LEED Project Surroundings and Public Outreach

Question 1

Which of the following is most important to the design and construction of a building for emissions reduction? A. Purchasing carbon offsets B. Using on-site renewables C. Choosing sustainable materials D. Building location

Answer 1

D. Building location - Consider the same building design for one building located in the suburbs and one located in a dense urban center. Which reduces emissions more?

Question 2

What non-financial incentives can a municipality offer to encourage developers to build residential projects to green standards?
(Choose 2)
A. Certification training for developers who are unfamiliar with green building practices B. Grants C. Low interest loans D. Marketing assistance for the property

Answer 2

A. Certification training for developers who are unfamiliar with green building practices D. Marketing assistance for the property

Question 3

How does LEED encourage focusing on regional issues?
A. Adhering to all local building codes B. Awarding more points to those projects that have ENERGY STAR ratings C. Using reasonable LEED boundaries D. Regional priority credits

Answer 3

D. Regional priority credits

Question 4

A business owner that purchases a fleet of green delivery vehicles reduces what externality?
A. Pollution added to the environment B. The comfort of the drivers C. Sales tax revenue to the community D. Additional parking spaces for green vehicles

Answer 4

A. Pollution added to the environment

Question 5

The green design approach taken by LEED:
A. Is useful only in urban areas where there is existing infrastructure B. Reduces the environmental harms of buildings and restores the balance of natural systems C. Can only be used on projects with large budgets to offset the higher expenses of green building D. Emphasizes occupant health over saving energy

Answer 5

B. Reduces the environmental harms of buildings and restores the balance of natural systems

Question 6

What are some of the economic benefits of green building?
(Choose 2)
A. Reduced utility costs B. Reduced liabilities due to poor indoor air quality causing health issues C. Reduced disturbance of greenfield sites D. Increasing the tax base to the community

Answer 6

A. Reduced utility costs

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

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

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

Question 7

What organization develops building safety and fire prevention codes for the construction of residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools?
A. Department of Energy (DoE) B. International Code Council C. ASHRAE D. Underwriters Laboratory (UL)

Answer 7

B. International Code Council

The ICC creates codes for building and safety. Many of these codes are adopted by local jurisdictions and become part of the local building code. The codes are a complete set of comprehensive, coordinated building safety, plumbing, mechanical, fire prevention, energy efficiency codes, and accessibility.

Question 8

A project building in a colder climate is located in a basin that replenishes the water supply each spring from the snow on nearby mountains. If the design team thinks ahead to the future, how would this influence the design of the project?
A. Adaptive reuse should be considered B. Natural gas for heating should be used C. Commissioning will be important D. Water conservation should be emphasized

Answer 8

D. Water conservation should be emphasized

Question 9

What review practice identifies design alternatives that reduce costs while yielding higher performance?
A. Life cycle assessment B. Value engineering C. Environmentally responsive design D. Life cycle costing

Answer 9

B. Value engineering

Value engineering (VE) is review process that identifies and selects the lowest lifecycle cost options in design, materials and processes that achieves the desired level of performance, reliability and customer satisfaction

Question 10

What is the value of documenting and tracking a building’s resource use?
A. Contributes to knowledge that will advance research in the future B. Reduces first costs C. Reduces a building’s embodied energy D. Reduces end-of-life costs

Answer 10

A. Contributes to knowledge that will advance research in the future

USGBC collects water and energy usage from LEED projects. This information helps the development of future LEED rating system versions.

Question 11

What statement is true regarding green building?
A. LEED teams are achieving certification through widely diverse methods B. LEED buildings were increasingly common until construction costs rose 30% in the last two years C. The construction of green buildings have no major significant cost difference to non-green buildings D. Green design is a cost neutral add-on

Answer 11

C. The construction of green buildings have no major significant cost difference to non-green buildings

According to Cost of Green Revisited - The 2006 study shows essentially the same results as 2004: there is no significant difference in average costs for green buildings as compared to non-green buildings.

