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LEED Certification Exam

Test Impressions and Notes

D. Boles 7/17/04

General Comments

• The test is divided into 4 sections, each requiring it’s own study strategy
• Section 1 covers Green Building Design and Construction Industry Knowledge and contains 30 questions
• Section 2 covers LEED Rating System Knowledge and contains 20 questions
• Section 3 covers LEED Resources and Processes and contains 20 questions
• Section 4 covers Green Design Strategies and contains 30 questions
• The system allows you to skip by questions and/or to mark questions you want to come back to later. You will be given a question to review ALL of your answers at the end, or can do so at any time by pressing the review answers button. Questions you have not answered will be marked with an “I’ for incomplete. Questions you have marked will be flagged with a red flag to make it easier to find them. You can call up any question to review your answer and make any changes.
• Studying the LEED Rating system document alone is not enough. It will get the candidate through Section 4, and will help with Section 1, but further study is necessary to pass sections 1, 2, and 3.
• Most of the questions are pretty straightforward, though there a couple are nearly inscrutable. For an example of an inscrutable question, see the second sample question in Section 1 below.
• Many of the questions contained in USGBC-provided test preparation materials (e.g. the “official” USGBC study guide on the web site) appear nearly verbatim on the test. Word to the wise: Study Any of These You’ve Got
• It is common for questions to have all of the multiple choices be legitimate answers for LEED, but the right answer depends on knowledge of which does/does not apply to the particular credit involved (e.g. questions worded like the following:

All of the following are Prerequisites within the LEED rating system except for:

A. Erosion and Sedimentation Control

B. Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control

C. Increased Ventilation Effectiveness

D. Minimum Energy Performance

Section 1 – 30 Questions

• Test takers with significant experience in all aspects of green building/design who have studied the rating system document and the reference guide will fare all right.
• Success really requires a detailed study of the reference manual, paying particular attention to the introductory sections on green building design/construction and the introductions to each individual credit area (Introductory pages to SS, WE, EA, MR, and EQ). Many questions are drawn from these areas.

Sample Questions

Which of the following is the largest component to construction debris going to landfill?

1. Asphalt
2. Wood
3. Metal
4. Drywall

What building type generates the most solid waste per person?

1. Hospitals
2. Schools
3. Offices
4. Supermarkets

Section 2 – 20 Questions

• Passing this section requires knowledge of the background and business case for LEED. A good resource to study would be USGBC’s Introduction to LEED powerpoint presentation. Another good resource to study is the brochure “Making The Business Case For High Performance Green Buildings”, both available on the USGBC web site.
• In addition to these, spend some time reviewing the LEED system background information on the www.usgbc.org web site.

· It’s a good idea to know that it takes a minimum of 26 points under LEED 2.0 for a building to become certified. There could be derivations of this question in other versions of the test, so it might be good to memorize the certified (26), silver (33), gold (39), and platinum (52) point minimums, as well as the maximum number of points possible under LEED 2.0 (69)

Sample Questions:

All of the following are benefits of sustainable design and construction except:

1. Increased Employee Productivity
2. Reduced Construction Costs
3. Improved Employee Health
4. Increased Property Value

What is the first step a project team with a question about a LEED credit is likely to take?

1. Call their designated LEED Project Manager at USGBC
2. Submit a credit interpretation request
3. Read the credit intent in the LEED Rating System
4. Consult the credit interpretation database on the LEED web site

Which of the following is not included in the format of a Credit in the LEED Rating System

1. Goals and objectives
2. Environmental Impact of existing practices
3. Summary of Referenced Standards
4. Criteria to satisfy the credit

Section 3

• Passing this section will be easier with a good knowledge of the resources that are listed in the various sections of the reference guide. For example, questions may ask about which of the 4 listed publications are good green design/construction resources to draw upon.
• Knowledge of resources and processes needs to also include an awareness of what some of the federal government documents, such as the Environmentally Preferable Procurement Guide, are available and what their intent is.
• This section is very heavily weighted toward the process of getting a project registered, and on the process of approval. The best place to study this is the USGBC web site. The candidate should understand:
• How to register a project
• What steps are involved in the entire certification process
• What proper methods for resolving questions are, including the “how to” of each area.
• Credit Intent
• Reference Guide
• Credit Interpretation Process
• Who is (and is not) part of a project team and the project review (hint: there are no USGBC staff resources or project managers available for discussion of projects).

Sample Questions

What is the proper method for registering a project for LEED certification?

A. Download, complete, and mail the project registration form from the USGBC web site

B. Fax a copy of the project description and design intent to the LEED certification coordinator at the USGBC

C. Have the project architect submit AIA form 5931, request for consideration of project for LEED certification

D. Complete the online form available on the USGBC web site

What is the proper method for submitting a credit interpretation?

A. Complete the online credit interpretation request on the USGBC web site.

B. Schedule a conference call with the designated LEED Project Manager at USGBC

C. Download, complete, and mail the project registration form from the USGBC web site.

D. Send a letter or FAX toUSGBC requesting a credit interpretation request form.

Section 4

• Submittal Requirements form the basis of a number of questions.
• The referenced standard section does not contain ALL of the standards that questions refer to, a weakness of the 2.0 standard document. There are some standards that are referenced in the text of individual sections, sometimes somewhat obliquely.
• To pass, the candidate has to know more than just the information contained in the LEED standard document itself. Much of the information is drawn from the detail contained in the reference guide.
• Knowledge of the additional resources listed in the Resources section of each credit will help in several questions.
• Know which ASHRAE standard is which.
• Know which items are prerequisites and which are credits. There are several questions that will ask you to differentiate.

Sample Questions

Which of the following is included in Total Cost when calculating Materials and Resources Credit 3 – Resource Reuse?

1. Electrical panels
2. Ductwork
3. Labor
4. Drywall

Which of the following has the most square feet of surface area?

1. Building shell
2. Interiors
3. Foundation
4. Floors

Which of the following applies to thermal comfort?

1. ASHRAE 90.1 1999
2. ASHRAE 62-1999
3. ASHRAE 129-1997
4. ASHRAE 55-1992

Which of the following applies to Energy and Atmosphere Prerequisite 1 – Minimum IAQ Peformance?

1. ASHRAE 90.1 1999
2. ASHRAE 62-1999
3. ASHRAE 52.2-1999
4. ASHRAE 55-1992

What is the maximum number of Innovation in Design Credits that can be awarded to a project?

1. 2
2. 4
3. 6
4. 8

Which of the following is not included in the ways to earn Materials and Resources Credit 3.2 - Construction IAQ Management Plan?

1. Conduct a bake out of the building at high temperatures for two weeks to eliminate all VOC’s
2. Conduct a minimum 2 week building flushout with 100% air
3. Conduct a minimum 2 week building flushout with new filtration media
4. Conduct a baseline indoor air quality testing procedure