CSI Sustainable Design & Green Building Specifications 3

Question 1

Which sustainable building rating system uses a 'tiered' credit approach with Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels?

Accepted Answer

LEED

Answer

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) uses four certification tiers: Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum, based on total points earned.

Question 2

When writing specifications for low-emitting adhesives and sealants, which standard is most commonly referenced for VOC limits?

Accepted Answer

SCAQMD Rule 1168

Answer

SCAQMD Rule 1168 (South Coast Air Quality Management District) sets VOC content limits for adhesives and sealants and is the standard most commonly referenced in LEED specifications.

Question 3

What is 'commissioning' in the context of sustainable building specifications?

Accepted Answer

A systematic process to verify building systems perform as intended per the owner's project requirements

Answer

Commissioning is a quality-focused process that verifies and documents that all building systems are planned, designed, installed, and operated per the Owner's Project Requirements (OPR).

Question 4

In a green building specification, 'biobased content' refers to materials that contain what?

Accepted Answer

Carbon-based compounds derived from biological products, living organisms, or renewable agricultural or forestry materials

Answer

Biobased content refers to the organic carbon in a product that comes from recently harvested biological sources such as plants, algae, or agricultural byproducts.

Question 5

Which energy modeling software result is typically required to be included in specifications for LEED Energy & Atmosphere credits?

Accepted Answer

An energy cost budget or energy use intensity (EUI) comparison against a baseline building

Answer

LEED EA credits require whole-building energy simulation comparing the proposed design's energy use intensity (EUI) against a baseline building modeled per ASHRAE 90.1 Appendix G.

(CSI) Construction Specifications Institute Certification Practice Test

(CSI) Construction Specifications Institute Certification Practice Test

CSI Sustainable Design & Green Building Specifications 3