USGBC LEED-GA Online Practice Questions and Exam Preparation

USGBC LEED-GA Online Questions & Answers

• Question 201:

  In order to maintain the LEED Green Associate credential, you must earn which of the following continuing education credits?

  A. 15 hours per year with six hours being LEED specific
  B. 15 hours every two years with three hours being LEED specific
  C. 30 hours per year with three hours being LEED specific
  D. 30 hours every two years with six hours being LEED specific
  D. 30 hours every two years with six hours being LEED specific

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  To maintain the LEED Green Associate credential, you must earn 30 continuing education hours every two years, with at least six of those hours being LEED specific. This requirement ensures that LEED Green Associates stay up-to-date with the latest developments in green building practices and LEED rating systems..

  References: LEED Green Associate Candidate Handbook, U.S. Green Building Council resources

• Question 202:

  The goal of regional priority credits is to incentivize project teams to

  A. use a LEED AP on the design team
  B. increase environmental education and advocacy
  C. achieve credits that address geographical specific environmental issues
  D. prioritize the needs of certain areas in the country that have more environmental impact needs than others
  C. achieve credits that address geographical specific environmental issues

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  Regional priority credits are bonus points that are awarded to projects that achieve credits that address geographically specific environmental, social equity and public health priorities. These credits are not new LEED credits, but instead are existing credits that USGBC regional councils and chapters have designated as being particularly important for their areas..The goal of regional priority credits is to incentivize project teams to address the most critical and relevant environmental issues in their regions, such as water scarcity, air quality, habitat loss, or social equity12..Regional priority credits are based on the project's geolocation (latitude and longitude coordinates), which can be entered and confirmed during project registration in LEED Online2..Each project can earn up to four regional priority bonus points, one for each regional priority credit achieved3.

• Question 203:

  Which of the following encourages biodiversity on a project site?

  A. Removing all existing vegetation
  B. Installing non-native monoculture plants
  C. Using native or adapted species
  D. Expanding turf grass coverage
  C. Using native or adapted species

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  Native or adapted plants support local ecological systems and reduce irrigation needs, aligned with Sustainable Sites requirements.

• Question 204:

  In an effort to preserve the aquatic habitat and natural stream morphology of a fresh-water stream located downstream of a project boundary, one should consider which of the following strategies?

  A. Minimize pervious surfaces, enhance native vegetation and capture and reuse rainwater
  B. Minimize impervious surfaces, enhance native vegetation and capture and reuse rainwater
  C. Minimize pervious surfaces, implement low-impact development strategies and mimic natural systems
  D. Minimize impervious surfaces, implement high-impact development strategies and mimic natural systems
  B. Minimize impervious surfaces, enhance native vegetation and capture and reuse rainwater

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  impervious surfaces are those that do not allow water to infiltrate into the soil, such as asphalt, concrete, roofs, or compacted soil. Impervious surfaces increase the amount and speed of stormwater runoff, which can cause erosion, sedimentation, flooding, and pollution of downstream water bodies..Minimizing impervious surfaces can help reduce these negative impacts and preserve the aquatic habitat and natural stream morphology12. Native vegetation is the plant life that is adapted to the local climate and

  soil conditions. Native vegetation can help filter pollutants, stabilize soils, reduce runoff, provide shade, and create habitat for wildlife..Enhancing native vegetation can help restore the natural functions and diversity of the ecosystem and protect the aquatic habitat and natural stream morphology. Rainwater is the precipitation that falls on the site. Rainwater can be captured and reused for various purposes, such as irrigation, toilet flushing, or cooling. Capturing and reusing rainwater can help reduce potable

  water demand, decrease stormwater runoff, and prevent flooding and pollution of downstream water bodies..Capturing and reusing rainwater can help conserve water resources and protect the aquatic habitat and natural stream morphology1..

  These strategies are consistent with the LEED v4 requirements for the Sustainable Sites credit category, which aims to protect and restore habitat, manage stormwater, reduce heat island effects, and promote alternative transportation.

• Question 205:

  Which of the following includes impacts quantified by life-cycle costing (CCC)?

  A. Energy use reduction
  B. Acidification reduction
  C. Eutrophication potential
  D. Global warming potential
  A. Energy use reduction

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  Life-cycle costing (LCC) is a method of estimating the total cost of owning and operating an asset over its entire life span..LCC considers all costs associated with the acquisition, installation, operation, maintenance, and disposal of the asset12..LCC can help businesses make better decisions about purchasing, budgeting, pricing, and investing in assets2. LCC does not quantify environmental impacts such as acidification, eutrophication, or global warming. These impacts are measured by life-cycle

  assessment (LCA), which is a method of evaluating the environmental effects of a product or service throughout its life cycle..LCA considers the inputs and outputs of materials, energy, and emissions at each stage of the product or service life cycle34..LCA can help businesses identify opportunities to reduce their environmental footprint, improve their sustainability performance, and comply with environmental regulations4.

