LEED Green Associate Exam
What are the 3 Minimum Program Requirements? ** ANSWER ** 1. Project must
be in a permanent location on existing land
2. Project must use a reasonable LEED boundary
3. Project must comply with LEED's project size requirements
If a project receives 80 points but does not meet one of the MPRs, what certification
level will it receive? ** ANSWER ** None.
How many points for LEED Certified? ** ANSWER ** 40-49
How many points for LEED Silver? ** ANSWER ** 50-59
How many points for LEED Gold? ** ANSWER ** 60-79
How many points for LEED Platinum? ** ANSWER ** 80+
How many total points are available? ** ANSWER ** 110. 10 bonus points are
possible through Innovation (6 points) and Regional Priority (4 points)
What are the five rating system categories? ** ANSWER ** 1. LEED for Building
Design and Construction (LEED BD + C)
2. LEED for Interior Design and Construction (LEED ID + C)
3. LEED Building Operations and Maintenance (LEED O + M)
4. LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED ND)
5. LEED for Homes
If the total area of a building contains 35% square footage for a hospital and 50% for a
school, which rating system COULD be used? ** ANSWER ** LEED BD + C:
Schools. See: 40/60 Rule.
To be eligible for the LEED BD + C: Core and Shell Development rating system, the
developer must construct less than _______% of the interior gross floor area. **
ANSWER ** 40%. The tenants must be able to construct the rest.
Which LEED BD+C project rating systems are eligible for pre-certification (for marketing
purposes)? ** ANSWER ** LEED BD+C: Core and Shell Development (LEED
BD+C: CS)
Do university building have to be academic buildings to qualify for LEED BD+C: Schools
rating system? ** ANSWER ** No. All core and ancillary K-12 buildings on school
grounds and higher education and non-academic buildings are eligible.
,LEED BD+C: Data Centers rating system is designed for buildings that contain
______________________ equipment ** ANSWER ** High-density computing
What are the eight rating systems within LEED BD+C? ** ANSWER ** :NC (New
Construction and Major Renovation)
:CS (Core and Shell Development)
:S (Schools)
:R (Retail)
:DC (Data Centers)
:WDC (Warehouses and Distribution Centers)
:HO (Hospitality)
:HC (Healthcare)
For the LEED BD+C: HC rating system, a hospital must be open _________________
** ANSWER ** 24/7. It must also provide inpatient medical treatment
What are the three rating systems within LEED ID+C? ** ANSWER ** :CI
(Commercial Interiors)
:R (Retail)
:HO (Hospitality)
LEED ID+C: CI goes hand-in-hand with which LEED BD+C credit? ** ANSWER **
LEED BD+C: CS. A developer may certify the exterior as BD+C:CS, and the tenant may
certify the interior as ID+C: CI
LEED O+M building certifications expire every _____ years. ** ANSWER ** Five.
Projects must be re
What are the six rating systems within LEED O+M? ** ANSWER ** :EB (Existing
Buildings)
:R (Retail)
:S (Schools)
:HO (Hospitality)
:DC (Data Centers)
:WDC (Warehouse and Distribution Centers)
What are the catch-all (general types that fall outside of other categories of buildings)
categories for LEED BD+C and LEED O+M? ** ANSWER ** LEED BD+C: NC
LEED O+M: EB
For a LEED ND project, the location and design of the neighborhood will aim to reduce
VMT, which stands for ________________________________. ** ANSWER **
Vehicle Miles Traveled
,The two types of LEED ND certifications are _____________________ and
____________________. ** ANSWER ** Plan
Built Project
All LEED ND certified lands must address five categories. What are they? **
ANSWER ** Smart Location and Linkage
Neighborhood Pattern and Design
Green Infrastructure and Buildings
Innovation and Design
Regional Priority Credit
What is the maximum number of stories for a project to be eligible for LEED for Homes?
Which rating systems should these projects use instead? ** ANSWER ** Eight
LEED BD+C: NC
Which two rating systems require in-field verification? ** ANSWER ** LEED
BD+C: H (Homes and Multifamily Low-rise)
LEED BD+C: MR (Multifamily Midrise)
What will be the next version of LEED? ** ANSWER ** LEED v5
What are pilot credits? Under what credit category do they qualify? ** ANSWER **
Credits proposed for the next version of LEED. Innovation credits.
