LEED Green Associate Flashcards
The process of growing plants in suspension in an air or mist environment without the use of soil.
aeroponics
An alternative fuel that is generated from decomposing organic matter, such as food and animal waste, which is processed in an anaerobic digester.
biogas
An odorless, colorless, and toxic gas that is produced from vehicle exhaust, incomplete combustion of fuel in boilers or furnaces, and improperly vented appliances.
carbon monoxide (CO)
Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere (i.e. CO2).
greenhouse gases
This is the most abundant greenhouse gas and it is released through the burning of fossil fuels and the manufacturing of cement.
carbon dioxide (CO2)
Program developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and is the preeminent program for the design, construction, maintenance and operation of high-performance green buildings.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
The principle of continuously improving any process through the elimination of waste in every step of manufacturing.
lean process improvement
The advanced level of LEED credentials that requires an advanced knowledge in green building as well as expertise in a particular LEED rating system.
LEED AP
The basic level of LEED credentials that requires a documented, up-to-date understanding of the most current green building principles and practices.
LEED Green Associate
A highly reactive gas that is primarily produced through the combustion of fossil fuels at power generation plants and other processes at manufacturing facilities.
sulfur dioxide (SO2)
An accounting framework that incorporates the social, environmental and economic dimensions or an organization.
triple bottom line
A crop grown vertically instead of horizontally on the ground. Also known as a farmscraper.
vertical farm
Harmful organic chemical compounds that evaporate under normal indoor temperature and pressure conditions and are released by synthetic materials such as flooring, wall-coverings, furniture and paints, adhesives and sealants.
volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Landscaping designed to reduce or eliminate potable water use in irrigation through the planting of native and adapted species of vegetation and the use of other water-conserving techniques.
xeriscaping
A level of efficiency for a high-performance building that produces all the energy it uses and is so energy efficient, a renewable energy system can offset all or most of its annual energy consumption.
zero net energy
Lean process improvement is the process of continuously improving any process through the ___ in every step of manufacturing.
elimination of waste
A(n) ____ director would be responsible for activities such as creating energy efficiency and water conservation strategies.
sustainability
Induction cooktops can be used in kitchens as sustainable practice because they transfer ___% of their heat to pots.
90
Many menus are also being influenced by the products of ___ gardens, which are gardens without a soil system.
aeroponic
The integration of sustainability into urban planning has given birth to the popular term “___ city.”
sustainable
The names and photos of credentialed individuals are published in the online ___ directory, which employers can use for verification purposes.
USGBC
___ analyze energy-usage data to create actionable solutions for energy efficiency.
Energy consultants
The content areas of the LEED Green Associate exam that reflect the rating systems’ credit categories and what an exam candidate needs to know, including concepts such as the LEED process, integrative strategies, LEED credit categories, and project surrounding and public outreach.
knowledge domains
A guide that introduces green building fundamentals to serve as a foundation for more advanced study of green building and the LEED rating systems. It is one of the primary references candidates should study for the LEED Green Associate exam.
LEED Core Concepts Guide
A LEED professional credential exam that tests general knowledge of commercial and residential green building practices for both new construction and existing buildings, developed and updated by subject matter experts.
LEED Green Associate exam
An important exam reference that features current policies and procedures for the LEED v4 Green Associate professional credentialing exam and includes exam specifications (such as the task and knowledge domains), exam references and sample questions.
LEED v4 Green Associate Candidate Handbook
A list of important reference sources presented in the LEED v4 Green Associate Candidate Handbook that an exam candidate should study as a basis for test day success.
primary references
The content areas of the LEED Green Associate exam that reflect the tasks necessary to perform LEED safely and effectively, including concepts such as LEED project and team coordination, LEED certification process, analyses required for LEED credits, and advocacy and education for adoption for LEED rating system.
task domains
The first step in preparing for the LEED Green Associate exam is to read the ___.
LEED v4 Green Associate Candidate Handbook
Each rating system includes adaptions with unique checklists that address specific ___.
project types
Memorizing the LEED BD+C: ___ checklist for the LEED Green Associate exam can be one important factor for exam day success.
New Construction
The LEED Green Associate exam is scored out of ___ points.
200
The LEED Green Associate consistes of ___ multiple-choice questions.
100
A score of ___ is required to pass the LEED Green Associate exam.
170
___ items give a candidate a problem or situation that they can solve using the concepts from the reference material.
Application
Every two years, a Green Associate must report ___ hours of continuing education.
