Free LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certification) Sustainable Sites Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A project team is developing a site and aims to earn the 'Protect or Restore Habitat' credit. The site contains both greenfield and previously developed areas. Which of the following actions is a requirement for this credit?
- Restore 100% of all disturbed soil on the site.
- Preserve and protect at least 40% of the greenfield area from all development and construction activity. (Correct answer)
- Use only native vegetation for all landscaping on the site.
- Install a vegetated roof that covers at least 50% of the building's footprint.
Correct answer: Preserve and protect at least 40% of the greenfield area from all development and construction activity.
To achieve the 'Protect or Restore Habitat' credit, one of the key requirements is to preserve and protect 40% of the greenfield area on the site (if any exists) from all development and construction activity. The other options are either incorrect thresholds or not explicitly required; for example, while native/adapted plants are encouraged, using them exclusively isn't the core requirement, and restoration focuses on a percentage of previously disturbed area, not all soil.
Question 2: For the 'Heat Island Reduction' credit, what is the minimum initial Solar Reflectance (SR) value required for paving materials used in non-roof applications?
- 0.28
- 0.55
- 0.33 (Correct answer)
- 0.78
Correct answer: 0.33
LEED v4.1 specifies that for non-roof measures, such as walkways and other hardscapes, paving materials must have an initial Solar Reflectance (SR) value of at least 0.33 to help mitigate the heat island effect. Alternatively, materials with a 3-year aged SR value of at least 0.28 can be used.
Question 3: A project is located in a dense urban area on a zero-lot-line site. To achieve points for the 'Rainwater Management' credit under Option 1, the team must design the project to retain the runoff from a specific percentile of rainfall events. What is the minimum percentile required for a zero-lot-line project to earn 1 point?
- 95th percentile
- 85th percentile
- 80th percentile
- 70th percentile (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 70th percentile
The 'Rainwater Management' credit in LEED v4.1 provides adjusted requirements for zero-lot-line projects. To earn one point under Option 1, these projects must manage the runoff from the 70th percentile rainfall event, which is a lower threshold than for standard projects, acknowledging the site constraints.
Question 4: Which of the following is required as part of the documentation for the 'Site Assessment' prerequisite?
- A geotechnical report detailing soil composition.
- A Phase II Environmental Site Assessment.
- A description of the project's EPA Level III ecoregion. (Correct answer)
- A complete transportation survey of future occupants.
Correct answer: A description of the project's EPA Level III ecoregion.
The 'Site Assessment' prerequisite requires projects to assess site conditions before design. A key part of this assessment is documenting and describing the site's context, which includes topography, hydrology, climate, vegetation, soils, human use, and human health effects. LEED v4.1 specifically requires a description of the project's EPA Level III ecoregion to help inform design decisions.
Question 5: To comply with the 'Light Pollution Reduction' credit using the BUG rating method, which aspects of a luminaire's light output are being measured?
- Brightness, Uniformity, and Glare
- Backlight, Uplight, and Glare (Correct answer)
- Kelvin, CRI, and Lumens
- Footcandles, Candela, and Nadir
Correct answer: Backlight, Uplight, and Glare
The BUG (Backlight, Uplight, and Glare) rating method, developed by the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), is a key component of the 'Light Pollution Reduction' credit. It quantifies how much light from an exterior luminaire is directed in undesirable directions: backwards (potentially causing light trespass), upwards (causing skyglow), and at high angles that cause glare.
Question 6: A project team is designing a public plaza to meet the requirements of the 'Open Space' credit. Which of the following design elements would qualify as vegetated open space?
- An area covered entirely with turf grass for recreation.
- A paved courtyard with movable planters containing seasonal flowers.
- A garden space with a diversity of native plant species that provides year-round visual interest and is physically accessible. (Correct answer)
- A decorative water feature surrounded by a narrow strip of lawn.
Correct answer: A garden space with a diversity of native plant species that provides year-round visual interest and is physically accessible.
The 'Open Space' credit requires that a portion of the open space be vegetated and meet certain quality standards. A garden with diverse, year-round vegetation that is accessible to people meets these quality requirements. While turf grass is considered open space, it does not qualify for the vegetated portion under LEED v4/v4.1. Movable planters are generally not sufficient, and small, non-usable landscape strips are also excluded.
Free LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certification) Sustainable Sites Questions and Answers
A project team is developing a site and aims to earn the 'Protect or Restore Habitat' credit.
The site contains both greenfield and previously developed areas.
Which of the following actions is a requirement for this credit?