How is the LEED project boundary defined? ** ANSWER ** The platted property
line of the project
What is the minimum gross floor area for projects to qualify under LEED BD+C and
LEED O+M? ** ANSWER ** 1000 sf
What is the minimum gross floor area for projects to qualify under LEED ID+C? **
ANSWER ** 250 sf
What is the minimum number of buildings included to be eligible for LEED ND? What is
the maximum area of the neighborhood? ** ANSWER ** 2 habitable buildings
minimum, 1500 acres maximum
In order to qualify for LEED for Homes, a project must be defined as a ____________
unit by all applicable codes. ** ANSWER ** Dwelling
What are the two types of prerequisites/credits, depending on the project's phase?
** ANSWER ** Design
Construction
What are the seven IMPACT categories?
, 1. Reverse ___________________
2. Enhance individual __________________
3. Protect and restore ______________
4. Protect, enhance and restore _____________
5. Promote __________________
6. Build ___________________
7. Enhance social ________________ ** ANSWER ** 1. Reverse contribution to
global climate change
2. Enhance human health and well-being
3. Protect and restore water resources
4. Protect, enhance and restore biodiversity and ecosystems
5. Promote sustainable and regenerative material resources cycles
6. Build a greener economy
7. Enhance social equity, environmental justice, and community quality of life
What is a CIR? How much does it cost? What is the turnaround? ** ANSWER **
Credit Interpretation Ruling - issued by a project team if there are questions about the
technical details of a prerequisite, credit or MPR.
$220
2-5 weeks
How is a LEED Interpretation different from a CIR? ** ANSWER ** LEED
Interpretations are precedent-setting and will be incorporated into the entire LEED
Rating System
Who administers a CIR? LEED Interpretation? ** ANSWER ** CIR - GBCI
LEED Interpretation - USGBC
What is the quarterly-issued document which combines all changes, improvements,
issued LEED Interpretations, and modifications made to a LEED Rating System? Where
are they issued? ** ANSWER ** Addendum
USGBC Website
What are the four steps in the LEED Certification Process for LEED BD+C and LEED
ID+C projects? ** ANSWER ** 1. Project Registration
2. Application
3. Review
4. Certification/Denial
For LEED BD+C and LEED ID+C projects...
What is the flat fee for project registration?
What does the fee for review (certification) depend on? ** ANSWER ** $900 for
USGBC members, $1,200 for non-members
Review (certification) fee depends on gross floor area
What are the 3 Minimum Program Requirements? ** ANSWER ** 1. Project must
be in a permanent location on existing land
2. Project must use a reasonable LEED boundary
3. Project must comply with LEED's project size requirements
If a project receives 80 points but does not meet one of the MPRs, what certification
level will it receive? ** ANSWER ** None.
How many points for LEED Certified? ** ANSWER ** 40-49
How many points for LEED Silver? ** ANSWER ** 50-59
How many points for LEED Gold? ** ANSWER ** 60-79
How many points for LEED Platinum? ** ANSWER ** 80+
How many total points are available? ** ANSWER ** 110. 10 bonus points are
possible through Innovation (6 points) and Regional Priority (4 points)
What are the five rating system categories? ** ANSWER ** 1. LEED for Building
Design and Construction (LEED BD + C)
2. LEED for Interior Design and Construction (LEED ID + C)
3. LEED Building Operations and Maintenance (LEED O + M)
4. LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED ND)
5. LEED for Homes
If the total area of a building contains 35% square footage for a hospital and 50% for a
school, which rating system COULD be used? ** ANSWER ** LEED BD + C:
Schools. See: 40/60 Rule.
To be eligible for the LEED BD + C: Core and Shell Development rating system, the
developer must construct less than _______% of the interior gross floor area. **
ANSWER ** 40%. The tenants must be able to construct the rest.
Which LEED BD+C project rating systems are eligible for pre-certification (for marketing
purposes)? ** ANSWER ** LEED BD+C: Core and Shell Development (LEED
BD+C: CS)
Do university building have to be academic buildings to qualify for LEED BD+C: Schools
rating system? ** ANSWER ** No. All core and ancillary K-12 buildings on school
grounds and higher education and non-academic buildings are eligible.
