USGBC LEED-GA Online Practice Questions and Exam Preparation

USGBC LEED-GA Online Questions & Answers

• Question 31:

  LEED considers products to be environmentally preferable materials when they are

  A. cost effective
  B. transported by air rather than rail
  C. materials with more life-cycle impact
  D. locally extracted, manufactured and purchased
  D. locally extracted, manufactured and purchased

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  LEED considers products to be environmentally preferable when they are locally extracted, manufactured, and purchased. This is because local sourcing reduces the environmental impact associated with transportation, supports local economies, and can often ensure that the materials are suitable for the local climate and conditions..

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

• Question 32:

  Which of the following tools should be used to identify indoor environmental issues and prepare a corrective action plan to make necessary changes?

  A. Thermal sensors
  B. Occupant surveys
  C. Life-cycle assessments
  D. Mixed-mode design calculations
  B. Occupant surveys

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  Occupant surveys are tools that can be used to identify indoor environmental issues and prepare a corrective action plan to make necessary changes. Occupant surveys are questionnaires that collect feedback from the building users about their satisfaction, comfort, health, and productivity in relation to the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) factors, such as thermal comfort, indoor air quality, lighting quality, acoustic quality, and occupant control. Occupant surveys can help to identify the sources and causes of IEQ problems, as well as the potential solutions and improvements..Occupant surveys are also required for some LEED credits, such as IEQc7.2 Thermal Comfort, Verification1, which requires a corrective action plan if more than 20% of the occupants are dissatisfied with the thermal conditions in the space2. The other options are not directly related to identifying indoor environmental issues and preparing a corrective action plan, as they involve different types of tools or metrics that are not relevant for measuring occupant satisfaction and comfort.

• Question 33:

  The cost of Commissioning (Cx) Is often repaid with

  A. advanced energy metering
  B. renewable power management
  C. recovered energy performance
  D. enhanced refrigerant management
  C. recovered energy performance

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  The cost of commissioning (Cx) is often repaid with recovered energy performance. Commissioning is a process of verifying and documenting that a building and its systems meet the design intent and the owner's project requirements. Commissioning can help improve the energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and occupant satisfaction of a building..According to a study by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, commissioning can result in median energy savings of 13% for existing buildings and 16% for new construction, with payback times of 1.1 years and 4.2 years, respectively1..Therefore, commissioning can be acost-effective investment that pays off with reduced energy consumption and costs over the life cycle of a building..

  References: Building Commissioning: A Golden Opportunity for Reducing Energy Costs and Greenhouse Gas Emissions1; LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, Energy and Atmosphere, page 81

• Question 34:

  Which of the following Is a measure of energy use intensity?

  A. Daylighting and views
  B. Energy consumed per unit of floor space
  C. Systems with ENERGY STAR" requirements
  D. The amount of electricity a wind turbine can produce
  B. Energy consumed per unit of floor space

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  Energy use intensity (EUI) is a measure of energy use per unit of floor space. It is calculated by dividing the total energy consumed by the building in one year (measured in kilowatt-hours or kilo-British Thermal Units) by the total gross floor area of the building (measured in square feet or square meters). EUI is a useful metric for comparing the energy performance of different buildings or benchmarking against national averages. EUI can vary depending on building type, climate, occupancy, and other factors..Generally, a lower EUI indicates better energy efficiency and lower environmental impact..

  References: What is Energy Use Intensity (EUI)?2; Energy Use Intensity (EUI)3

• Question 35:

  What is the best way to prevent a building's indoor pollutant(s)?

  A. Test for radon
  B. Monitor carbon dioxide
  C. Eliminate or control pollutants at the source
  D. Remove any pollutants that enter the building
  C. Eliminate or control pollutants at the source

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  The best way to prevent a building's indoor pollutant(s) is to eliminate or control pollutants at the source. Indoor pollutants are substances or particles that can adversely affect the indoor air quality (IAQ) of a building and the health, comfort, and productivity of the occupants. Indoor pollutants can originate from various sources, such as building materials, furnishings, cleaning products, combustion appliances, outdoor air, or occupant activities. Eliminating or controlling pollutants at the source can prevent them from entering or spreading in the indoor environment, which can reduce the exposure and risk for the occupants..Some examples of source control strategies are: using low-emitting materials, installing local exhaust ventilation, sealingcombustion appliances, implementing green cleaning practices, and prohibiting smoking13..

  References: LEED v4 Green Associate Candidate Handbook1, EPA's Indoor Air Quality3

• Question 36:

  If a project incorporates daylighting, in which category should the project team seek points for implementing this strategy?

  A. Energy and Atmosphere
  B. Innovation
  C. Indoor Environmental Quality
  D. Sustainable Sites
  C. Indoor Environmental Quality

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  Daylighting falls under the Indoor Environmental Quality category. LEED awards points for strategies that enhance natural light to improve occupant comfort and reduce energy consumption.

• Question 37:

  Which of the following helps reduce outdoor potable water use?

  A. Using potable water for turf irrigation
  B. Installing subsurface drip irrigation using non-potable water
  C. Increasing sprinkler coverage
  D. Irrigating daily regardless of weather
  B. Installing subsurface drip irrigation using non-potable water

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  Non-potable subsurface drip irrigation reduces potable demand and evaporation loss, supporting LEED Outdoor Water Use Reduction credit.

• Question 38:

  Which of the following standard organizations support requirements for the Minimum Energy Performance Prerequisite and the Minimum Indoor Air Quality Performance Prerequisite?

  A. SMACNA
  B. International Code Council
  C. ASHRAE
  D. ENERGY STAR
  C. ASHRAE

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  LEED uses specific ASHRAE standards for energy and indoor air quality: "ASHRAE 90.1-2010 is used for Minimum Energy Performance..."

  "ASHRAE 62.1-2010 is used for Minimum Indoor Air Quality Performance..." SMACNA is related to construction air quality, not performance standards.

• Question 39:

  Which of the following is a cause of surface water degradation?

  A. Rainwater harvesting
  B. Expansion of pervious surfaces
  C. Expansion of impervious surfaces
  D. Expansion of outdoor filtration systems
  C. Expansion of impervious surfaces

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  One of the causes of surface water degradation is the expansion of impervious surfaces. Impervious surfaces are those that do not allow water to infiltrate into the soil, such as roads, parking lots, rooftops, and sidewalks. Impervious surfaces increase the amount and speed of stormwater runoff, which can carry pollutants, sediments, nutrients, and pathogens into surface water bodies such as streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans..Impervious surfaces also reduce groundwater recharge, lower base flow in streams, increase flooding and erosion, alter streammorphology and habitat, and affect water temperature and dissolved oxygen levels2..Therefore, impervious surfaces can have significant negative impacts on the quality and quantity of surface water resources..

  References: Surface Water as a cause of land degradation from dryland salinity3; What is Water Pollution?4

• Question 40:

  Which of the following third-party verification strategy contributes to environmentally preferable products?

  A. ASHRAE 90.1
  B. California's Title 24
  C. Green Buying Council
  D. Forest Stewardship Council
  D. Forest Stewardship Council

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  The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a third-party verification organization that certifies forest products that are sourced from responsibly managed forests that meet environmental, social, and economic standards12..FSC-certified wood products are considered environmentally preferable products under the LEED v4 Materials and Resources category, as they reduce the negative impacts of deforestation, habitat loss, and biodiversity loss34. What is FSC?.| FSC International1 Forest Stewardship Council - Wikipedia2 LEED v4: Building Design + Construction Guide - U.S..Green Building Council3 Credit's Supporting LEED's Materials and Resources Category | Legrand4