4 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction123

Question 13

At the time of registering a project in LEED Online, Regional Priority credits are determined based upon the project's

Accepted Answer

B

Explanation: At the time of registering a project in LEED Online, Regional Priority credits are determined based on the project’s longitude and latitude. Regional Priority credits are bonus points that reward projects for addressing the environmental, social, and public health issues that are most relevant to their location1. The project team must enter the project’s address and confirm the precise location using the Google Maps interface in LEED Online2. The longitude and latitude coordinates are then used to identify the Regional Priority credits that are applicable to the project2. The project can earn up to four Regional Priority points by achieving the base credits that correspond to the Regional Priority credits1. Reference: Regional priority credit lookup | U.S. Green Building Council Regional Priority (RP) credits – U.S. Green Building Council

Question 14

A project team seeking certification for a new school is attempting to achieve Materials and
Resources Credit, Construction and Demolition Waste Management, Option 2. Reduction of Total
Waste Material. What strategy can be taken to meet the requirements of this credit?

Accepted Answer

D

Explanation: The correct answer is D. Document total waste per building floor area. According to the LEED v4.1 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction, Option 2 of the Construction and Demolition Waste Management credit requires projects to reduce the total construction waste generated by the project to less than 12.2 kilograms per square meter (2.5 pounds per square foot) of the building’s floor area1. This option rewards projects for implementing waste prevention strategies, such as designing for material optimization, prefabrication, modular construction, deconstruction, and reuse1. To meet the requirements of this option, projects must document the total weight or volume of all construction waste generated by the project, excluding land-clearing debris and excavated soil, and divide it by the building’s floor area1. Projects must also provide a narrative describing the waste prevention measures taken during design and construction1.

Question 15

Which of these is a method to assess the regional context of a building's design for sustainability?

Accepted Answer

A

Explanation: Conducting a site analysis is a method to assess the regional context of a building’s design for sustainability. A site analysis involves collecting and evaluating information about the site’s location, climate, ecology, history, culture, infrastructure, regulations, and stakeholders. This can help identify the opportunities and constraints for the project, as well as the potential impacts and benefits for the environment and the community. A site analysis can inform the design decisions regarding site selection, site development, water management, energy efficiency, material selection, indoor environmental quality, and innovation12. Reference: LEED BD+C Reference Guide, Integrative Process, page 281; Site Analysis for Construction

Free US Green Building Council LEED AP BD+C Actual Exam Questions