  However, LCC and LCA are often used together to compare different alternatives based on both economic and environmental criteria. For example, a business may use LCC to estimate the energy costs of different lighting options, and LCA to estimate the greenhouse gas emissions of each option. By combining LCC and LCA results, the business can select the option that minimizes both costs and emissions.

• Question 206:

  Minimum acoustic performance is a prerequisite requirement that applies to

  A. LEED for Schools
  B. LEED for Hospitality
  C. LEED for Healthcare
  D. LEED for New Constructions and Major Renovations
  A. LEED for Schools

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  Minimum acoustic performance is a prerequisite requirement that applies to LEED for Schools projects. The prerequisite aims to provide classrooms that facilitate better teacher-to-student and student-to-student communication through effective acoustic design. The prerequisite requires projects to meet the sound transmission class (STC) ratings for walls, floors, ceilings, doors, and windows; the background noise levels from HVAC systems; and the reverberation time for core learning spaces. By meeting

  the minimum acoustic performance, projects can improve the indoor environmental quality, enhance the learning outcomes, and reduce the health and stress impacts of noise..

  References: LEED v4 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction, p..545.1; [Acoustical Society of America website]

• Question 207:

  The Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct of 1992), 2005 is a baseline standard for the credit category of A. Water Efficiency

  B. Sustainable Sites

  C. Energy and Atmosphere prerequisite

  D. Indoor Environmental Quality

  Correct Answer. C
  C

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  The Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct of 1992) is a United States government act that set goals, createdmandates, and amended utility laws to increase clean energy use and improve overall energy efficiency in the United States1..The EPAct of 1992 is a baseline standard for the Energyand Atmosphere prerequisite category in LEED v4, which aims to reduce the environmental and economic impacts of excessive energy use and promote the use of renewable and alternative energy sources2..The EPAct of 1992 establishes the minimum energy performancerequirements for buildings, such as lighting power density, HVAC efficiency, and water heating efficiency3..The EPAct of 1992 also provides tax incentives and grants for energy conservationand renewable energy projects1..The EPAct of 1992 was amended by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which updated some of the provisions and standards of the original act.

• Question 208:

  A building manager is comparing the operating cost of the existing boiler to the purchase and operation of a new and more efficient boiler. The building manager discovers that although the upfront cost is significant, purchasing the new boiler would drastically decrease the cost of running and operating the system. This exercise is called

  A. life-cycle costing
  B. value engineering
  C. integrated design
  D. life-cycle assessment
  A. life-cycle costing

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  Life-cycle costing is an economic analysis method that considers all costs associated with an asset over its entire life cycle, from acquisition and installation to operation, maintenance, and disposal. In this case, the building manager is comparing the total costs of owning and operating two different boilers over their respective lifetimes..

  References: LEED Green Associate Candidate Handbook, U.S. Green Building Council resources

• Question 209:

  When a developer builds a new shopping center in a rural area, one externality might be

  A. an increase in profits for the developer
  B. an increase in traffic on adjacent roads
  C. an increase in installation of rooftop solar
  D. an increase in the fees for customer parking
  B. an increase in traffic on adjacent roads

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  An externality is a consequence of an economic activity that affects other parties who are not directly involved in the activity. Externalities can be positive or negative, depending on whether they create benefits or costs for others. When a developer builds a new shopping center in a rural area, one externality might be an increase in traffic on adjacent roads..This is a negative externality because it imposes costs on other road users who are not part of thedevelopment project, such as increased travel time,

  fuel consumption, air pollution, noise pollution, and accident risk13..

  References: LEED v4 Green Associate Candidate Handbook1, Investopedia's Externality

• Question 210:

  Which of the following methods provides maximum water efficiency for a building irrigation system?

  A. Drip irrigation system
  B. Flow irrigation system
  C. Overhead spray sprinklers
  D. Revolving circular sprinklers
  A. Drip irrigation system

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  A drip irrigation system provides maximum water efficiency for a building irrigation system. A drip irrigation system delivers water directly to the root zone of plants, minimizing evaporation, runoff, and overspray. This reduces water consumption and prevents water pollution from fertilizers and pesticides. The LEED Green Associate Candidate Handbook states that one of the strategies for achieving water efficiency in landscaping is to "use efficient irrigation systems, such as drip irrigation" [1, p. 14]..

  References: LEED Green Associate Candidate Handbook, [Drip Irrigation | U.S. Department of Agriculture]