Guide to the Leed Green Associate V4 Exam

PASS THE LEED^® GA V4 EXAM WITH THE HELP OF SOMEONE WHO’S BEEN THERE

The Guide to the LEED^® Green Associate V4 Exam is a motivating, engaging guide to LEED^® design, packed with expert advice from one who has taken – and passed – the exam. Fully updated with the latest advances in sustainable design thought and technology, this book goes beyond traditional study guides to provide full coverage of the exam topics, plus expert tips on preparing and taking the exam itself.

The information is organized clearly, with sample questions and flashcards throughout, and the companion website features additional study aids including interactive flashcards and practice exams.

• Understand the LEED^® credentialing process, and the fundamental concepts of sustainable design
• Study the strategies and technologies of LEED^® design, from site selection to atmosphere
• Discover how best to handle water, energy, and waste during the construction process
• Gain insight into effective exam prep methods, and know what to expect on test day
• Test your knowledge with practice exam questions and interactive flashcards on the companion website

Professionals eager to prove their skills will find the Guide to the LEED^® Green Associate V4 Exam to be an invaluable one-stop resource.

MICHELLE COTTRELL, LEED^® AP BD+C, ID+C, O+M, Homes is President of Design Management Services. She has helped project teams nationwide pursue LEED^® certification, including the new North American BASF Corporate Headquarters, ultimately earning double Platinum LEED^® certification under both the Core & Shell and Commercial Interiors Rating Systems. She has published 6 books, including the Guide to the LEED^® Certification Process: LEED^® for New Construction, LEED^® for Core & Shell, LEED^® for Commercial Interiors, and the LEED^® exam prep series.

Acknowledgments xi

Introduction xiii

Part I: Ramping Up 1

Chapter 1 Understanding the Credentialing Process 3

The Tiers of the Credentialing Process 3

LEED Green Associate 3

LEED Accredited Professional with Specialty 4

LEED Fellow 4

LEED Professional Certificates^TM 5

The Exam Registration Process 5

Register! 6

Schedule! 6

Why Earn LEED Credentials? 6

Quiz Time! 7

Online Resources 8

Notes 8

Chapter 2 Introduction to The Concepts of Sustainable Design 9

The Benefits of Green Buildings 10

The Triple Bottom Line 11

Systems Thinking 12

Feedback Loops 12

Leverage Points 13

Life‐Cycle Approach 13

Do Green Buildings Cost More? 15

Quiz Time! 15

Notes 17

Chapter 3 Integrative Process 19

The Project Team Members 19

The Traditional Approach 20

The Integrative Approach to Design and Construction 21

Discovery 21

Design and Construction 24

Occupancy, Operations, and Performance Feedback 26

Quiz Time! 27

Online Resources 28

Notes 29

Chapter 4 Third‐Party Verification 31

USGBC^{R and} GBCI™ 31

Roles and Responsibilities 32

The Policies of USGBC and GBCI 32

Quiz Time! 34

Online Resources 36

Notes 36

Chapter 5 The Leed Green Building Certification Program 37

LEED for Building Design and Construction (BD+C) 38

LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations^TM 38

LEED for Schools^TM 38

LEED for Healthcare^TM 39

LEED for Core & Shell^TM 39

LEED for Retail: New Construction^TM 40

LEED for Data Centers^TM 40

LEED for Warehouses and Distribution Centers^TM 40

LEED for Hospitality2. LEED for Homes: Homes and Multifamily Lowrise^TM and LEED for HOMES: Multifamily Midrise^TM40

LEED for Homes 40

LEED for Homes: Homes and Multifamily Lowrise^{TM and} LEED for HOMES: Multifamily Midrise^TM 40

LEED for Interior Design and Construction (ID+C) 41

LEED for Commercial Interiors^TM 41

LEED for Building Operations and Maintenance (O+M) 41

LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance 41

LEED for Neighborhood Development (ND) 42

LEED for Neighborhood Development: Plan^TM and LEED for Neighborhood Development: Built Project^TM 42