Question 12

What specifies the set of rules for the minimum acceptable level of safety for buildings?
A. Local zoning B. Building codes C. American Institute of Architects D. Local ordinances

Answer 12

B. Building codes

The main purpose of building codes are to protect public health, safety and general welfare as they relate to the construction and occupancy of buildings and structures. The building code becomes law of a particular jurisdiction when formally enacted by the appropriate authority

Question 13

What are the long term effects of climate change?
(Choose 3)
A. Longer droughts B. Higher sea levels C. Reduced CO2 emissions D. Higher temperatures E. Increased ozone layer F. Increased glaciers

Answer 13

A. Longer droughts
B. Higher sea levels
D. Higher temperatures

Question 14

What does the built environment refer to?
A. A process of continually improving buildings B. Structures that provide stronger connections to nature C. Any environment that is human-made and provides a structure for human activity D. The green building movement

Answer 14

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

Question 15

What process identifies the high-performance building systems that will save money over the life of a project?
A. First costs B. Life-cycle assessment C. Life-cycle costing D. Value engineering

Answer 15

C. Life-cycle costing

Life cycle costing (LCC) is the evaluation of the total cost of a building or product over its useful life, including initial, maintenance, repair and replacement costs as well as savings. LCC evaluates economic performance.

Question 16

What is an economic benefit for the triple bottom line that LEED-certified buildings may have?
A. More healthful and productive environments for occupants B. Reduced waste sent to landfills C. Qualification for tax rebates D. Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions

Answer 16

C. Qualification for tax rebates

Question 17

What is an example of value engineering?
A. Increasing the diversion rate of recycled materials B. Choosing a flooring material that has higher costs and a lower environmental impact over a flooring material that has lower costs and a greater environmental impact C. Selecting insulation with higher upfront costs but lower life cycle costs D. Replacing an asphalt parking lot with less costly crushed gravel that has higher SRI

Answer 17

D. Replacing an asphalt parking lot with less costly crushed gravel that has higher SRI

Value engineering (VE) is a review process that identifies and selects the lowest lifecycle cost options in design, materials and processes that achieves the desired level of performance, reliability and customer satisfaction

Question 18

Relative to the LEED project design what has a low soft cost?
A. Building commissioning B. Carpet installation C. Cost of the LEED charrette D. Facility management costs

Answer 18

C. Cost of the LEED charrette

Question 19

An additional cost that a green building project may have compared to a conventional project is:
A. Added utility costs B. Permit fees for plumbing C. Consultant fees for green building experts D. Increased prices for selecting a sustainable site

Answer 19

C. Consultant fees for green building experts

Question 20

What must be considered in the project budget for a green building project that would not be part of a conventional project?
A. Additional time in the schedule for construction B. Contingencies for research of unconventional techniques or materials C. Added building equipment to make the building more energy efficient D. Selecting only ENERGY STAR appliances

Answer 20

B. Contingencies for research of unconventional techniques or materials

Question 21

What metric is useful for determining the energy, water, solid waste, materials, and transportation impacts of buildings and communities?
A. H2O emissions B. Ozone depletion potential C. CFC leakage rate D. Carbon emissions

Answer 21

D. Carbon emissions

Question 22

What are examples of construction hard costs for an office condominium project?
(Choose 2)
A. Masonry costs paid to a sub-contractor B. Cost for installing a green roof C. Irrigation fees for water use D. Fees to develop tenant agreements

Answer 22

A. Masonry costs paid to a sub-contractor B. Cost for installing a green roof

Question 23

What accounting methodology is used to evaluate the economic performance of a product or system over its useful life?
A. Life cycle costing B. Triple bottom line accounting C. Cradle-to-cradle D. Life cycle assessment

Answer 23

A. Life cycle costing

Life cycle costing (LCC) is the evaluation of the total cost of a building or product over its useful life, including initial, maintenance, repair and replacement costs as well as savings. LCC evaluates economic performance.

Question 24

A developer for an office building will lease out spaces to tenants. What is the value to the developer for certifying the building?
A. Certified green office buildings have guaranteed grants from local governments B. Certified green office buildings rent for 2% more than comparable buildings C. Certified green office buildings receive 0% interest loans D. Certified green office buildings do not have to go through the permitting process

Answer 24

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

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

Question 25

What green building codes can be enforced by law?
(Choose 2)
A. International Green Construction Code B. ENERGYSTAR C. LEED D. ASHRAE 189.1

Answer 25

A. International Green Construction Code D. ASHRAE 189.1

An alternate path of compliance to the IgCC is the ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES
Standard 189.1

Question 26

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?
(Choose 2)
A. Longer product life B. Lower maintenance costs C. Reduction in rainwater runoff D. Reduced heat islands

Answer 26

A. Longer product life

According to some studies and some LEED documentation vegetated roofs have a longer product life than conventional roofs. Maybe that is due to the yearly maintenance and upkeep that should occur.

