LEED Green Flashcards
What are strategies for Construction waste management?
1) Recycle: designate area for recyclables and identify recycler/hauler 2) Donate (i.e. Habitat for Humanity) 3) Reuse on site
What are the requirements for
Diverse Uses?
Building’s main entrance should be within a 1/2 mile walking distance of 4 or more existing and publically available diverse uses.
What are the requirements for
Cooling Tower Management?
Chemical management OR
Non potable water resource
Evapotranspiration
Loss of water by evaporation of soil
and transpiration from plants.
What are the requirements
for Indoor Air Quality
Assessment?
1) Flush Out: 14,000 cubic feet of air per square foot before
occupancy or 3,500 before and 14,000 after occupancy
2) Air Testing: EPA Compendium of Methods for Determination of Pollutants in Indoor Air
What are the standards
referenced in IEQ Credit
Enhanced Indoor Air
Quality Strategies?
1) Mechanical Ventilation: ASHRAE
62.1
2) Natural Ventilation: a) Carbon
Good Trust Practice Guide b)
CIBSE Manuals OR ASHRAE 62.1
3) ASHRAE 52.2
4) CEN Standard 779
What are the requirements
for Rainwater
Management?
1) Using Low Impact Development Strategies manage on-site runoff to 95th / 98th percentile of local rainfall and 85th percentile for zero lot line projects.
What are the standards
referenced in the Low
Emitting Materials credit,
and what do they refer to?
1) SCAQMD: adhesives, sealants,
finishes, coatings, stains and sealers
2) CDPH Standard Method, Testing
BIFMA, Furniture
Soft costs
Expense that is not considered a direct construction cost.
Ex.) engineering fees, architect fees, legal fees.
Hard costs
Purchase prices of hard assets that are direct construction costs
Ex.) land, equipment, building
materials.
Eutrophication
The ecosystem’s response to excess nitrates or
phosphates from fertilizers or sewage.
Evapotranspiration
Rate
Amount of water lost via a specific plant (a.k.a. the amount of water necessary to grow a plant).
Commissioned Systems
1) HVAC&R
2) Lighting and daylighting controls
3) Domestic hot water
4) Renewable energy systems
What are bio-based materials?
Products meeting Sustainable
Agricultural Standard.
Montreal Protocol
International treaty that agreed to:
1) Phase out CFCs by 2010
2) Phase out HCFCs by 2030
Heat Island Effect
Absorption of heat by hardscapes such as dark, non-reflective pavement and buildings, and its radiation to surrounding areas.
Process Water
Used for industrial processes
and building systems, such as boilers, cooling towers, clothes washers and chillers.
Potable Water
Meets or exceeds EPA’s standards for drinking water
quality and is approved
for human consumption by state or local authorities. It can be from wells or municipal systems.
What doesn’t LEED consider
renewable energy?
Passive solar, treated wood,
combustion of municipal solid waste, geo-exchange (GSHPs), forestry waste (other than mill residue).
What does LEED consider
renewable energy?
PV, Solar Thermal, Wind,
Wave/Tidal, Low Impact Hydroelectric, Geothermal heat and electric, some biofuels (agricultural
crops/waste, landfill gas, untreated wood
waste/residue).
Emittance
Ability of a surface to shed thermal radiation (between 0 and 1).
Non-process (Regulated)
Energy
Lighting, HVAC, Service Water Heating, Chillers, Boilers
LEED Certification Levels
Certified: 40-49 points
Silver: 50-59 points
Gold: 60-79 points
Platinum: 80+ points
Emissivity
Ratio of radiation emitted by a surface to the radiation emitted by a blackbody at the same temperature.
What is SMACNA?
Sheet Metal Air Conditioning
Contractors National Association (SMACNA) has standards for maintaining indoor air quality during construction and demolition.
Albedo
Also known as reflectance.
Ability of a surface to reflect
sunlight (0 to 1).
Diverse Uses
Food retail like supermarket, grocery Community-serving retail like hardware store, pharmacy Services like bank, gym Civic and community facilities like child care, museum Commercial office (with 100+ full time
jobs) counted 2x
ASHRAE Standards
ASHRAE 90.1: Energy and lighting ASHRAE 62.1: Ventilation ASHRAE 55: Thermal comfort ASHRAE 52.2: MERV filtration, air particulates ASHRAE 189.1 Cooling Tower and Evaporative Condensers
Graywater
Untreated water that has not come in contact with toilet waste. Governed by Uniform Plumbing Code. Ex) bathtubs, showers, bathroom sinks, laundry machines. NOT
kitchen sinks or dishwashers.
Hydrozone
A group of plantings with
similar water needs.
Standards for Baselines
for Water Use Reduction
1) Energy Policy Act 1992
2) Uniform Plumbing Code
3) International Plumbing Code
Access to Quality Transit: How
Far From Rail and Bus?
