Free USGBC LEED-AP-BD+C Practice Exam with Questions & Answers | Set: 6

Under LEED BD+C Energy and Atmosphere (EA) Credit: Renewable Energy Production, renewable biofuels must be sustainably sourced and not contaminated.

Non-mill residue forestry biomass waste qualifies as renewable biofuel because it consists of untreated wood residues from sustainable forestry operations.

Municipal solid waste is not considered renewable due to its mixed content.

Wood coated with paints, plastics, or resins is not renewable as it contains harmful chemicals.

Animal waste is not explicitly recognized by LEED as a renewable fuel.

(Source: Official LEED BD+C Reference Manual)

Detailed Explanation:

For Compliance Path 1: Prescriptive Achievement, project teams must demonstrate that installed fixtures meet WaterSense requirements. This is achieved through product cutsheets that verify maximum flow rates or flush volumes. LEED uses this documentation to ensure that water-efficient fixtures are installed and operational.

According to the LEED v4 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction, no smoking signage must be placed within 10 feet (3 meters) of every building entrance, except for alarmed emergency exits. This applies to both the main entrance and the service entrances, regardless of their location or frequency of use. The signage is intended to communicate the no-smoking policy to occupants and visitors and prevent environmental tobacco smoke from entering the building. References: EQ Prerequisite Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control, LEED v4 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction123

Coordinating open space features early during the site planning phase is a viable strategy for optimizing open space under Sustainable Sites Credit, Open Space. This can help to preserve natural habitats, reduce heat island effects, and enhance human health and well-being. The credit requires that the project provide outdoor space that is at least 30% of the total site area, and that at least 25% of that outdoor space meets certain criteria for vegetated, pervious, or shaded areas. References:

LEED credit library: This is the USGBC’s comprehensive listing of all the LEED credits available in pursuing certification for your project. The credit library contains the requirements and guidance for each credit, as well as the web-based reference guide for the Building Design and Construction rating system.

Open Space: This is the specific credit page for the Open Space credit under the Sustainable Sites category. It provides the intent, requirements, and strategies for achieving the credit, as well as the number of points available and the applicable project types.

Step by Step Approach to Comply with the Open Space Credit in LEED v4: This is a blog post that explains the steps and calculations involved in complying with the Open Space credit. It also provides some examples and tips for optimizing open space design.

Installing a vegetative roofing system is the best option to address the potential glare resulting from a project’s highly reflective roof. A vegetative roofing system, also known as a green roof, is a roof that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. A vegetative roofing system can reduce the reflectivity of the roof surface and mitigate the glare impact on the surrounding environment. It can also provide other benefits, such as reducing heat island effects, improving stormwater management, enhancing biodiversity, and increasing roof insulation. Therefore, option A is the correct answer. The other options are not as effective or desirable as installing a vegetative roofing system. Changing the design to reduce the amount of roofing area (option B) may not be feasible or desirable, as it may compromise the project’s program or performance. Changing the roofing material to a dark material to eliminate the issue (option C) may reduce the glare, but it will also increase the heat absorption and emission of the roof, contributing to heat island effects and increasing cooling loads. Increasing the parapet height (option D) may block some of the glare, but it will also increase the material and construction costs, and it may not be sufficient to prevent glare from all angles. For more information on vegetative roofing systems and their benefits, you can refer to the LEED v4 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction1 or the Green Roofs for Healthy Cities website2.

Revise the documentation and resubmit the form

If a project receives a review comment and technical advice on a prerequisite, it means that the documentation submitted was incomplete, inaccurate, or unclear, and that the project team needs to address the issues raised by the reviewer and provide additional information or clarification. The project team should revise the documentation and resubmit the form as part of the final review to demonstrate compliance with the prerequisite requirements. Abandoning meeting this prerequisite is not an option, as prerequisites are mandatory for LEED certification. Submitting an appeal to Green Business Certification Inc. is only applicable if the project team disagrees with the reviewer’s decision or interpretation, and has additional evidence or arguments to support their claim. Asking the General Contractor to be more aggressive with recycling goals is not relevant to this prerequisite, as it does not address the documentation issue.

This strategy could be submitted to earn an Innovation in Design credit because it addresses a green building topic not covered by any existing LEED credit. The air-purifying facade material is a novel and sustainable feature that can reduce the environmental impact of the building by removing pollutants from the air and improving the outdoor air quality1.

Detailed Explanation:

LEED allows project teams to submit an Innovation credit for strategies that provide measurable environmental benefits but are not explicitly addressed in the rating system. Innovation credits reward creative and exemplary performance that goes beyond LEED's standard requirements, fostering continuous improvement in green building practices.

Detailed Explanation:

A public park qualifies as a diverse use under LEED because it is a publicly accessible facility that serves the community. LEED defines diverse uses as those that provide amenities, services, or public resources within walking distance, promoting walkable neighborhoods and reducing reliance on vehicles.

Showers are addressed under Water Efficiency (WE) Prerequisite: Indoor Water Use Reduction and Location and Transportation (LT) Credit: Bicycle Facilities. Showers in indoor water use reduction help minimize potable water consumption, while in the Bicycle Facilities credit, they support cycling commuters by providing end-of-trip facilities. The other options refer to credits or prerequisites unrelated to shower facilities.