LEED-AP-BDC Practice Questions

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.

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

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 …

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

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

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.

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.

. 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

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

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.