Rail station: within 1/2 mile walking distance.
Bus station: within 1/4 mile walking distance from 1 or more stops on 2
or more lines.
Which standard regulates
adhesives and sealants?
SCAQMD Rule #1168
Which standard regulates lowemitting
wet applied interior
paints and coatings?
SCAQMD Rule #1113,
CARB
Which standard regulates
Furniture?
ANSI / BIFMA
Which standard regulates
Composite Wood?
CARB
Which ASHRAE standard
regulates thermal comfort?
ASHRAE 55-2010, Thermal
Comfort Conditions for Human Occupancy
Which standard regulates
indoor chemical and pollutant control in LEED?
ASHRAE 52.2 (MERV filters),
CEN Standard
What are strategies for
Construction Activity Pollution
Prevention?
Temporary and permanent
seeding, mulching, silt fencing, earthen dikes, sediment traps, sediment basins.
Which standard regulates Measurement and Verification in Tenant Design and Construction Guidelines?
International Performance
Measurement and Verification
Protocol.
Process Energy Examples
Office equipment, computers,
laundry washing and drying,
kitchen cooking and refrigeration.
Blackwater
Wastewater from toilets and urinals.
Solar Reflectance Index (SRI)
Ability of a surface to reject solar heat, on a scale of 0-100. A combination of reflectance and emittance.
Heat Island
Difference in thermal gradient between developed and undeveloped areas.
How is a Green Vehicle defined?
Minimum score of a 45 on the American Council for Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) Guide
What are inherently nonemitting materials ?
Naturally occurring materials and products that are made from inorganic materials (ex, granite)
emit either very low or no VOCs.
Sensitive Land Protection:
Which sites should NOT be
developed?
1) Prime farmland (US Code of Federal Regulations or equivalent)
2) Floodplain: shown on flood hazard map with 1% or greater chance of flooding threatened/endangered species habitat
3) Land within 50 feet of wetlands
4) Public parkland
5) Undeveloped land within 100 feet of a water body (Clean Water Act)
What is the requirement for
Surrounding Density?
1) Combined density 22,000 sq. ft. /acre
2) Residential 7DU/acre
3) Non-residential -0.5 FAR
4) Residential density
What are the requirements for
Building Lifecycle Impact
Reduction?
Option 1: Historic Building Reuse Option 2: Renovation of abandoned or blighted building Option 3: Building and Material Reuse Option 4: Whole- Building Life-Cycle Assessment
Which standards are
referenced in EA Prerequisite:
Minimum Energy Performance?
1) ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1-2010
2) ENERGY STAR (LEED EBOM)
3) Advanced Buildings Core
Performance Guide
Light Pollution Reduction: What is the standard for lighting
density?
Illuminating Engineering Society and International Dark Sky Association
(IES/IDA) Model Lighting
Ordinance User Guide and IES TM-15-11,
Which spaces are considered as unoccupied spaces?
An area designed for equipment, machinery, or storage rather than for
human activities. An equipment area is
considered unoccupied only if retrieval of equipment is occasional.
Design Considerations for
Recycling On-Site
1) Signage to discourage contamination
2) Designate recycling area that is appropriate size and easily accessible
3) Security for high value materials
4) Protection from the elements (LEED BD+C: Core and Shell | v2 - LEED 2.0)
Required Recyclables for
MR Prerequisite
1) Metal
2) Glass
3) Plastic
4) Cardboard
5) Paper
Safe collection, storage and
disposal of at least 2 of:
batteries, mercury-containing
lamps, and electronic waste.
In LEED, what is the baseline
for urinal water use?
1.0 gallons per flush (GPF)
In LEED, what is the baseline for toilet (water closet) water use?
1.6 gallons per flush (GPF)
In LEED, what is the baseline for faucet water use?
2.2 gallons per minute (GPM) for private, 0.5 gallons per minute (GPM) for public
In LEED, what is the baseline
for showerhead water use?
2.5 gallons per minute (GPM)
What is required for Daylight?
Manual or automatic (with manual override) glare-control devices for all regularly occupied spaces calculated through: 1. Simulation - Spatial Daylight Autonomy and Annual Sunlight Exposure 2. Simulation - Illuminance Levels 3. Measurement - - Illuminance Levels.
Who is included in Full Time
Equivalent (FTE) calculations?
1) Full-time employees
2) Part-time employees
3) Residents
4) Transient visitors
(optional)
What are the requirements for
Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Plan - During Construction?
1.) Meet or exceed Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning National Contractors Association (SMACNA) IAQ Guidelines for Occupied Buildings Under Construction 2.) Protect absorptive materials from moisture damage (mold) 3.) Air handlers: Use MERV 8 Filters per ASHRAE Standard 52.2
What is required for Quality
Views?
