LEED AP BD+C v4 Exam Study Guide with complete
solution
What does the acronym "LEED" stand for?
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
What does the acronym "GBCI" stand for?
Green Business Certification Inc.
Buildings are __________ and people are __________
certified; credentialed
What are the knowledge domains?
1. LEED Process, 2. Integrative Strategies, 3. Location and Transportation, 4.
Sustainable Sites, 5. Water Efficiency, 6. Energy and Atmosphere, 7. Materials and
Resources, 8. Indoor Environmental Quality, 9. Project Surroundings and Public
Outreach
How many LEED BD+C adaptations are there?
8
What are the LEED BD+C adaptations?
1. New Construction and Major Renovations, 2. Core and Shell Development, 3.
Schools, 4. Retail, 5. Data Centers, 6. Warehouses and Distribution Centers, 7.
Hospitality, 8. Healthcare
What are the LEED certification levels, and how many LEED points are required
for each certification level?
Certified: 40; Silver: 50; Gold: 60; Platinum: 80
How should project teams determine a project's rating system if more than one
rating system could apply?
Use the 40/60 rule:
- if a rating system would be appropriate for <40% of a project's gross floor area, do not
use that rating system
- if a rating system would be appropriate for >60% of a project's gross floor area, that
rating system should be used
- in between, project team uses discretion
How many LEED impact categories are there?
7
What are the LEED impact categories?
1. Reverse contribution to global climate change
2. Enhance individual human health and well-being
3. Promote and restore water resources
4. Protect, enhance, and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services
5. Promote sustainable and regenerative material resources cycles
6. Build a greener economy
7. Enhance social equity, environmental justice, community health, and quality of life
What are the Minimum Program Requirements?
1. Must be in a permanent location on existing land
2. Must use reasonable LEED boundaries
, 3. Must comply with project size requirements (minimum of 1,000 sq. ft. gross floor
area)
What are the certification programs available to projects that include multiple
buildings?
Volume and Campus
What is a CIR?
Credit interpretation ruling. CIR's are project-specific, and are not precedent-setting.
What is a LEED interpretation?
Interpretations are similar to CIR's, but are precedent-setting, whereas CIR's are
project-specific.
What is the triple bottom line?
People, planet, profit
What is USGBC's mission?
USGBC's mission is to transform the way buildings and communities are designed,
built, and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and
prosperous environment that improves the quality of life.
What is a passing score on the LEED AP exam?
170
What is the most highly weighted LEED impact category?
Reversing global climate change
The preliminary construction review should take place within how long after
substantial project completion?
2 years
What is a master site?
A master site must be registered, can achieve credits for any projects included in the
master site, but cannot be LEED certified itself.
What is the difference between interpretations and addenda?
Interpretations answer questions; addenda incorporate changes.
What documents apply to incomplete spaces?
1. Letter of commitment (owner)
2. Tenant design and construction guidelines (tenants)
What is a project's development footprint?
All of a project's impermeable surfaces (>50% permeable pavement does not
contribute).
Density [does / does not] include structured parking
does NOT
What is the equation used to calculate hotel occupancy?
HO = 1.5 x (guest rooms) x 0.60
The 1.5 constant is for the average number of people that use a room. The 0.60
constant is for the average vacancy of an average hotel.
What is the equation used to calculate residential occupancy?
RO = (# units) + (# bedrooms)
What is a declarant?
The declarant is the individual responsible for documenting a LEED credit.
What are the 3 phases of the integrative process?
solution
What does the acronym "LEED" stand for?
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
What does the acronym "GBCI" stand for?
Green Business Certification Inc.
Buildings are __________ and people are __________
certified; credentialed
What are the knowledge domains?
1. LEED Process, 2. Integrative Strategies, 3. Location and Transportation, 4.
Sustainable Sites, 5. Water Efficiency, 6. Energy and Atmosphere, 7. Materials and
Resources, 8. Indoor Environmental Quality, 9. Project Surroundings and Public
Outreach
How many LEED BD+C adaptations are there?
8
What are the LEED BD+C adaptations?
1. New Construction and Major Renovations, 2. Core and Shell Development, 3.
Schools, 4. Retail, 5. Data Centers, 6. Warehouses and Distribution Centers, 7.
Hospitality, 8. Healthcare
What are the LEED certification levels, and how many LEED points are required
for each certification level?
Certified: 40; Silver: 50; Gold: 60; Platinum: 80
How should project teams determine a project's rating system if more than one
rating system could apply?
Use the 40/60 rule:
- if a rating system would be appropriate for <40% of a project's gross floor area, do not
use that rating system
- if a rating system would be appropriate for >60% of a project's gross floor area, that
rating system should be used
- in between, project team uses discretion
How many LEED impact categories are there?
7
What are the LEED impact categories?
1. Reverse contribution to global climate change
2. Enhance individual human health and well-being
3. Promote and restore water resources
4. Protect, enhance, and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services
5. Promote sustainable and regenerative material resources cycles
6. Build a greener economy
7. Enhance social equity, environmental justice, community health, and quality of life
What are the Minimum Program Requirements?
1. Must be in a permanent location on existing land
2. Must use reasonable LEED boundaries
, 3. Must comply with project size requirements (minimum of 1,000 sq. ft. gross floor
area)
What are the certification programs available to projects that include multiple
buildings?
Volume and Campus
What is a CIR?
Credit interpretation ruling. CIR's are project-specific, and are not precedent-setting.
What is a LEED interpretation?
Interpretations are similar to CIR's, but are precedent-setting, whereas CIR's are
project-specific.
What is the triple bottom line?
People, planet, profit
What is USGBC's mission?
USGBC's mission is to transform the way buildings and communities are designed,
built, and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and
prosperous environment that improves the quality of life.
What is a passing score on the LEED AP exam?
170
What is the most highly weighted LEED impact category?
Reversing global climate change
The preliminary construction review should take place within how long after
substantial project completion?
2 years
What is a master site?
A master site must be registered, can achieve credits for any projects included in the
master site, but cannot be LEED certified itself.
What is the difference between interpretations and addenda?
Interpretations answer questions; addenda incorporate changes.
What documents apply to incomplete spaces?
1. Letter of commitment (owner)
2. Tenant design and construction guidelines (tenants)
What is a project's development footprint?
All of a project's impermeable surfaces (>50% permeable pavement does not
contribute).
Density [does / does not] include structured parking
does NOT
What is the equation used to calculate hotel occupancy?
HO = 1.5 x (guest rooms) x 0.60
The 1.5 constant is for the average number of people that use a room. The 0.60
constant is for the average vacancy of an average hotel.
What is the equation used to calculate residential occupancy?
RO = (# units) + (# bedrooms)
What is a declarant?
The declarant is the individual responsible for documenting a LEED credit.
What are the 3 phases of the integrative process?