B. Lower maintenance costs

Life cycle costing (LCC) is the evaluation of the total cost of a building or product over its useful life, including initial, maintenance, repair and replacement costs as well as savings. LCC evaluates economic performance.

Question 27

Regional priority credits are specific to:
A. The state the project is located in B. LEED credit category C. LEED project type (schools, healthcare, data centers, etc.) D. LEED rating system family (BD+C, ID+C, etc.)

Answer 27

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

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

Question 28

In the United States buildings account for ____ carbon dioxide emissions.
A. 42% B. 38% C. 34% D. 26%

Answer 28

B. 38%  -  In the United States, buildings account for:
14% of potable water consumption
30% of waste output
40% of raw materials use
38% of carbon dioxide emissions
24% to 50% of energy use
72% of electricity consumption

Question 29

What environmental externalities occur when buildings use significant quantities of potable water indoors?
A. Increased water rates B. Increased environmental burdens on the water supply C. Decreased energy efficiency D. Increased stormwater runoff

Answer 29

B. Increased environmental burdens on the water supply

Every company, large or small, has ‘externalities’ that typically do not show up in profit and loss reports.

Question 30

If a project team increases the ventilation in a building and adds quality views to occupant spaces what will be the result?
A. Increased resource use for the project B. Improved productivity of the occupants C. Decreased air quality for the occupants D. Decreased first costs

Answer 30

B. Improved productivity of the occupants

Research shows by improving indoor air quality, adding daylighting and views, occupant productivity goes up.

Question 31

What financial incentives can a municipality offer to a developer that proposes a green building?
(Choose 3)
A. Revolving loan funds B. Tax credits C. Allowing a building to be have an increased height D. Percentage increase in the floor area ratio E. Fee waivers F. Increases in the allowable density

Answer 31

A. Revolving loan funds
B. Tax credits
E. Fee waivers

Question 32

Compared to a conventional building, a green building project and construction budget will also include:
A. Costs to implement erosion control plans B. Life cycle costing C. Soft costs D. Fees to review local laws and standards

Answer 32

B. Life cycle costing

Question 33

What are examples of structural incentives that may be available to a developer to encourage green building?
(Choose 2)
A. Fee waivers B. Density bonuses C. Tax credits D. Expedited review of permits E. Grants

Answer 33

B. Density bonuses D. Expedited review of permits

Question 34

Extracting and sourcing raw materials in a responsible manner is intended to avoid all of the following EXCEPT:
A. Threats to rare and endangered species B. Depletion of the ozone layer C. Deforestation D. Degradation of water sources E. Infringement of indigenous people’s rights

Answer 34

B. Depletion of the ozone layer

Ozone depletion is primarily addressed by a building’s energy use and choice of refrigerants

Question 35

A project team wants to install a rainwater harvesting system to provide water to flush toilets but local code does not permit this. What should the project team do?
A. Find alternative solutions for indoor water use reduction B. Request an exception from the LEED project reviewer to allow the reduction anyway C. Have the plumbers install the system anyway D. Submit a CIR to the LEED project reviewer

Answer 35

. Find alternative solutions for indoor water use reduction

Other solutions will need to be found to reduce potable water use indoors.

Question 36

From where are most local codes adopted?

A. California laws B. International Code Council C. Federal regulations D. USGBC

Answer 36

B. International Code Council

Local building codes represent the minimum codes that a project must adhere to.

Question 37

If a developer is planning on building a multi-family residential project what are the most important things the project team should consider?
(Choose 2)
A. Proximity to waste haulers B. Local zoning C. Nearby LEED BD+C projects D. Available LEED ND projects close by

Answer 37

B. Local zoning D. Available LEED ND projects close by

Question 38

What is the term for the analysis of the environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with a product, process, or service?
A. Life-cycle costing B. ASHRAE Level I audit C. Triple bottom line accounting D. Life-cycle assessment

Answer 38

D. Life-cycle assessment

Life cycle assessment evaluates a product’s ‘environmental impact’

Question 39

What is an example of an ongoing operating cost?
A. Carpet installation B. Attorney fees for building contracts C. Salaries for janitorial services in a building D. Design of a sedimentation control plan

Answer 39

C. Salaries for janitorial services in a building

Question 40

What term refers to the investigation and valuation of the environmental impacts of a given product or service caused or necessitated by its existence?
A. Hard cost B. Life cycle assessment C. Life cycle costing D. Soft cost