15
A system in which materials and resources are reused or recycled.
closed system
A term applied to a product if a new use can be applied to it after the end of its first useful life, diverting it from a landfill.
cradle to cradle
A term applied to a product if its lifetime is limited to one application or use, ending in a landfill.
cradle to grave
An activity related to the processing of materials all the way through to the delivery of the final product to the end user.
downstream activity
The total amount of energy used to extract materials and manufacture, transport, install and use a product across its life cycle.
embodied energy
The section of a system that allows for feedback and self-corrrection and adjusts its operation according to differences between the actual output and the desired output.
feedback loop
A design process in which multidisciplinary teams collaborate to meet sustainable design objectives from the inception of a project to its completion.
integrative process
A process used in design that involves conducting research, sharing data, receiving feedback, and refining the design repeatedly until all of a project’s sustainable goals are me.
iterative process
A point in a system in which a small change can yield large results.
leverage point
An assessment of the environmental impacts associated with a material or product throughout its life cycle.
life-cycle assessment (LCA)
An analytic tool used to determine the most cost-effective option among competing alternatives based on the costs of the options throughout their life cycles.
life-cycle costing (LCC)
A section of a system in which the system self-corrects and stays within a particular set of parameters.
negative feedback loop
A system in which materials and resources are continually brought in from the outside, consumed, and then removed from the system as waste.
open system
A section of a system in which the output of the system is applied to the input, resulting in constant increases.
positive feedback loop
The effect of changed behavior as a result of making information about a subject more visible and available.
Prius effect
A closed system that uses only as much water and energy as it can produce.
regenerative building
An activity related to the extraction of the raw materials used in a product.
upstream activity
The iterative process, which means repeating, is associated with:
the integrative process
The integrative process should be started…
before the design process begins.
The purpose of systems thinking is to:
think about a system as a smaller part of a much greater whole
The three phases of the integrative process include:
discovery, implementation and occupancy
According to the UNEP Buildings and Climate Change Report, buidlings account for approximately ___% of total energy used today.
40
The Montreal Protocol banned the production of ___ refrigerants.
CFC
___ materials are sustainable.
Cradle-to-cradle
In direct comparisons between building types, green buildings only cost roughly ___% more than nongreen buildings.
2
___ energy buildings produce their own energy.
Net-zero
The ___ phase of the integrative process occurs before schematic design begins.
Discovery
A(n) ___ system is a system in which materials and resources are consumed and then reused or recycled.
closed
With a(n) ___ loop, systems self-correct and stay within a particular set of parameters.
negative feedback
Person (or entity) who is granted actual authority by the owner to register the project and accept the certification agreement.
agent
A LEED designation based on point thresholds met, such as LEED Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
certification level
A single page list containing the name of the rating system adaption and a series of categories that pertain to the site, transportation, water, energy, materials, indoor air, and innovation of the project.
checklist
A point or range of points given depending on its credit weighting.
credit
A fee-based inquiry to the USGBC as to how to implement a strategy for a certain prerequisite or credit.
Credit interpretation request (CIR)
A third-party organization that provides independent oversight of professional credentialing and project certification programs related to green building.
Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI)
The environmental issues the LEED projects aims to address.
impact categories
The most prestigious LEED designation that recognizes LEED APs who have demonstrated exceptional achievement in technical knowledge and skill, leadership, advocacy, commitment and service, and teaching, mentoring, or research.
LEED Fellow
The requirements that a building must meet before it can consider LEED certification.
minimum program requirements (MPRs)
Person (or entity) who has the authority to hold and control the real and personal property associated with the project and accept the certification agreement.
owner
A database of credits that are being tested for future versions of the LEED rating systems.
pilot credit library
A mandatory project requirement that ensures a minimum level of achievement within a category.
prerequisite
Person who plays a key quality role by checking that the LEED submission is complete and accurate before submitting the project to GBCI for review and by accepting the review results once the review is complete.
project administrator
The interrelationship between credit categories, systems, and components that can be realized through the integrative process to achieve high levels of building performance, human performance, and environmental benefits.
synergy
A committee formed by members of the USGBC to make consensus-based decisions and to recommend technical solutions to rating system developemnt and maintenance issues, based on espertise.
technical advisory group (TAGs)
A nonprofit organization made up of member organizations, chapters, and credentialed professionals that was formed to promote sustainability within the built environment and has been releasing versions of the LEED rating systems since 2000.
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
There are ___ different rating system adaptions within five categories.
21
LEED BD+C: ___ applies to building equipped to contain high-density computing equipment such as server racks.
Data centers
The associated reference guide for the LEED for ___ rating system applies to general commercial, retail and hospitality interiors.
Interior Design and Construction
LEED certified homes are inspected by at third party and performance-tested to use at least ___% less energy than conventional homes.
20
The focus of credits in the ____ category is on reducing environmental impacts through site assessment, site design and site management.
Sustainable sites
___ points are available in the materials and resources category for LEED BD+C: New construction.
13
A total of ___ possible points may be earned with most rating systems.
110
Recertification for LEED O+M: Existing buidlings must take place at a minimum of every ___ years.
5
LEED Fellow nominees must have ___ years of professional green building experience.
10
A nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1980 whose mission is to advance energy efficiency as a fast, cheap and effective means of meeting energy challenges.
