LEED Credits Flashcards
Integrative Process
Intent
To support high-performance, cost-effective project outcomes through an early analysis of the interrelationships among systems.
LT: LEED for Neighborhood Development Location
UP TO 16PTS
Intent
To avoid development on inappropriate sites. To reduce vehicle distance traveled. To enhance livability and improve human health by encouraging daily physical activity.
Requirements
Locate the project in within the boundary of a development certified under LEED for Neighborhood Development
LT: Sensitive Land Protection
1PT
Intent
To avoid the development of environmentally sensitive lands and reduce the environmental impact from the location of a building on a site.
Requirements
Option 1.
Locate the development footprint on land that has been previously developed.
OR
Option 2.
Locate the development footprint on land that has been previously developed or that does not meet the following criteria for sensitive land:
LT: High priority site
2PTS
Intent
To encourage project location in areas with development constraints and promote the health of the surrounding area.
Requirements
Locate the project on an infill location in a historic district.
or
Option 2. Priority designation
or
Locate on a brownfield where soil or groundwater contamination has been identified, and where the local, state, or national authority (whichever has jurisdiction) requires its remediation
LT: Surrounding density and diverse uses
UP TO 5PT
Intent
To conserve land and protect farmland and wildlife habitat by encouraging development in areas with existing infrastructure. To promote walkability, and transportation efficiency and reduce vehicle distance traveled. To improve public health by encouraging daily physical activity.
LT: Access to quality transit
5PTS
Intent
To encourage development in locations shown to have multimodal transportation choices or otherwise reduced motor vehicle use, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and other environmental and public health harms associated with motor vehicle use.
Requirements
Locate any functional entry of the project within a ¼-mile (400-meter) walking distance of existing or planned bus, streetcar, or informal transit stops, or within a ½-mile (800-meter) walking distance of existing or planned bus rapid transit stops, light or heavy rail stations, commuter rail stations or ferry terminals.
LT: Bicycle facilities
1PT
Intent
To promote bicycling and transportation efficiency and reduce vehicle distance traveled. To improve public health by encouraging utilitarian and recreational physical activity.
Requirements
Bicycle network
Design or locate the project such that a functional entry and/or bicycle storage is within a 200-yard (180-meter) walking distance or bicycling distance from a bicycle network
Bicycle Storage and Shower Rooms
LT: Reduced parking footprint
1PT
Intent
To minimize the environmental harms associated with parking facilities, including automobile dependence, land consumption, and rainwater runoff.
Requirements
Do not exceed the minimum local code requirements for parking capacity.
LT: Green vehicles
1PT
Intent
To reduce pollution by promoting alternatives to conventionally fueled automobiles.
Requirements
Designate 5% of all parking spaces used by the project as preferred parking for green vehicles. Clearly identify and enforce for sole use by green vehicles.
SS: Construction activity pollution prevention
PREQ.
Intent
To reduce pollution from construction activities by controlling soil erosion, waterway sedimentation, and airborne dust.
Requirements
Create and implement an erosion and sedimentation control plan for all construction activities associated with the project. The plan must conform to the erosion and sedimentation requirements of the 2012 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
SS: Site assessment
1PT
Intent
To assess site conditions before design to evaluate sustainable options and inform related decisions about site design.
SS: Site development - protect or restore habitat
2PT
Intent
To conserve existing natural areas and restore damaged areas to provide habitat and promote biodiversity.
Requirements
Preserve and protect from all development and construction activity 40% of the greenfield area on the site (if such areas exist).
SS: Open space
1PT
Intent
To create exterior open space that encourages interaction with the environment, social interaction, passive recreation, and physical activities.
Requirements
Provide outdoor space greater than or equal to 30% of the total site area (including building footprint). A minimum of 25% of that outdoor space must be vegetated (turf grass does not count as vegetation) or have overhead vegetated canopy.
SS: Rainwater management
3PT
Intent
To reduce runoff volume and improve water quality by replicating the natural hydrology and water balance of the site, based on historical conditions and undeveloped ecosystems in the region.
SS: Heat island reduction
2PT
Intent
To minimize effects on microclimates and human and wildlife habitats by reducing heat islands
SS: Light pollution reduction
1PT
Intent
To increase night sky access, improve nighttime visibility, and reduce the consequences of development for wildlife and people.
Requirements
Meet uplight and light trespass requirements, using either the backlight-uplight-glare (BUG) method (Option 1) or the calculation method (Option 2). Projects may use different options for up light and light trespass.
WE: Outdoor water use reduction
PREQ.
Intent
To reduce outdoor water consumption.
Requirements
Reduce outdoor water use through one of the following options. Nonvegetated surfaces, such as permeable or impermeable pavement, should be excluded from landscape area calculations.
