Basics Flashcards
What are the LEED performance areas and how much is each category worth
IP LT (16) SS (10) WE (11) EA (33) MR (13) IEQ (16) I (6) RP (4)
how many points to get certified?
40-49
points to get LEED silver?
50-59
points to get LEED gold?
60-79
points to get LEED platinum?
80+
5 LEED specialty categories
BD+C ID+C O+M (Building operations and maintenance ND HOMES
certification vs credentials
buildings vs people
ASHRAE acronym?
American Society of Heating, Refridgerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
What does ASHRAE do?
generate standards for HVAC and energy consumption
What are the ASHRAE standards buildings have to follow
Standard 90.1 (energy standard for buildings)
Standards 189.1 (standards for high performance green buildings - 30% better than 90.1)
What are LEED prerequisites
5% better than ASHRAE 90.1
building level metering
no CFC base refrigerants in HVAC (highest global warming potential)
Energy related systems (HVAC, lighting, hot water, etc) must be commissioned (checked by 3rd party)
What is ASHRAE vs LEED energy code compliance?
32kWh/sf/yr
<30.4 kWh/sf/yr
What is LEED
Leadership in Energy + Environmental Design
It is a voluntary sustainability and building performance system set up by USGBC
What is USGBC
US Green Building Council, founded in 1993, is a private, membership based nonprofit organization that promotes sustainability in building design, construction, and operation
What is GBCI
Green Business Certification Inc.
exclusive 3rd party certification and credentialing organization for LEED projects
USGBC mission?
To improve the way buildings are designed, built, and used in order to achieve a healthy, profitable, and environmentally responsible built environment, and improved quality of life
What is LEED GA
LEED Green Associate: a green building professional with a basic level of LEED knowledge that has passed LEED green associate exam
What is LEED AP+
LEED accredited professional: an advanced level of LEED knowledge that has passed both GA exam and one of the 5 LEED AP specialty exams and who has signed paper work to accept the GBCI disciplinary policy
What is a LEED Fellow
A green building professional with an extraordinary level of LEED knowledge that has made major contributions to the green building industry
CMP?
Credential Maintenance Program
Requirements of CMP
Every 2 years:
LEED GA: pay $50, 15 hrs of continuing education (3hrs LEED)
LEED AP+: pay $50, 30hrs of continuing education (6hrs LEED)
When to use LEED BD+C
new construction of major renovation (at least 60% of project must be complete to earn certification)
When to use LEED ID+C
complete interior fit-out where a minimum of 60% of the projects gross floor area must be complete to earn certificate
When to use LEED O+M
existing buildings undergoing improvement work with little or no construction
When to use LEED ND
New development or redevelopment projects
residential, nonresidential or mixed use accepted
50% of buildings must be new construction or major renovation
What is LEED 40/60 rule
Do not use a rating system that applies to less than 40% of the gross floor area of a project
a rating system is appropriate is it is applicable to 60% or more of the gross floor area of a project
Who can take the LEED GA exam
anyone 18+ years old that signs GBCI CMP agreement and disciplinary policy
Who can take LEED AP+ exam
18+ years old that signs GBCI CMP agreement and can provide documentation of experience on one or more LEED projects within three years of exam application
What are guiding principles of USGBC
Triple bottom line
balance between humanity and nature,
Uphold integrity: restore, preserve, and protect the environment, species, and ecosystem
triple bottom line?
a framework that intends to balance environmental, social, and economic need
(people, planet, profit)
Energy consumption of US buildings?