American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE)
A path or series of paths in rural, urban or suburban areas that are clearly marked for bicycle travel.
bicycle network
A property on wich redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by the presence or possible presense of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant.
brownfield
The portion of a site where construction can occur, including land voluntarily set aside and not constructed on.
buildable land
The amount of connection between a site and the surrounding community, measured by proximity of the site to homes, schools, parks, stores, restaurants, medical facilities and other services and amenities.
community connectivity
A measure of the total building floor area or dwelling units on a parcel of land relative to the buidlable land of that parcel.
density
The total square footage of all buildings within a particular area measured in square feet per acre (square meter per hectare).
development density
A distinct, officially recognized business, nonprofit, civic, religious, or governmental organization, or dwelling units (residential use) or offices (commeercial). It has a stationary postal address and is publicly available.
diverse use
Land that is likely to be flooded by a storm of a given size (such as a 100-year storm).
floodplain
The density of nonresidential land use, exclusive of structured parking, measured as the total nonresidential building floor area divided by the total buildable land area available for nonresidential structures.
floor-area ratio (FAR)
The area of ground that the building sits upon as defined by its perimeter.
footprint
The increase in temperature of Earth’s atmosphere due primarily to the greenhouse gases released from the burning of fossil fuels such as wood, coal, natural gas and oil.
Global warming
A site that has never been built on or developed for human use.
Greenfield
Vehicles that provide less harmful impacts to the environment than conventionally fueled vehicles.
Green vehicles
A natural environment such as a field, stream, or forest that is home to one or more wildlife species and plants. The LEED rating systems aim to reduce the destruction these during construction.
Habitats
Building and developing in vacant areas of high-density urban centers which can reduce traffic congestion, save open space, and create more livable communities.
Infill development
Roads, electrical lines, sewer lines, phone lines, and other public services permanently installed on developed sites. Locating a project on a previously developed site is advantageous because when this is existing it saves cost and lowers the carbon footprint of the project.
infrastructure
parking spaces that are shared among two are more buildings
pooled parking
parking spaces that have the shortest walking distance to the main entrance of the project, exclusive of spaces designated for people with disabilities
preferred parking
a site that once had buildings, roadways, and parking lots or that was graded or otherwise altered by direct human activities
previously developed/disturbed site
Previously undeveloped land with soil suitable for cultivation which helps protect agricultural lands, which are needed for food production.
prime farmland
Reusing previously developed land.
Redevelopment
The process of cleaning up contaminated site by physical, chemical or biological means; typically applied to contaminated soil or groundwater.
Remediation
A measurement of how far a pedestrian and bicyclist would travel from a point of origin to a destination, reflecting access to ammenities, safety, convenience, and obstruction to movement.
shortest path analysis
An approach that protects open space and farmland by emphasizing development with houses, jobs, and services near each other.
Smart growth
The total amount of parking spaces for a site that includes new and existing surface parking spaces, new and existing garage or multilevel parking spaces, and any off-street parking spaces outside the project boundary that are available to the building’s users. Not included are on-street (parallel or pull-in) parking spaces on public rights of way, parking spaces for fleet and inventory vehicles and motorbike or bicycle spaces.
Total parking capacity
A metric for how amenable an area is to walking.
walkability
The surface water of a stream, arroyo, river, canal, lake, esuary, bay or ocean. It does not include irrigation ditches.
water body
Land areas saturated by water, such as swamps, marshes and bogs; they habitats for fish and wildlife, geed downstream waters, trap gloodwaters, remove pollution, and recharge groundwater supplies.
wetlands
In the Location and Transportion (LT) category, project fulfilling the first credit, LEED for Neighborhood Development Location are….
not eligible to earn other credits in this category.
What are three types of sensitive sites that should note be built on?
Wetlands, prime farmland, floodplains
The purpose of _______ is to determine the square footage of buildings per acre of land.
density calculation
The Location and Transportation (LT) category came out of the ____ category.
sustainable sites
According to the US EIA, transportation emissions contributed to ___% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in the US in 2008.
33
By most accounts, selecting the ___ for a building project is the single most important decision a project team can make.
site location
The purpose of ___ is to reduce the number of vehicles traveling to the site, which in turn reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
limited available parking
A ___ site is previously undeveloped and unused suburban or rural land.
greenfield
Promoting the health and livability of building ___ is an important goal of every LEED category.
stakeholders
A metric to define relectivity of an object from darkest black (0) to white (1).
albedo
A body of saturated rock thorugh which water can easily move.
aquifer
The variety of all life on earth including plants, animals, insects, micro-organisms, and humans
biodiversity
A constructed rainwater control feature containing an engineered basin, soil, stone, and vegetation designed to reduce rainwater runoff and increase groundwater recharge.
bioswale
The patchwork of natural areas that provide habitat, flood protection, clean air, and clean water at the scale of a city or county, or rainwater management systems that mimic nature by soaking up and storing water at the scale of the neighborhood or site.
green infrastructure (GI)
The absorption of solar heat by hardscapes such as roofs, roads, parking lots and sidewalks, and includes other sources such as automobiles, HVAC equipment and street and building lighting.
heat island effect
