Free USGBC LEED-AP-O+M Practice Exam with Questions & Answers

This answer is correct because it matches the requirement of the Energy and Atmosphere Credit, Optimize Energy Performance, which aims to reduce the environmental and economic impacts associated with excessive energy use. The credit requires projects todemonstrate an improvement in energy performance compared to a baseline building, using one of the three options available.For buildings eligible to receive an energy performance rating using the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager tool, the option is to achieve a rating of at least 50, which corresponds to the median energy performance of similar buildings nationwide1. The other options are incorrect because they are either higher than the minimum rating or not applicable to this option.

References: =LEED v4.1 OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE - WAP Sustainability Consulting, page 32;LEED v4: Building Operations + Maintenance Guide | U.S. Green Building Council, page 32;ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager

Impervious surfaces exacerbate the environmental concern of contaminated runoff harming aquatic life. These surfaces prevent rainwater from soaking into the ground, leading to increased runoff that can carry pollutants into water bodies, negatively affecting aquatic ecosystems.

References: Impervious surfaces are known to alter natural hydrology, leading to increased runoff and potential contamination of water bodies, which can harm aquatic life123.

The view factor is the percentage of the floor area that has a direct line of sight to the perimeter vision glazing. According to the LEED Reference Guide for Building Operations and Maintenance, the view factor for the diagram below is 2, which means that 75% or more of the floor area has a direct line of sight to the perimeter vision glazing.

References: = LEED Reference Guide for Building Operations and Maintenance, v4 Edition, Indoor Environmental Quality, Daylight and Quality Views, page 5811

The use of products with low emissions is a strategy that reduces the impact of materials used in building operation and maintenance on indoor air quality. These products, which include paints, adhesives, furniture, and flooring, emit fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other harmful substances into the indoor environment, thereby improving indoor air quality.

References: LEED v4: Building Operations + Maintenance Guide, LEED v4 | U.S. Green Building Council, Improving Indoor Air Quality | US EPA, Sustainable O&M Practices | WBDG - Whole Building Design Guide

This answer is correct because it follows the guidance provided by the LEED v4.1 O+M Reference Guide for dealing with nonparticipating tenants in multi-tenant buildings. The guide states that if a tenant is unwilling or unable to provide their purchasing data, the project team must integrate the estimated data from the nonparticipating tenant into the whole-building purchasing data to determine compliance for the whole building.The guide also states that the tenant’s purchasing is assumed to be 50% compliant toward the sustainability criteria, unless the project team has a more accurate estimate1. The other options are incorrect because they either make the credit impossible or too easy to achieve, or they do not account for the tenant’s purchasing at all.

References: =LEED v4.1 OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE - WAP Sustainability Consulting, page 40;LEED v4: Building Operations + Maintenance Guide | U.S. Green Building Council, page 40.

The correct answer is A because a table of lighting controls installed is the required documentation for Option 1.Lighting Controls in Indoor Environmental Quality Credit, Interior Lighting, as stated in the LEED v4.1 O+M Reference Guide1.The table must include the type and location of each lighting control device, the controlled lighting power, and the percentage of lighting power controlled by each device1. The other options are incorrect because they are either not required or relevant for this option.

References: =

• LEED v4.1 O+M Reference Guide, page 251
• Guide to the LEED AP Operations and Maintenance (O+M) Exam, page 115
• LEED v4 AP O+M Mock Exam, page 84 =========================================

ASHRAE 55-2010 is the standard applicable for compliance with the Indoor Environmental Quality Credit, Thermal Comfort. This standard outlines the conditions for acceptable thermal environments and is used for the design, evaluation, and operation of buildings to meet thermal comfort requirements.

References: The LEED v4.1 O+M reference guide specifies that ASHRAE 55-2010 is the standard for thermal comfort, focusing on ensuring quality thermal environments conducive to occupants’ comfort and well-being1.

The Energy and Atmosphere Prerequisite, Minimum Energy Performance requires 12 months of metered energy use data after occupancy. This duration is necessary to provide a comprehensive view of the building’s energy consumption patterns throughout the different seasons of the year.

References: The LEED v4.1 O+M reference guide specifies that a full year of energy data is needed to accurately assess a building’s performance for the Minimum Energy Performance prerequisite1234.

To fulfill the Energy and Atmosphere Prerequisite, Minimum Energy Performance, LEED requires a building to demonstrate energy use through 12 months of metered energy datapost-occupancy. This duration ensures that a full annual cycle is considered, accounting for seasonal variations in energy consumption. The data collected over this period provides a comprehensive overview of the building's energy performance, enabling accurate benchmarking against LEED standards and identifying opportunities for energy efficiency improvements.

References:This requirement is specified in the LEED AP Operations + Maintenance reference guide, under the section detailing the Energy and Atmosphere Prerequisite, Minimum Energy Performance. The guide explains the rationale behind the 12-month period and how it contributes to a reliable assessment of the building's energy use.

The LEED applicant must exclude the purchases of the other tenants from the Materials and Resources credit calculations, because they have not provided purchasing data and are not participating in the LEED project. The LEED applicant can only include the purchases that are under their control and can be verified.

References:

• LEED AP O+M Exam Guide, page 94
• LEED v4.1 O+M Reference Guide, MRc1: Purchasing, page 163

Projects not eligible for the ENERGY STAR rating must demonstrate an energy efficiency of at least 25% better than the national average for typical buildings of similar type based on energy source. This can be done by using the ENERGY STAR Target Finder tool or a custom approved by USGBC.

References: =LEED AP O+M Exam Guide, page 305; LEED v4.1 O+M Reference Guide, page 97.

For projects not eligible for the ENERGY STAR® rating, an alternative path to demonstrate compliance with the Energy and Atmosphere Prerequisite, Minimum Energy Efficiency Performance, is to show that the building's energy efficiency is significantly higher than the baseline established for similar buildings. Demonstrating energy efficiency that is at least 25% better than the national average for comparable buildings, based on the type of energy used, provides a quantifiable metric that reflects the building's superior performance. This approach aligns with LEED's goal to encourage higher energy efficiency standards and reduce environmental impact through improved building performance.

References:

• This alternative compliance path for projects not eligible for ENERGY STAR® rating is outlined in the LEED for Building Operations and Maintenance reference guideunder the Energy and Atmosphere category. It provides a method for buildings to achieve the Minimum Energy Efficiency Performance prerequisite by exceeding the energy performance standards of similar buildings, promoting an advanced level of energy conservation in building operations as emphasized in LEED AP O+M training materials.