39% all energy
74% electricity
creates 48% greenhouse gas emissions
LEED system goals/ impact categories
global climate change social equity, environmental justice, and community quality of life individual human health and well-being greener economy biodiversity and ecosystem water resources sustainable and reiterative material resources cycle
LEED category weights
global climate change (35%)
social equity, environmental justice, and community
quality of life(5%)
individual human health and well-being (20%)
greener economy (5%)
biodiversity and ecosystem (10%)
water resources (15%)
sustainable and regenerative material resources cycle (10%)
benefits of LEED certification
enhances building and company marketability, provides branding opportunities, has positive impact on health and environment, increases occupant productivity, reduces building operating costs, helps create sustainable communities
association factors for credit weight
relative efficacy: how strong the association is between a credit and a positive or negative outcome
benefit duration: how long the credit outcome will last
control ability: level of dependency on continued human effort for success
current version of LEED
V4
Scope of LEED GA exam
fundamental credit intents, strategies, requirements, technologies, and submittals for the eight major categories
read application process and opportunities for synergy
site factors: connectivity, zoning, development
water management
project systems and energy impact
project materials acquisition, installation, and management
project team coordination, stakeholder involvement, regional design innovation
codes and regulations
ability to support the coordination of LEED team, LEED process of implementation, and analysis of LEED credit
NRDC
National resources defense council
SMACNA
sheet metal and air conditioning contractors national association
CIR
Credit interpretation request or credit interpretation ruling (not a precedent setting unlike LEED interpretations which are precedent setting)
CFC
chloroflourocarbons
HCFC
hydro-chloroflourocarbons
ACM
asbestos-containing materials
PCB
polychlorinated biphenyl
MPR
minimum project requirement
How many LEED points are there
100
10 bonus
up to 110
commercial process
- register the project online and submit registration
- apply for certification via LEED online and pay certification review fee
- review takes place within GBCI
- certification is either denied or achieved
homes process
- register the project online and select a team and submit registration payment
- mid-construction “pre-drywall” inspection green rater and performance testing by energy rater
- review takes place in stages: documentation is submitted to the green rater who reviews and submits to LEED for Homes provider for quality assurance review. LEED for home provider submits the documentation to GBCI for certification review.
- certification either denied or achieved
LEED for homes providers
the provider is the “referee” of who can be a green rater. they are responsible for hiring, training, and overseeing a team of green raters
usgbc requires that providers have a quality assurance protocol for its green raters
LEED for homes green rater
a professional who has shown qualifications for energy rating certification and demonstrates the ability to deal with a home’s energy systems and performance
green raters provide the required on site verification
LEED volume program
participants may complete precertification of a prototype and then the projects based on that prototype can easily earn a common set of credits, saving a significant time a money
all participants are organizations that own, lease, or manage real estate.
architects, consultants, and contractors are not eligible
LEED volume program project types
LEED for New Construction LEED for Commercial Interiors LEED for Retail: New Construction LEED for Retail: Commercial Interiors LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance Projects undergoing recertification
What is included in LEED registration
Account login information
Project contact information
Project details (type, title, address, owner, grow square footage, budget, site condition, current project phase, scope, occupancy, etc.) and
Confidentiality status of the project
What is LEED precertification
A formal recognition of a project in which the owner intends to seek Core and Shell certification and gives the owner of a marketing tool to retract financing and tenants.
Project must meet scorecard requirements for precertification which is granted after an early design review by the USGBC.
Cost: $2500-$3500. Final certification is not guaranteed and is not included in this cost.
When do you submit a LEED CIR
Credit Interpretation Request: When there are conflicts between two credit categories or USGBC doesn’t give you enough information.
A CIR allows you to obtain technical guidance related to a particular credit or facet of the LEED rating system. CIRs are not precedent setting; your project team can only utilize the ruling for the project under which the CIR was submitted. CIRs for LEED commercial projects are filed through LEED Online.
LEED volume program CIR types
Prototype CIR: applicable to all buildings in the participants portfolio for the prototype.
Volume project CIR: applicable to only the specific volume project for which it was submitted
3 functions of LEED MPRs
1 Clear guidance for customers
2 Maintain LEED lead program integrity
3 Make the LEED certification process easier
Basic requirements of any LEED project
1 Permanent location on existing land
2 Reasonable Site boundary, FAR of 2% or higher
3 Minimum Sizes: 1000sf for BD+C, O+M 250sf for ID+C Less than 1500 acres and at least 2 habitable buildings for ND
What do green buildings address
1 Mitigate degradation of ecosystems did habitat
2 Resource depletion
3 Reduce costs of operating
4 Improve occupant productivity
5 Improve indoor and environmental quality
6 Reduce water consumption
Benefits of integrative approach
Better indoor air quality Improved occupant performance Reduced operating costs and maintenance Durable facilities Reduced environmental impact Optimized return on investment Opportunities for learning
LEED factors beyond credit categories
Awareness and education
Green buildings and infrastructure
Neighborhood design and pattern
What is a declarant
A team member who signs off on the documents and indicates who is responsible for each credit or prerequisite. Each project must have a declarant.
What is a LEED licensed professional exemption form
A form that a licensed professional (Architect, Engineer, etc) can use to request a waiver for eligible submittal requirements.
