Free USGBC LEED-Green-Associate Practice Exam with Questions & Answers | Set: 8

The scorecard is the recommended tool for the project team to utilize in order to determine the target certification level. The scorecard is a document that lists all the prerequisites and credits available for a specific rating system, along with their point values and requirements. The project team can use the scorecard to track their progress and estimate their potential score based on their design strategies and performance goals. The scorecard also helps the project team to identify synergies and trade-offs among different credits, prioritize their efforts, and optimize their resources.

The other options are not useful for estimating the certification level, as they are tools for documenting or clarifying specific credits or issues. The credit submittal form is a template that guides the project team on how to submit the required documentation for each credit. The project CIR (Credit Interpretation Request) is a service that allows the project team to ask technical questions or request clarifications on credit requirements or standards from USGBC or GBCI reviewers. The certification level cannot be determined without complete drawings, as they are necessary to demonstrate compliance with credit criteria.

 Life-cycle costing is an economic analysis method that considers all costs associated with an asset over its entire life cycle, from acquisition and installation to operation, maintenance, and disposal. In this case, the building manager is comparing the total costs of owning and operating two different boilers over their respective lifetimes. References: LEED Green Associate Candidate Handbook, U.S. Green Building Council resources

ASHRAE stands for the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, a professional organization that develops standards and guidelines for the design, operation, and maintenance of buildings. ASHRAE standards are applicable to two LEED categories: Energy and Atmosphere (EA) and Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ). The EA category addresses the energy performance, efficiency, and renewable sources of buildings. The IEQ category addresses the indoor air quality, thermal comfort, lighting quality, and acoustic performance of buildings. Some of the ASHRAE standards that are relevant for these categories are: ASHRAE Standard 90.1 for energy efficiency;ASHRAE Standard 62.1 for ventilation; ASHRAE Standard 55 for thermal comfort; ASHRAE Standard 189.1 for high-performance green buildings1 . References: LEED v4 Green Associate Candidate Handbook1, ASHRAE’s Standards & Guidelines

The conventional building process stages can vary depending on the type, size, and complexity of the project, but a general overview can be found in this article. According to the article, the stages are:

Planning: This is the stage where the project idea is conceived, the feasibility and budget are assessed, the design and engineering are developed, the permits and approvals are obtained, and the contractors and subcontractors are hired. This stage involves various disciplined practitioners on project teams, such as architects, engineers, surveyors, estimators, project managers, and lawyers.

Sitework and foundation: This is the stage where the project site is prepared, the utilities are connected, the excavation and grading are done, and the foundation is laid. This stage involves mainly civil engineers, site workers, foundation contractors, and building inspectors.

Rough framing: This is the stage where the structural components of the building are erected, such as walls, floors, roofs, stairs, and windows. This stage involves mainly carpenters, framers, roofers, and window installers.

Exterior construction: This is the stage where the exterior finishes of the building are applied, such as siding, brickwork, stucco, insulation, doors, and landscaping. This stage involves mainly exterior contractors, painters, landscapers, and door installers.

MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing): This is the stage where the mechanical systems of the building are installed and tested, such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), plumbing, electrical wiring, lighting fixtures, fire alarms, and security systems. This stage involves mainly mechanical engineers, electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, and fire protection specialists.

Finishes and fixtures: This is the final stage where the interior finishes of the building are applied, such as drywall, flooring, cabinets, countertops, appliances, furniture, and accessories. This stage involves mainly interior designers, drywallers, flooring installers, cabinet makers, countertop installers, appliance installers, and furniture movers.

As you can see from this overview, each disciplined practitioner on project teams is involved in different stages of the conventional buildingprocess, depending on their expertise and role. However, they are also required to collaborate and coordinate with each other throughout the design process, which spans from the planning stage to the finishes and fixtures stage. The design process is an iterative and interactive process that involves creating, reviewing, and refining the design plans and specifications to meet the project goals and requirements1. Therefore, the answer is D. As required during design process.

Building a House Step by Step: A Guide From Start to Finish

What Is Disciplined Agile? - Project Management Institute

According to the LEED v4 Minimum Program Requirements (MPRs), there is no minimum required number of occupants or full-time equivalents (FTEs) for which a building must be designed to be considered eligible to pursue certification1. However, the project must serve at least one FTE, which is based on an 8-hour day2. The other options are not part of the MPRs.

Minimum Program Requirements (MPRs) - U.S. Green Building Council1

LEED 101: MPRs (Minimum Program Requirements)2

LEED certification is awarded based on the number of points a project earns across several categories of green building performance. The range of points required to achieve the Certified level of certification for the commercial LEED Rating System is 40-49, out of a possible 110points. The other levels of LEED certification are: Silver (50-59 points), Gold (60-79 points), and Platinum (80 or more points)12. References: LEED v4 Green Associate Candidate Handbook1, LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide2

Rainwater storage cisterns are components of a collected rainwater irrigation system that are most likely to make it cost prohibitive over a conventional system in a large site that has a short, intense rainy season and a long, dry season. A collected rainwater irrigation system is a system that collects, stores, and distributes rainwater for irrigation purposes. Rainwater storage cisterns are containers that store the collected rainwater until it is needed for irrigation. In a large site that has a short, intense rainy season and a long, dry season, the rainwater storage cisterns would need to be very large and durable to capture and store enough rainwater for the dry season. This would increase the initial cost and maintenance cost of the system compared to a conventional system that uses potable water or groundwater for irrigation1 . References: LEED v4 Green Associate Candidate Handbook1, EPA’s Rainwater Harvesting

Strategies for improving building occupants’ comfort and control may consist of installing operable windows, giving occupants lighting control and providing ergonomic furniture. These strategies can enhance the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of a building, which is the physical and psychological conditions of the indoor spaces that affect the health, comfort, and productivity of the occupants. Installing operable windows can allow occupants to adjust the natural ventilation, temperature, and fresh air intake of their spaces. Giving occupants lighting control can allow them to adjust the artificial lighting levels, color, and direction of their spaces. Providing ergonomic furniture can support the physical comfort, posture, and well-being of the occupants12. References: LEED v4 Green Associate Candidate Handbook1, LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide2

The Facilities Manager is typically responsible for ensuring the comfort and safety of a building’s occupants. They would be best equipped to evaluate responses to a survey about comfort levels in the building and develop a corrective action plan to address any problems identified. References: LEED Green Associate Candidate Handbook, U.S. Green Building Council resources