Answer 40

B. Life cycle assessment

Question 41

In the United States buildings account for ____ electricity consumption.
A. 56% B. 66% C. 74% D. 72%

Answer 41

D. 72%

Question 42

Which of the following does green building help with creating?
(Choose 2)
A. Lower-impact built environments B. Communities that are more vital to a healthy society C. Increased building operational costs D. Increased segregated land use

Answer 42

A. Lower-impact built environments B. Communities that are more vital to a healthy society

Question 43

What helps a project take advantage of the environmental assets of the area they live in?
A. Minimum Program Requirements B. Prerequisites C. Local building code D. Regional Priority credits

Answer 43

D. Regional Priority credits

Regional priority credits are bonus points projects can earn by addressing environmental concerns (water shortages) and environmental assets (abundant sunlight) in their areas.

Question 44

What are local ordinances?
A. A law usually found in a municipal code B. Building codes based on national model codes C. Recommendations for good building practices D. Local government regulations imposed to promote orderly development of private lands and prevent land-use conflicts

Answer 44

A. A law usually found in a municipal code

Question 45

For which of the following are the ICC International Codes used?
A. Establishing energy-efficiency guidelines for public buildings B. Guiding code officials about hazardous chemicals contained in building materials C. Providing minimum safeguards for people at home, at school, and in the workplace D. Defining minimum indoor air quality standards

Answer 45

C. Providing minimum safeguards for people at home, at school, and in the workplace

Question 46

A building’s total emissions footprint does which of the following over time?
A. Fluctuates B. Incrementally increases C. Incrementally decreases D. Remains the same

Answer 46

B. Incrementally increases

Question 47

What is true if a building code official finds an issue between a proposed energy efficiency strategy and the city’s building electrical code?
A. The electrical contractor can proceed with the design B. The project team must alter the design C. The project administrator should re-run the energy model D. A LEED reviewer must approve the existing strategy

Answer 47

B. The project team must alter the design

The strategy will need to be reworked to fit with the local electrical code.

Question 48

Green buildings have on average energy use intensities that are ____ lower than in typical buildings.
A. 16% B. 24% C. 28% D. 12%

Answer 48

B. 24%

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

Question 49

What is different about green building design compared to conventional design?
A. Green building uses an integrative process B. Green building costs more C. Green building has longer schedules D. Green building does not have a bidding phase

Answer 49

A. Green building uses an integrative process

Question 50

Which percentage of the Earth’s water is fresh water?

A. 10% B. 3% C. 5% D. 7%

Answer 50

B. 3%

We have limited water on the planet and a growing population, and drought conditions are stressing our limited existing water supply.

Question 51

Which of the following would be classified as a soft construction cost?
A. Civil engineer consulting fee B. Rental of a dumpster C. Purchase of some steel D. Construction worker labor costs

Answer 51

A. Civil engineer consulting fee

Question 52

The built environment, including buildings and transportation systems, account for what percent of all greenhouse gas emissions?
A. 2/3 B. 1/2 C. 1/4 D. 1/3

Answer 52

A. 2/3

About 2/3 of GHG emissions are attributed to the built environment

Question 53

A study by the New Buildings Institute found that in green buildings, average energy use intensities (energy consumed per unit of floor space) are _____ than in typical buildings
A. 32% lower B. 24% lower C. 5% higher D. 16% lower

Answer 53

B. 24% lower

Question 54

A team for a school project is reviewing potential site locations and building designs. What would have the greatest impact on improving test scores for the students?
A. Locating the building in a walkable neighborhood B. Including an indoor swimming pool C. Orienting the building to maximize daylighting D. Installing low-emitting furniture and desks

Answer 54

C. Orienting the building to maximize daylighting

Question 55

Which building project supports the triple bottom line?
A. Energy efficient building that has poor acoustics B. Building renovation in a federal empowerment zone C. Flooring material with a small carbon footprint extracted from an area that displaced local people D. Eco-resort built in an area with threatened species

Answer 55

B. Building renovation in a federal empowerment zone

Question 56

What options within LEED credits address different geographic and climactic regions while providing solutions to challenges faced by projects at a regional level?
A. Innovation credits B. Alternative Compliance Paths C. Minimum program requirements (MPRs) D. Regional priority credits

Answer 56

B. Alternative Compliance Paths

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

Question 57

Globally transportation is responsible for what percent of greenhouse gas emissions?
A. 25% B. 35% C. 30% D. 20%

Answer 57

A. 25%

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

Question 58

If a state has a green building code and a project team wants to pursue LEED certification:
A. The state building code requirements have precedent over the LEED requirements B. The state building code requirements can be used instead of the LEED requirements C. The project team can follow either the state building code requirements or the LEED requirements D. LEED requirements can be used instead of the state building code requirements

Answer 58

A. The state building code requirements have precedent over the LEED requirements

Any state or local building codes have precedent over LEED.

