LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certification) Materials and Resources 4

Question 1

A LEED project team is tracking construction waste. They generated 100 tons of waste and diverted 65 tons through recycling. What is their diversion rate?

Accepted Answer

65%

Answer

Diversion rate = (diverted waste ÷ total waste) × 100 = (65 ÷ 100) × 100 = 65%.

Question 2

Which of the following is considered 'pre-consumer' (also called 'post-industrial') recycled content?

Accepted Answer

Fly ash from coal combustion used in concrete

Answer

Pre-consumer (post-industrial) recycled content includes manufacturing byproducts diverted from waste streams before they reach consumers — fly ash from power plants is a classic example.

Question 3

In LEED v4, the 'Interiors Life Cycle Impact Reduction' credit for interior projects rewards teams that reuse existing building elements. Which element would qualify as a reused interior component?

Accepted Answer

An existing raised access floor system retained from a previous tenant

Answer

Reusing existing interior elements — such as raised floor systems, interior walls, doors, or ceiling systems — avoids the manufacturing impacts of new materials and counts toward life cycle impact reduction.

Question 4

What LEED credit category specifically addresses the potential for materials to release harmful chemicals during a building's operational phase?

Accepted Answer

Indoor Environmental Quality — Low-Emitting Materials

Answer

Low-Emitting Materials is an Indoor Environmental Quality credit that limits VOC emissions from installed products to protect occupant health after the building is occupied.

Question 5

Under LEED v4's Construction and Demolition Waste Management credit, which of the following must a project team document?

Accepted Answer

The total weight or volume of waste generated and the diversion rate achieved

Answer

LEED requires documentation of the total waste generated and the percentage diverted from landfill through recycling, reuse, or composting to verify credit compliance.

LEED - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certification Practice Test

LEED - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certification Practice Test

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certification) Materials and Resources 4