FREE LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certification) Water Efficiency Questions and Answers

Question 1

A project team is designing a new office building and must meet the WE Prerequisite: Indoor Water Use Reduction.
According to LEED v4.1, what is the minimum aggregate water consumption reduction required for fixtures compared to the baseline, and what additional requirement applies to newly installed eligible fixtures?

Accepted Answer

20% reduction; they must be WaterSense labeled.

Answer

10% reduction; no additional requirement.

Answer

20% reduction; they must be ENERGY STAR certified.

Answer

30% reduction; they must be sourced locally.

Question 2

A project team is pursuing the WE Credit: Outdoor Water Use Reduction. Which of the following strategies would contribute to achieving this credit by reducing the landscape water requirement (LWR)?

Accepted Answer

Specifying native and adaptive plant species for landscaping.

Answer

Installing a standard spray irrigation system with a timer.

Answer

Using potable water from the municipal supply for all irrigation needs.

Answer

Planting a turfgrass variety that requires frequent watering.

Question 3

For the WE Credit: Cooling Tower Water Use, what is the primary metric used to measure the efficiency of water use in a cooling tower system?

Accepted Answer

Cycles of concentration (COC).

Answer

Gallons per minute (GPM) of makeup water.

Answer

Total dissolved solids (TDS) in the blowdown water.

Answer

Evaporation rate in gallons per hour.

Question 4

A project team wants to earn the WE Credit: Water Metering. To achieve the credit, they must install permanent water meters for at least two of the listed water subsystems. Which of the following is an eligible subsystem that can be metered for this credit?

Accepted Answer

Domestic hot water.

Answer

Fire suppression system.

Answer

Coffee machines and soda fountains.

Answer

Unfiltered rainwater collection.

Question 5

According to the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992, which serves as the baseline for LEED calculations, what is the maximum allowable flush rate for a standard commercial water closet (toilet)?

Accepted Answer

1.6 gallons per flush

Answer

1.28 gallons per flush

Answer

2.2 gallons per flush

Answer

1.0 gallons per flush

Question 6

A project in a large hospital is attempting to achieve the highest levels of indoor water use reduction. Beyond installing WaterSense labeled fixtures, which of the following represents a valid strategy for achieving additional points in the WE Credit: Indoor Water Use Reduction?

Accepted Answer

Using captured rainwater to meet the demand for kitchen dishwashers.

Answer

Installing a second, separate potable water meter for the building.

Answer

Documenting that all occupants have been trained on water conservation.

Answer

Replacing all incandescent lighting with LEDs to reduce the cooling load.