,LEED BD+C: Data Centers rating system is designed for buildings that contain
______________________ equipment ** ANSWER ** High-density computing
What are the eight rating systems within LEED BD+C? ** ANSWER ** :NC (New
Construction and Major Renovation)
:CS (Core and Shell Development)
:S (Schools)
:R (Retail)
:DC (Data Centers)
:WDC (Warehouses and Distribution Centers)
:HO (Hospitality)
:HC (Healthcare)
For the LEED BD+C: HC rating system, a hospital must be open _________________
** ANSWER ** 24/7. It must also provide inpatient medical treatment
What are the three rating systems within LEED ID+C? ** ANSWER ** :CI
(Commercial Interiors)
:R (Retail)
:HO (Hospitality)
LEED ID+C: CI goes hand-in-hand with which LEED BD+C credit? ** ANSWER **
LEED BD+C: CS. A developer may certify the exterior as BD+C:CS, and the tenant may
certify the interior as ID+C: CI
LEED O+M building certifications expire every _____ years. ** ANSWER ** Five.
Projects must be re
What are the six rating systems within LEED O+M? ** ANSWER ** :EB (Existing
Buildings)
:R (Retail)
:S (Schools)
:HO (Hospitality)
:DC (Data Centers)
:WDC (Warehouse and Distribution Centers)
What are the catch-all (general types that fall outside of other categories of buildings)
categories for LEED BD+C and LEED O+M? ** ANSWER ** LEED BD+C: NC
LEED O+M: EB
For a LEED ND project, the location and design of the neighborhood will aim to reduce
VMT, which stands for ________________________________. ** ANSWER **
Vehicle Miles Traveled
,The two types of LEED ND certifications are _____________________ and
____________________. ** ANSWER ** Plan
Built Project
All LEED ND certified lands must address five categories. What are they? **
ANSWER ** Smart Location and Linkage
Neighborhood Pattern and Design
Green Infrastructure and Buildings
Innovation and Design
Regional Priority Credit
What is the maximum number of stories for a project to be eligible for LEED for Homes?
Which rating systems should these projects use instead? ** ANSWER ** Eight
LEED BD+C: NC
Which two rating systems require in-field verification? ** ANSWER ** LEED
BD+C: H (Homes and Multifamily Low-rise)
LEED BD+C: MR (Multifamily Midrise)
What will be the next version of LEED? ** ANSWER ** LEED v5
What are pilot credits? Under what credit category do they qualify? ** ANSWER **
Credits proposed for the next version of LEED. Innovation credits.
How is the LEED project boundary defined? ** ANSWER ** The platted property
line of the project
What is the minimum gross floor area for projects to qualify under LEED BD+C and
LEED O+M? ** ANSWER ** 1000 sf
What is the minimum gross floor area for projects to qualify under LEED ID+C? **
ANSWER ** 250 sf
What is the minimum number of buildings included to be eligible for LEED ND? What is
the maximum area of the neighborhood? ** ANSWER ** 2 habitable buildings
minimum, 1500 acres maximum
In order to qualify for LEED for Homes, a project must be defined as a ____________
unit by all applicable codes. ** ANSWER ** Dwelling
What are the two types of prerequisites/credits, depending on the project's phase?
** ANSWER ** Design
Construction
What are the seven IMPACT categories?
, 1. Reverse ___________________
2. Enhance individual __________________
3. Protect and restore ______________
4. Protect, enhance and restore _____________
5. Promote __________________
6. Build ___________________
7. Enhance social ________________ ** ANSWER ** 1. Reverse contribution to
global climate change
2. Enhance human health and well-being
3. Protect and restore water resources
4. Protect, enhance and restore biodiversity and ecosystems
5. Promote sustainable and regenerative material resources cycles
6. Build a greener economy
7. Enhance social equity, environmental justice, and community quality of life
What is a CIR? How much does it cost? What is the turnaround? ** ANSWER **
Credit Interpretation Ruling - issued by a project team if there are questions about the
technical details of a prerequisite, credit or MPR.
$220
2-5 weeks
How is a LEED Interpretation different from a CIR? ** ANSWER ** LEED
Interpretations are precedent-setting and will be incorporated into the entire LEED
Rating System
Who administers a CIR? LEED Interpretation? ** ANSWER ** CIR - GBCI
LEED Interpretation - USGBC
What is the quarterly-issued document which combines all changes, improvements,
issued LEED Interpretations, and modifications made to a LEED Rating System? Where
are they issued? ** ANSWER ** Addendum
USGBC Website
What are the four steps in the LEED Certification Process for LEED BD+C and LEED
ID+C projects? ** ANSWER ** 1. Project Registration
2. Application
3. Review
4. Certification/Denial
For LEED BD+C and LEED ID+C projects...
What is the flat fee for project registration?
What does the fee for review (certification) depend on? ** ANSWER ** $900 for
USGBC members, $1,200 for non-members
Review (certification) fee depends on gross floor area
