LEED Atmosphere Credits 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A LEED project team chooses to use no refrigerants in HVAC&R systems to comply with EA Credit: Enhanced Refrigerant Management. What is the result?
- The project automatically earns maximum points for the credit
- The project automatically complies with the credit and earns the available points (Correct answer)
- The project must still provide documentation proving no refrigerants are used
- The project is ineligible for the credit and must pursue an alternative path
Correct answer: The project automatically complies with the credit and earns the available points
Using no refrigerants or only natural refrigerants with zero ODP and low GWP automatically satisfies Enhanced Refrigerant Management credit requirements.
Question 2: What is the baseline building model used in LEED EA whole-building energy simulation?
- A building designed to meet only local zoning requirements
- A building designed to exactly meet ASHRAE 90.1 minimum requirements (Correct answer)
- The actual proposed building without any energy-efficiency upgrades
- A generic office building of the same size and climate zone
Correct answer: A building designed to exactly meet ASHRAE 90.1 minimum requirements
The baseline model is a code-minimum building meeting ASHRAE 90.1 minimum requirements, against which the proposed design's energy savings are compared.
Question 3: Under LEED v4, the EA Credit: Demand Response requires a project to participate in a demand response program. What is the primary environmental benefit of demand response?
- It reduces a building's total annual energy consumption
- It shifts or reduces peak electricity demand, reducing reliance on inefficient peaking power plants (Correct answer)
- It allows buildings to generate their own electricity on-site
- It eliminates the need for energy storage systems
Correct answer: It shifts or reduces peak electricity demand, reducing reliance on inefficient peaking power plants
Demand response reduces peak grid demand, which displaces peaking power plants that are typically less efficient and more carbon-intensive than baseload plants.
Question 4: Which of the following refrigerants would be MOST preferred under LEED Enhanced Refrigerant Management due to its environmental profile?
- R-22 (HCFC-22)
- R-410A (HFC blend)
- R-744 (CO2) (Correct answer)
- R-11 (CFC-11)
Correct answer: R-744 (CO2)
R-744 (CO2) is a natural refrigerant with zero ODP and a GWP of 1, making it the most environmentally preferable choice among the options.
Question 5: In LEED v4 EA, what does the Owner's Project Requirements (OPR) document establish?
- The contractor's warranty obligations for building systems
- The written document that details the functional requirements and the expectations of how the building systems will be used (Correct answer)
- The energy modeling assumptions used in the simulation
- The schedule for post-occupancy commissioning activities
Correct answer: The written document that details the functional requirements and the expectations of how the building systems will be used
The OPR is the written documentation of the functional requirements of a project and the expectations of how it will be used and operated.
Question 6: How does LEED EA Credit: Green Power and Carbon Offsets address Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions?
- By requiring on-site renewable energy generation only
- By requiring the purchase of RECs or carbon offsets to cover 50%-100% of building energy use for a 5-year contract (Correct answer)
- By mandating a minimum percentage reduction in grid electricity consumption
- By requiring fuel switching from fossil fuels to electricity
Correct answer: By requiring the purchase of RECs or carbon offsets to cover 50%-100% of building energy use for a 5-year contract
This credit requires purchasing green power or carbon offsets equivalent to 50% or 100% of building energy use through a minimum 5-year contract to address indirect emissions.
Question 7: Which LEED EA prerequisite specifically requires projects to track and report actual energy and water data for at least 5 years?
- EA Prerequisite: Fundamental Commissioning and Verification
- EA Prerequisite: Minimum Energy Performance
- EA Prerequisite: Building-Level Energy Metering (Correct answer)
- EA Prerequisite: Fundamental Refrigerant Management
Correct answer: EA Prerequisite: Building-Level Energy Metering
Building-Level Energy Metering requires tracking whole-building energy and water data and sharing it with USGBC for at least 5 years after occupancy.
LEED Atmosphere Credits 3
A LEED project team chooses to use no refrigerants in HVAC&R systems to comply with EA Credit: Enhanced Refrigerant Management.
What is the result?