Question 59

Sustainable plans for built environments that improve existing conditions is called:
A. Net-zero energy project B. Passive design C. Regenerative design D. Adaptive reuse

Answer 59

C. Regenerative design

Question 60

The triple bottom line can be described as:
A. The cost of green building B. People, planet, profit C. Socially responsible enterprise and investment D. Integration of a building with its natural surroundings

Answer 60

B. People, planet, profit

Question 61

What low / no cost structural incentive can a municipality make to a developer to encourage green building?
A. Fee waivers B. Tax credits C. Green building grants D. Allowing increases in the floor area ratio

Answer 61

D. Allowing increases in the floor area ratio

Question 62

What is a negative environmental externality of locating a project in an area does not have diverse uses and is not densely developed?
A. Increased air pollution B. Increased development costs C. Increased tax base D. Availability of high-paying jobs

Answer 62

A. Increased air pollution

Every company, large or small, has ‘externalities’ that typically do not show up in profit and loss reports. Environmental externalities are transactions in which one or more parties to the transaction are not compensated and may have little choice in the transaction.

Question 63

What is the most impactful way that a project can help to reverse contribution to climate change?
A. Choosing healthy building materials B. Using salvaged materials C. Locating the project near diverse uses D. Reducing fossil-fuel based energy consumption

Answer 63

D. Reducing fossil-fuel based energy consumption

Question 64

Economic prosperity, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility define a project’s:
A. Innovation B. Minimum Program Requirements C. Federal, state, and/or local regulations D. Triple bottom line

Answer 64

D. Triple bottom line

Question 65

What is an example of a construction hard cost?
A. Payments received from recycled materials B. Reporting on a building’s energy consumption over time C. Permit fees D. On-site renewable energy system

Answer 65

D. On-site renewable energy system

Question 66

The linear use of resources where outputs are treated as waste contributes to the toxins accumulating in the atmosphere, water and on the ground. This has accelerated the pace of the planet’s biggest problem which is:
A. Products containing hazardous chemicals B. Indoor air quality C. Climate change D. Poor water quality

Answer 66

C. Climate change

Question 67

What is considered a positive externality of LEED-certified buildings on building occupants?
A. Improved daylighting B. Decreased absenteeism C. Reduced water consumption D. Energy efficiency improvements

Answer 67

B. Decreased absenteeism

Question 68

Which of the following is an example of the triple bottom line in practice?
A. A building material purchased and shipped from overseas B. A residential project that contributes to neighborhood revitalization C. A building with good indoor air quality and minimal insulation D. An energy efficient building built on a site with endangered species

Answer 68

B. A residential project that contributes to neighborhood revitalization

Question 69

What is an example of regenerative design?
A. A net-zero energy building B. A building that generates electricity and sends the excess to the grid C. A building that uses rainwater onsite D. A project with a community recycling program

Answer 69

B. A building that generates electricity and sends the excess to the grid

Regenerative design is ‘sustainable plans for built environments that improve existing conditions. Regenerative design goes beyond reducing impacts to create positive change in the local and global environment.’ - USGBC

Question 70

How can the greenhouse gas emissions caused by the built environment be reduced? (Choose 2) A. Implementing a waste-to-energy program B. Building on a greenfield site C. Improving the energy efficiency of buildings D. Improving the energy efficiency of communities E. Installing single pane glazing in buildings

Answer 70

C. Improving the energy efficiency of buildings. D. Improving the energy efficiency of communities

Question 71

Before using graywater to irrigate a project’s landscape the landscape architect should review: A. Local codes B. ENERGY STAR WaterSense C. EPA WaterSense Water Budget Tool D. EPA Rainwater Management Model

Answer 71

A. Local Codes

Question 72

The operation of buildings, including landscaping, accounts for ____ of total water use in the United States.
A. 20% B. 18% C. 6% D. 12%

Answer 72

D. 12%

Question 73

Which of the following has the lowest soft cost?
A. Construction waste hauling fees B. Self-guided education program on the green features of a project C. Legal fees for building contracts D. Renewable Energy Credits (RECs)

Answer 73

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

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