Intro + LEED Systems Flashcards
What are the 6 credit categories?
Location and Transport (LT) Sustainable Sites (SS) Water Efficiency (WE) Energy & Atmosphere (EA) Materials & Resources (MR) Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ)
Integrated Project Delivery (IPD)
Process where the whole project team works together to optimize results from conception to completion.
Life Cycle Cost (LCC)
Sum of initial costs and recurring costs over the full life span of a structure.
LCC = Design Cost + Construction Cost + Operations/Maintenance Cost
Biodegradable
Capable of decomposing under natural conditions, especially by bacteria. Biodegradable materials are generally organic such as dead plants and animals. Plastic bags and Styrofoam cups are considered non-biodegradable.
Building Codes
Set of rules that specify minimum acceptance level of public health, safety, and general welfare for construction and occupancy of buildings and structures. Building codes are applied by architects/engineers on drawings, implemented by contractors in field, and then enforced by the local authority in jurisdiction, such as city inspectors.
Hard Costs
Price for hard assets (construction costs):
- Building
- Inventory
- Equipment
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
“Cradle to Grave” Analysis
Valuation of the environmental impacts associated with a given product, process, and service
Life Cycle Costing (LCC)
Evaluation of a product’s “economic performance.”
Upfront costs
O&M costs over lifetime
Market Transformation
Strategy to promote the value of green technologies in the marketplace
EPA’s Energy Star program has been successful - recognition through label
Regenerative Design
Focus on improving existing conditions
Positive environment changes through healthy development, not just reducing impact
Soft Costs
Not direct construction costs. Design fees, bank interest, legal, accounting, advertising, etc.
Value Engineering
evaluation to select design with lowest life cycle cost, yet still achieving desired level of performance.
Zoning
Land use regulations imposed by local governments as to what structures can be built on on certain land and how big/high the building can be
LEED BD+C - New Construction
Commercial buildings (e.g., offices) Institutional buildings (e.g., museums, churches, libraries) High-rise residential buildings (9+ stories_
LEED BD+C - Core & Shell
Developers control core (major mechanical systems) and shell (building envelope and structural), but NOT leasable tenant space.
LEED BD+C - Schools
Academic buildings (K-12) Daycares, nonacademic buildings or colleges can use Schools or NC
LEED BD+C - Healthcare
Inpatient, outpatient, and licensed long-term health care facilities
Medical offices, assisted living facilities, medical education and research centers
LEED BD+C - Retail
Banks, restaurants, apparel, electronics, etc.
LEED BD+C - Data Centers
Special needs of high density computing equipment such as servers, data storage and processor, etc.
LEED BD+C - Hospitality
Lodging facilities such as hotels and motels
LEED BD+C - Warehouse & Distribution Centers
Storage buildings for products, merchandise, raw materials, etc.
LEED ID+C
Building already exists
Tenant fit outs
Works with Core & Shell
Commercial Interiors, Retail, Hospitality
LEED O+M
Building already constructed
Efficiency on the operational side
Improve building performance
Existing Buildings, Schools, Retail, Data Centers, Hospitality, Warehouse & Distribution Centers
PERFORMANCE PERIOD - operations measured and documented
LEED ND
Certify entire neighborhoods (scale!)
ND Plan (planning or construction phases)
ND Built Project (completed development projects)
Rates neighborhoods according to:
- Smart location and linkage
- Neighborhood pattern and design
- Green infrastructure and buildings
- Innovative Design & Process
LEED for Homes
Homes & Multifamily Low-Rise
- Single family housing
- Low-rise multifamily housing (
Minimum Program Requirements (MPRs)
- Must be in a permanent building on existing land
- Must use a reasonable and consistent site boundary
- Must comply with minimum project size requirements
- BD+C: 1000 sq ft
- ID+C: 250 sq ft
- O+M: 1000 sq ft
- ND: Contain at least 2 habitable buildings and no larger than 1500 acres
- Homes: Defined as a “dwelling unit” by all applicable codes
Prerequisites (PRs)
Mandatory requirements to qualify for LEED certification
Possible points for each Credit Category
Integrative Process - 1 Location and Transportation - 16 Sustainable Sites - 10 Water Efficiency - 11 Energy & Atmosphere - 33 Materials & Resources - 13 Indoor Environmental Quality - 16
Bonus Points:
Innovation & Design - 6
Regional Credit - 4
LEED Levels of Certification
Certified: 40-49 points
Silver: 50-59 points
Gold: 60-79 points
Platinum: 80+ points
LEED “Charrette”
Part of PLANNING
Includes all stakeholders: owners, building users, architects, engineers, and general public (contractors might be invited)
- Determine targets
- Prepare a draft plan
- Assign a LEED Project Administrator
How to register with GBCI?
Part of REGISTRATION
LEED Project Administrator submits registration form through LEED Online
Registration fee - $900 members/ $1200 nonmenbers
Difference between Combined Review & Split Review for a LEED project?
Part of PREPARE & SUBMIT APPLICATION
Combined: after substantial completion, team submits required documentation and certification fee is paid at time of submittal
Split: Submit during design phase, allowing assessment of likelihood of achieving design phase LEED credits. All remaining requirements will then be submitted as a 2nd step construction application. Certification fee is split and paid at the time of each phase submittal.
Credit Submittal Request Responses
Anticipated, Pending, Awarded, Denied
LEED For Homes Certification Process
Third party verification done through a “LEED for Homes Provider” and “Green Rater”
LEED for Homes Provider
Local and regional organizations chosen by USGBC to provide certification services to LEED for Homes projects in their local or regional markets
Green Rater
Individual that works as part of the LEED for Homes Provider team to perform field inspections and performance testing. May work closely with project team to assist with certification process
LEED Credit Interpretation Ruling (CIR)
Clarifications on how a LEED credit applies to a specific project
LEED Intent
One component of each LEED prerequisite or credit. It specifies the environmental goal of each LEED credit
LEED Online
Online system on USGBC website used by project team to manage the entire LEED project certification process
LEED Project Boundary
Portion of project site submitted for certification
LEED Technical Advisory Groups (TAG)
An industry committee that provides technical advice in credit interpretation and rulings, and develops improvement to LEED green building rating systems
Embodied Energy
Sum of all energy required to produce and install any goods or services, considered as if that energy was incorporated or ‘embodied’ in the product itself
Process Energy
Energy consumed in support of a manufacturing, industrial, or commercial process
40/60 Rule
Use when unsure about rating system selection
60% of gross floor area - use
HERS
Home Energy Rating Systems
Compares energy use to reference home