Reduce the project’s landscape water requirement by at least 30% from the calculated baseline for the site’s peak watering month.
WE: Indoor water use reduction
PREQ.
Intent
To reduce indoor water consumption.
Requirements
Building Water Use
For the fixtures and fittings listed in Table 1, as applicable to the project scope, reduce aggregate water consumption by 20% from the baseline.
Standards for appliances
Standards for processes
WE: Building-level water metering
PREQ.
Glossary
Intent
To support water management and identify opportunities for additional water savings by tracking water consumption.
Requirements
Install permanent water meters that measure the total potable water use for the building and associated grounds. Meter data must be compiled into monthly and annual summaries; meter readings can be manual or automated.
Commit to sharing with USGBC the resulting whole-project water usage data for a five-year period beginning on the date the project accepts LEED certification or typical occupancy, whichever comes first.
WE: Outdoor water use reduction
2PTS
Intent
To reduce outdoor water consumption.
Requirements
Option 1. No irrigation required
Option 2. Reduced irrigation (50%)
WE: Indoor water use reduction
6PTS
Intent
To reduce indoor water consumption.
Requirements
Further reduce fixture and fitting water use from the calculated baseline in WE Prerequisite Indoor Water Use Reduction. Additional potable water savings can be earned above the prerequisite level using alternative water sources. Include fixtures and fittings necessary to meet the needs of the occupants. Some of these fittings and fixtures may be outside the tenant space (for Commercial Interiors) or project boundary (for New Construction).
WE: Cooling tower water use
2PTS
Intent
To conserve water used for cooling tower makeup while controlling microbes, corrosion, and scale in the condenser water system.
Requirements
For cooling towers and evaporative condensers, conduct a one-time potable water analysis, in order to optimize cooling tower cycles.
WE: Water metering
1PT
Intent
To support water management and identify opportunities for additional water savings by tracking water consumption.
Requirements
Install permanent water meters for two or more of the following water subsystems, as applicable to the project:
EA: Fundamental commissioning and verification
PREQ.
Intent
To support the design, construction, and eventual operation of a project that meets the owner’s project requirements for energy, water, indoor environmental quality, and durability.
Requirements
Commissioning Process Scope
Complete the following commissioning (Cx) process activities for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and renewable energy systems and assemblies, in accordance with ASHRAE Guideline 0-2005 and ASHRAE Guideline 1.1–2007 for HVAC&R Systems, as they relate to energy, water, indoor environmental quality, and durability.
By the end of the design development phase, engage a commissioning authority
Prepare and maintain a current facilities requirements and operations and maintenance plan that contains the information necessary to operate the building efficiently.
EA: Minimum energy performance
PREQ.
Intent
To reduce the environmental and economic harms of excessive energy use by achieving a minimum level of energy efficiency for the building and its systems.
Requirements
Option 1. Whole-building energy simulation
Demonstrate an improvement of 5% for new construction, 3% for major renovations, or 2% for core and shell projects in the proposed building performance rating compared with the baseline building performance rating.
Option 2. Prescriptive compliance: ASHRAE 50% Advanced Energy Design Guide
Comply with the mandatory and prescriptive provisions of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1–2010, with errata (or a USGBC-approved equivalent standard for projects outside the U.S.).
Option 3. Prescriptive compliance: Advanced BuildingsTM Core PerformanceTM Guide
Comply with the mandatory and prescriptive provisions of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2010, with errata (or USGBC approved equivalent standard for projects outside the U.S.).
EA: Building-level energy metering
PREQ.
Intent
To support energy management and identify opportunities for additional energy savings by tracking building-level energy use.
Requirements
Install new or use existing building-level energy meters, or submeters that can be aggregated to provide building-level data representing total building energy consumption (electricity, natural gas, chilled water, steam, fuel oil, propane, biomass, etc).
EA: Fundamental refrigerant management
PREQ.
To reduce stratospheric ozone depletion.
Requirements
Do not use chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-based refrigerants in new heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems. When reusing existing HVAC&R equipment, complete a comprehensive CFC phase-out conversion before project completion.
EA: Enhanced commissioning
6PTS
Intent
To further support the design, construction, and eventual operation of a project that meets the owner’s project requirements for energy, water, indoor environmental quality, and durability.
Requirements
Implement, or have in place a contract to implement, the following commissioning process activities in addition to those required under EA Prerequisite Fundamental Commissioning and Verification.
EA: Optimize energy performance
18PTS
Intent
To achieve increasing levels of energy performance beyond the prerequisite standard to reduce environmental and economic harms associated with excessive energy use.
Requirements
Establish an energy performance target no later than the schematic design phase. The target must be established as kBtu per square foot-year (kW per square meter-year) of source energy use.
