LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certification) Sustainable Sites 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A project is located in a dense urban area and has no available land for on-site open space. How can it still earn the LEED Open Space credit?
- By providing a rooftop green space accessible to building occupants (Correct answer)
- By paying into a local parks fund equivalent to the required open space area
- By partnering with an adjacent property to share their open space
- By demonstrating that on-site open space is not feasible due to zoning
Correct answer: By providing a rooftop green space accessible to building occupants
LEED allows vegetated rooftop spaces accessible to occupants to count toward the Open Space credit when ground-level open space is constrained by urban conditions.
Question 2: Under the LEED Sustainable Sites prerequisite for Construction Activity Pollution Prevention, which document must be implemented during construction?
- A Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) (Correct answer)
- An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
- A Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP)
- A Best Management Practices (BMP) manual approved by the EPA
Correct answer: A Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)
The prerequisite requires implementation of an erosion and sedimentation control plan that meets or exceeds local regulations, typically documented as a SWPPP.
Question 3: For the Heat Island Reduction credit, what is the minimum Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) required for a steep-sloped roofing material (slope > 2:12)?
- SRI of 29
- SRI of 39
- SRI of 64
- SRI of 78 (Correct answer)
Correct answer: SRI of 78
LEED requires steep-sloped roofs (slope greater than 2:12) to have an SRI of at least 78 to qualify for the non-roof heat island reduction pathway.
Question 4: Which of the following is NOT a qualifying strategy under the LEED Rainwater Management credit?
- Bioretention cells (rain gardens)
- Cisterns for rainwater harvesting and reuse
- Conventional storm sewers that discharge directly to a municipal system (Correct answer)
- Permeable pavement with infiltration
Correct answer: Conventional storm sewers that discharge directly to a municipal system
Conventional storm sewers that simply redirect runoff to municipal systems do not manage rainwater on site and therefore do not qualify as LID strategies for this credit.
Question 5: A mixed-use LEED project includes both retail and residential uses. Under the Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses credit, what is the purpose of the 'diverse uses' component?
- To ensure the building itself contains at least four different use types
- To reward proximity to a variety of community amenities within walking distance (Correct answer)
- To require the project to provide services for underserved populations nearby
- To encourage mixed-income housing within the project boundary
Correct answer: To reward proximity to a variety of community amenities within walking distance
The diverse uses component rewards projects located near a variety of retail, civic, and community uses within a short walk, reducing the need for vehicle trips.
Question 6: Under the LEED Place-Based Policies approach for Rainwater Management, what must a project demonstrate to earn the credit?
- Adoption of LEED standards at the municipal level for all new development
- Compliance with a locally adopted stormwater management plan that addresses quantity and quality (Correct answer)
- A 25% reduction in site runoff compared to pre-development hydrology
- Installation of green infrastructure covering at least 20% of the site area
Correct answer: Compliance with a locally adopted stormwater management plan that addresses quantity and quality
Projects can use an alternative compliance path by demonstrating conformance with a locally adopted, comprehensive stormwater management plan that addresses both runoff quantity and quality.
Question 7: A developer is evaluating two sites. Site A is a greenfield outside the urban growth boundary; Site B is an infill site in a walkable urban neighborhood. Which LEED SS credit most directly penalizes choosing Site A over Site B?
- High Priority Site
- Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses (Correct answer)
- Site Assessment
- Protect or Restore Habitat
Correct answer: Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses
The Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses credit rewards projects in densely developed, walkable areas, making greenfield sites outside urban boundaries ineligible for this credit.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certification) Sustainable Sites 3
A project is located in a dense urban area and has no available land for on-site open space.
How can it still earn the LEED Open Space credit?