LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certification) Location and Transportation 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A LEED project earns the maximum points for Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses. Which combination best describes that achievement?
- High residential density AND a large number of diverse uses nearby (Correct answer)
- Proximity to a highway interchange AND a large retail center
- Located in a historic district AND near a transit hub
- High floor-area ratio AND LEED-certified neighbors
Correct answer: High residential density AND a large number of diverse uses nearby
Maximum points are earned when the project achieves both high surrounding residential/employment density and access to a large number of diverse nearby land uses.
Question 2: Which of the following sites would qualify for the LEED Sensitive Land Protection credit by being developed without impacting sensitive land?
- A previously paved urban parking lot (Correct answer)
- Wetlands within 100 feet of the project boundary
- Habitat for a federally listed threatened species
- Land within a 100-year flood plain
Correct answer: A previously paved urban parking lot
A previously developed site like a paved parking lot is not sensitive land, so building on it satisfies Sensitive Land Protection by avoiding undeveloped, sensitive areas.
Question 3: For the LEED Green Vehicles credit, which of the following qualifies as a 'green vehicle'?
- A hybrid vehicle achieving 45 MPG combined (Correct answer)
- A conventional gasoline vehicle with a green paint job
- Any vehicle with a government fleet exemption
- A diesel vehicle meeting Tier 2 emissions standards
Correct answer: A hybrid vehicle achieving 45 MPG combined
Green vehicles are defined by LEED as those achieving at least a 45 MPGe combined rating, which includes qualifying hybrids and zero-emission vehicles.
Question 4: What is the primary environmental benefit of the LEED Reduced Parking Footprint credit?
- Decreasing stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces (Correct answer)
- Increasing vehicle throughput on nearby roads
- Providing revenue for transit agencies
- Reducing building energy use
Correct answer: Decreasing stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces
Reducing the number of parking spaces lowers the impervious surface area of the site, which in turn reduces stormwater runoff and the urban heat island effect.
Question 5: A LEED project team is calculating the number of diverse uses for the Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses credit. A grocery store within walking distance provides food retail — how many diverse use categories does it satisfy?
- One (Correct answer)
- Two
- Three
- As many as the team claims
Correct answer: One
Each qualifying establishment counts toward one use type category regardless of size, so a grocery store counts as one food retail diverse use.
Question 6: Which type of project location earns the LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED ND) Location credit instead of individual LT credits?
- A project built within a certified LEED ND development (Correct answer)
- A project located in a transit-oriented development zone
- A project near a National Park
- A project within an Opportunity Zone
Correct answer: A project built within a certified LEED ND development
Projects located within a certified LEED for Neighborhood Development project can earn the LEED ND Location credit as a streamlined path replacing multiple individual LT credits.
Question 7: Under LEED Bicycle Facilities, which building type is exempt from the requirement to provide shower and changing facilities?
- Office buildings with more than 150 occupants
- Retail buildings
- Residential buildings (Correct answer)
- Warehouses over 50,000 sq ft
Correct answer: Residential buildings
Residential projects are typically exempt from the shower and changing room requirement because residents have access to these facilities within their own units.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certification) Location and Transportation 4
A LEED project earns the maximum points for Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses.
Which combination best describes that achievement?