Direct line of sight to the outdoors via vision glazing for 75% of all regularly occupied floor area.
What does Construction and
Demolition Waste Management plan exclude?
Alternate Daily Cover (ADC), land clearing debris
What is required to earn Bicycle Facilities?
Commercial buildings:
1) Entry or bicycle storage within 200 yards of Bicycle Network connecting diverse
uses / rapid transit stop
2) Short term bike storage for 2.5% peak visitors
3) Long term bike storage for 5% of regular occupants
4) 1 shower per 100 regular occupants, next additional for every 150 Residential buildings: Bike storage for 30% of occupants with a
least one long-term space
Which study is referenced for
parking capacity in LEED?
Institute of Transportation Engineers’ Transportation Planning Handbook, 3rd
edition
Which ASHRAE Standard
addresses ventilation?
ASHRAE 62.1, Acceptable Indoor Air Quality
What are the ODP and GWP of HCFCs?
Low ODP, Medium GWP
What are the ODP and GWP of CFCs?
High ODP, Medium-High GWP
What are the ODP and GWP of Natural Refrigerants?
Zero ODP, Low-Zero GWP
What are the ODP and GWP of HFCs?
Zero ODP, Medium-High (highest) GWP
What are examples of
natural refrigerants?
Ammonia, Water, Carbon Dioxide, Propane, Butane, isopentane etc.
What are the ODP and GWP of Natural Ventilation?
Zero ODP, Zero GWP
What is the formula for enhanced refrigerant management?
LCGWP + LCODP x 105 < 100
LC = life cycle
Graywater is governed by which standard?
Uniform Plumbing Code
What is USGBC’s mission?
Consensus-based, voluntary, marketdriven approach
What does LEED stand for?
Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design
What is district energy system?
A central energy conversion
plant and transmission and
distribution system that provides thermal energy to a group of buildings and does not include central energy systems that provide only electricity.
What is the “triple bottom line”?
People, planet, profit
What is GBCI responsible for?
GBCI administers
credentialing exams and building certification.
What is USGBC responsible for?
USGBC develops rating systems and reference guides.
What does GBCI stand for?
Green Building Certification Institute
What does USGBC stand for?
United States Green Building Council
Who or what can become LEED accredited?
People
Who or what can become LEED certified?
Buildings
What are the LEED credit
categories?
1) Integrative Process
2) Location and Transportation
3) Sustainable Sites
4) Water Efficiency
5) Energy and Atmosphere
6) Materials and Resources
7) Indoor Environmental Quality
8) Innovation in Design
9) Regional Priority
Who or what can become a
USGBC member?
Firms
Who manages the work of
Green Raters?
Green Homes Certification Providers
LEED for Homes must be
verified by whom?
A Green Rater
Note: This is the only rating
system that must have projects
verified.
Which LEED credit category has the greatest number of points?
Energy and Atmosphere
Which LEED credit category
has the least number of points?
Integrative Process
What are LEED’s Minimum Program Requirements?
1.) Must be a complete, permanent building
or space.
2.) Must use a reasonable site boundary (gerrymandering* prohibited).
3.) Must comply with size requirements - minimum floor area requirements (New
Construction must be at least 1,000 sq. ft)
How are credits’ points
weighted in LEED?
By environmental impact
What is the LEED project
boundary?
Site area affected by construction, including parking and open space
What is gerrymandering?
Gerrymandering is when the LEED project boundary excludes unreasonable sections or creates
unreasonable shapes just to comply with the credits or prerequisites
What is the property boundary?
The project’s property line
from the tax map
What is the LEED project boundary?
Site area affected by
construction, including parking and open space
What is a baseline for green building?
The baseline is defined by the amount of energy or water the building would consume if it used conventional materials and
design.
What is a VOC budget?
The LEED VOC budget is the
measurement of the total VOC concentration in the building’s indoor air. A VOC budget is allowed for Low Emitting Materials - Paints and Coatings and Adhesives and Sealants.
How much does a Credit Interpretation Request (CIR) cost?
$220 each
What is a Credit Interpretation
Request?
Allows project teams to get technical or administrative guidance from the
Technical Advisory Group (TAG), a group of industry experts, on one credit.
Who may submit a CIR?
Anyone on the project team with access to LEED online
How long can a Credit Interpretation
Request (CIR) be?
600 words
What are the benefits of Integrated Project Delivery?
Reduced construction time, cost control, better communication and sequencing.
What is Integrated Project Delivery?
Involving all participants in the design and construction process as early as possible with an integrated and collaborative design
and construction process.
Which type of LEED buildings
require recertification?
LEED EBOM
How often must LEED EBOM
buildings recertify?
Every 5 years