The Categories of LEED 42

Prerequisites and Credits 43

Credit Weightings 45

Quiz Time! 45

Online Resources 48

Notes 49

Chapter 6 Essential Leed® Concepts 51

LEED‐Online 51

Minimum Program Requirements 52

MPR 1. Must Be in a Permanent Location on Existing Land 52

MPR 2. Must Use Reasonable LEED Boundaries 53

MPR 3. Must Comply with Project Size Requirements 53

Boundary Types 53

The Steps to Certification 54

Devising a LEED Work Plan 54

The Certification Process 55

LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance^TM 57

The Time Frames of Certification Reviews 58

Special Projects 59

Quiz Time! 59

Online Resources 63

Notes 63

Part II: Diving In: The Strategies and Technologies of LEED^® 65

Chapter 7 Location and Transportation 67

Location 67

Strategies 69

Transportation 71

Strategies 71

Documenting Transportation Strategies 74

Neighborhood Pattern and Design 75

Strategies 76

Quiz Time! 77

Online Resources 80

Notes 80

Chapter 8 Sustainable Sites 81

Site Design and Management 82

Strategies 82

Rainwater Management 86

Strategies 86

Heat Island Effect 90

Strategies 90

Quiz Time! 92

Online Resources 95

Notes 95

Chapter 9 Water Efficiency 97

Indoor Water Use 100

Process Water 100

Strategies 100

Outdoor Water 103

Strategies 104

Quiz Time! 106

Online Resources 108

Notes 108

Chapter 10 Energy and Atmosphere 109

Commissioning 109

Minimum Energy Performance 110

Process Energy versus Regulated Energy 111

Refrigerants 115

Existing Buildings 115

Strategies to Satisfy EA Prerequisites and Credits 115

Energy Demand 116

Energy Efficiency 118

Renewable Energy 124

Ongoing Energy Performance 124

Quiz Time! 126

Online Resources 129

Notes 130

Chapter 11 Materials and Resources 131

Conservation of Materials 132

Strategies 132

Environmentally Preferable Materials 133

Strategies 137

Calculating Green Building Products for LEED 138

Waste Management 142

Strategies to Reduce Waste during Construction 143

Strategies to Reduce Waste during Operations and Maintenance 144

Quiz Time! 145

Online Resources 150

Notes 150

Chapter 12 Indoor Environmental Quality 151

Indoor Air Quality 152

Strategies for Designing for Good IAQ 153

Strategies for Improving IAQ during Construction 154

Strategies for Improving IAQ during Operations and Maintenance 154

Thermal Comfort 158

Strategies 158

Lighting 160

Strategies 162

Acoustics 162

Strategies 162

Quiz Time! 164

Notes 168

Chapter 13 Innovation and Regional Priority 169

Innovation 169

Regional Priority 171

Quiz Time! 172

Online Resources 173

Notes 173

Part III: Study Tips and Appendices 175

Chapter 14 Study Tips 177

Preparing for the Leed® Green Associate™ Exam: Week Seven 177

Practice Exam Approach 178

The Testing Center Environment 178

Exam Structure 179

When at the Testing Center 180

Exam Scoring 180

After the Exam 181

Online Resources 181

Appendix A Rating Systems Overview 183

Appendix B Minimum Program Requirements (MPRs) 185

Notes 186

Appendix C Leed® Certification Process 187

Appendix D Main Category Summaries 189

Appendix E Trade‐Offs and Synergies 193

Appendix F Sample Leed for New Construction™ Scorecard 195

Appendix G Sample Credit 197

SS Credit Open Space 197

1 Point 197

Notes 197

Appendix H Referenced Standards 199

Appendix I Abbreviations and Acronyms 207

Appendix J Answers to Quiz Questions 211

Notes 220

Index 221

Sample Flashcards 

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