LEED Green Associate Exam Questions With
Answers Graded A+
cradle to grave
Open system where materials are extracted, manufactured, purchased, consumed, and disposed of,
with a clear beginning and finite end. Linear consumption to waste process.
cradle to cradle
Closed system where materials are reused at the end of their useful life. Continuous loop of reuse
that eliminates waste.
upstream activities
Related to the extraction of the raw materials used in a product.
downstream activities
related to the processing of materials all the way through to the delivery of the final product to the
end user
embodied energy
The total amount of energy used to extract materials and manufacture, transport, install, and use a
product across its life cycle.
Triple Bottom Line
people, planet, and profit dimensions of an organization in decision making. stakeholder approach,
not shareholder approach so that the bottom line for all parties can be increased.
no! any additional costs are recovered in long-term savings
do green buildings cost more than nongreen buildings?
regenerative building
closed systems that use only as much water and energy as they can produce
integrative process
A design process in which multidisciplinary teams collaborate to meet sustainable design objectives
from the inception of a project to its completion.
discovery, implementation, occupancy
three phases of the integrative design process
discovery phase
most critical phase of the entire building design process. occurs before schematic design begins. team
members gather information relevant to the project and bring the data to project meetings to inform
the design process. (integrative process phase)
implementation phase
,integrative process phase where team members compile and analyze the results of research relating
to system interactions between disciplines. then the building design begins to develop.
occupancy phase
integrative process phase where performance assessment mechanisms are used to measure actual
building performance against expectations
1. conduct research and collect data within the scope of the work
2. analyze the data
3. share data analyses with team members at group workshops
4. receive feedbacks to identify synergies, wastes, and other opportunities for savings and efficiency
across all disciplines
5. create/refine design
5 steps in the iterative process
negative feedback loop
A feedback loop that causes a system to change in the opposite direction from which it is moving and
self-correct
positive feedback loop
feedback loop that causes a system to change further in the same direction (ex: climate change)
Prius effect
The effect of changed behavior as a result of making information about a subject more visible and
available (ex: measuring energy efficiency increases energy efficiency)
leverage point
a point in a system in which a small change can yield large results
new construction and major renovations, core and shell development, schools, retail, data centers,
warehouses and distribution centers, hospitality, healthcare
rating systems for LEED building design and construction (8)
commercial interiors, retail, hospitality
rating systems for LEED interior design and construction (3)
existing buildings, retail, schools, hospitality, data centers, warehouses and distribution centers
rating systems for LEED building operations and maintenance (6)
homes and multifamily lowrise, multifamily midrise
rating systems for LEED for homes (2)
plan, built project
rating systems for LEED neighborhood development (2)
, location and transportation, sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and
resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation, regional priority
LEED credit categories (8)
16
possible points in the location and transportation category
10
possible points in the sustainable sites category
11
possible points in the water efficiency category
33
possible points in the energy and atmosphere category
13
possible points in the materials and resources category
16
possible points in the indoor environmental quality category
6
possible points in the innovation category
4
possible points in the regional priority category
location and transportation
credit category that focuses on selecting sites in high-density areas that have existing infrastructure,
are on brownfields or other high-priority designations, avoid sensitive habitats, promote alternative
transportation, and are connected with amenities such as restaurants and parks
sustainable sites
credit category that focuses on reducing environmental impacts through site assessment, site design,
and site management
water efficiency
credit category that focuses on reducing indoor and outdoor water use
energy and atmosphere
credit category that focuses on optimizing the energy performance of a building and using renewable
energy resources
Answers Graded A+
cradle to grave
Open system where materials are extracted, manufactured, purchased, consumed, and disposed of,
with a clear beginning and finite end. Linear consumption to waste process.
cradle to cradle
Closed system where materials are reused at the end of their useful life. Continuous loop of reuse
that eliminates waste.
upstream activities
Related to the extraction of the raw materials used in a product.
downstream activities
related to the processing of materials all the way through to the delivery of the final product to the
end user
embodied energy
The total amount of energy used to extract materials and manufacture, transport, install, and use a
product across its life cycle.
Triple Bottom Line
people, planet, and profit dimensions of an organization in decision making. stakeholder approach,
not shareholder approach so that the bottom line for all parties can be increased.
no! any additional costs are recovered in long-term savings
do green buildings cost more than nongreen buildings?
regenerative building
closed systems that use only as much water and energy as they can produce
integrative process
A design process in which multidisciplinary teams collaborate to meet sustainable design objectives
from the inception of a project to its completion.
discovery, implementation, occupancy
three phases of the integrative design process
discovery phase
most critical phase of the entire building design process. occurs before schematic design begins. team
members gather information relevant to the project and bring the data to project meetings to inform
the design process. (integrative process phase)
implementation phase
,integrative process phase where team members compile and analyze the results of research relating
to system interactions between disciplines. then the building design begins to develop.
occupancy phase
integrative process phase where performance assessment mechanisms are used to measure actual
building performance against expectations
1. conduct research and collect data within the scope of the work
2. analyze the data
3. share data analyses with team members at group workshops
4. receive feedbacks to identify synergies, wastes, and other opportunities for savings and efficiency
across all disciplines
5. create/refine design
5 steps in the iterative process
negative feedback loop
A feedback loop that causes a system to change in the opposite direction from which it is moving and
self-correct
positive feedback loop
feedback loop that causes a system to change further in the same direction (ex: climate change)
Prius effect
The effect of changed behavior as a result of making information about a subject more visible and
available (ex: measuring energy efficiency increases energy efficiency)
leverage point
a point in a system in which a small change can yield large results
new construction and major renovations, core and shell development, schools, retail, data centers,
warehouses and distribution centers, hospitality, healthcare
rating systems for LEED building design and construction (8)
commercial interiors, retail, hospitality
rating systems for LEED interior design and construction (3)
existing buildings, retail, schools, hospitality, data centers, warehouses and distribution centers
rating systems for LEED building operations and maintenance (6)
homes and multifamily lowrise, multifamily midrise
rating systems for LEED for homes (2)
plan, built project
rating systems for LEED neighborhood development (2)
, location and transportation, sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and
resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation, regional priority
LEED credit categories (8)
16
possible points in the location and transportation category
10
possible points in the sustainable sites category
11
possible points in the water efficiency category
33
possible points in the energy and atmosphere category
13
possible points in the materials and resources category
16
possible points in the indoor environmental quality category
6
possible points in the innovation category
4
possible points in the regional priority category
location and transportation
credit category that focuses on selecting sites in high-density areas that have existing infrastructure,
are on brownfields or other high-priority designations, avoid sensitive habitats, promote alternative
transportation, and are connected with amenities such as restaurants and parks
sustainable sites
credit category that focuses on reducing environmental impacts through site assessment, site design,
and site management
water efficiency
credit category that focuses on reducing indoor and outdoor water use
energy and atmosphere
credit category that focuses on optimizing the energy performance of a building and using renewable
energy resources