EA: Advanced energy metering
1PT
Intent
To support energy management and identify opportunities for additional energy savings by tracking building-level and system-level energy use.
Requirements
Install advanced energy metering for the following:
all whole-building energy sources used by the building; and
any individual energy end uses that represent 10% or more of the total annual consumption of the building.
EA: Demand response
2PT
Intent
To increase participation in demand response technologies and programs that make energy generation and distribution systems more efficient, increase grid reliability, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Requirements
Design building and equipment for participation in demand response programs through load shedding or shifting. On-site electricity generation does not meet the intent of this credit.
EA: Renewable energy production
3PTS
Intent
To reduce the environmental and economic harms associated with fossil fuel energy by increasing self-supply of renewable energy.
Requirements
Use renewable energy systems to offset building energy costs. Calculate the percentage of renewable energy with the following equation:
% renewable energy = Equivalent cost of usable energy produced by the renewable energy system
Total building annual energy cost
EA: Enhanced refrigerant management
1PT
Intent
To reduce ozone depletion and support early compliance with the Montreal Protocol while minimizing direct contributions to climate change.
Requirements
Option 1. No refrigerants or low-impact refrigerants (1 point)
Do not use refrigerants, or use only refrigerants (naturally occurring or synthetic) that have an ozone depletion potential (ODP) of zero and a global warming potential (GWP) of less than 50.
OR
Option 2. Calculation of refrigerant impact (1 point)
Select refrigerants that are used in heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) equipment to minimize or eliminate the emission of compounds that contribute to ozone depletion and climate change.
EA: Green power and carbon offsets
2PTS
Intent
To encourage the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through the use of grid-source, renewable energy technologies and carbon mitigation projects.
Requirements
Engage in a contract for qualified resources that have come online since January 1, 2005, for a minimum of five years, to be delivered at least annually. The contract must specify the provision of at least 50% or 100% of the project’s energy from green power, carbon offsets, or renewable energy certificates (RECs).
MR: Storage and collection of recyclables
PREQ.
Intent
To reduce the waste that is generated by building occupants and hauled to and disposed of in landfills.
Requirements
Provide dedicated areas accessible to waste haulers and building occupants for the collection and storage of recyclable materials for the entire building. storage areas may be separate locations.
MR: Construction and demolition waste management planning
PREQ.
Intent
To reduce construction and demolition waste disposed of in landfills and incineration facilities by recovering, reusing, and recycling materials.
Requirements
Develop and implement a construction and demolition waste management plan:
Provide a final report detailing all major waste streams generated, including disposal and diversion rates.
MR: Building life-cycle impact reduction
6PTS
Intent
To encourage adaptive reuse and optimize the environmental performance of products and materials.
Requirements
Demonstrate reduced environmental effects during initial project decision-making by reusing existing building resources or demonstrating a reduction in materials use through life-cycle assessment.
MR: Building product disclosure and optimization - environmental product declarations
2PTS
Intent
To encourage the use of products and materials for which life-cycle information is available and that have environmentally, economically, and socially preferable life-cycle impacts. To reward project teams for selecting products from manufacturers who have verified improved environmental life-cycle impacts.
Requirements
Use at least 20 different permanently installed products sourced from at least five different manufacturers that meet one of the disclosure criteria below.
Use products that comply with one of the criteria below for 50%, by cost, of the total value of permanently installed products in the project.
MR: Building product disclosure and optimization - sourcing of raw materials
2PTS
Intent
To encourage the use of products and materials for which life cycle information is available and that have environmentally, economically, and socially preferable life cycle impacts. To reward project teams for selecting products verified to have been extracted or sourced in a responsible manner.
Requirements
Option 1. raw material source and extraction reporting
Option 2. leadership extraction practices
MR: Building product disclosure and optimization - material ingredients
2PTS
Intent
To encourage the use of products and materials for which life-cycle information is available and that have environmentally, economically, and socially preferable life-cycle impacts.
Option 1. material ingredient reporting (1 point)
Requirements
Use at least 20 different permanently installed products from at least five different manufacturers that use any of the following programs to demonstrate the chemical inventory of the product to at least 0.1% (1000 ppm).
Use products that document their material ingredient optimization using the paths below for at least 25%, by cost, of the total value of permanently installed products in the project.
Use building products for at least 25%, by cost,
MR: Construction and demolition waste management
Intent
To reduce construction and demolition waste disposed of in landfills and incineration facilities by recovering, reusing, and recycling materials.
Requirements
Recycle and/or salvage nonhazardous construction and demolition materials. Calculations can be by weight or volume but must be consistent throughout.
divert 50% and three material streams
Divert 75% and four material streams
reduction of total waste material
