This document contains 40 multiple choice questions related to the LEED green building rating system. The questions cover topics such as LEED credits and prerequisites, sustainable building strategies, minimum program requirements, and definitions of common terms. Sample questions ask about materials that contain CFCs, strategies to earn Sustainable Sites credits, components of a building budget, and standards that protect the ozone layer.

1. LEED Green Associate Pool A
Question 1:
What project areas would you find CFCs used in?
A Centrifugal chillers
B Refrigeration
C Hot water heating
D Radiant flooring
Question 2:
Which of the following statements are true?
A Using regional materials will help with construction waste management
B Installing salvaged bicycle racks will help with community connectivity
C Using reflective materials on parking areas will help reduce the heat island effect
D Installing salvaged windows will help save energy
Question 3:
A project team reduces indoor water use 50% from a baseline, well above the 40% credit requirements. What type of
performance does this describe?
A Integrated
B Incremental
C Exemplary
D Innovative
Question 4:
What are local ordinances?
A Building codes based on national model codes

2. B Local government regulations imposed to promote orderly development of private lands and prevent
land-use conflicts
C Recommendations for good building practices
D A law usually found in a municipal code
Question 5:
What specifies the set of rules for the minimum acceptable level of safety for buildings?
A Local ordinances
B American Institute of Architects
C Building codes
D Local zoning
Question 6:
A project team is in the process of selecting a site for new office space. What strategy would help the project earn a
Sustainable Sites credit?
A Using native plants in the landscape to reduce outdoor water use
B Increasing the size of the building footprint to decrease the building density
C Increasing the parking capacity for the purposes of reducing open space
D Locating the project near basic services to provide community connectivity
Question 7:
What should be addressed in the project and building construction budget?
A Green design criteria
B Statement of work
C Request for qualifications
D Life-cycle costs

3. Question 8:
What does the emissivity of a material refer to?
A The measure of a material's ability to reflect sunlight (including the visible, infrared, and ultraviolet
wavelengths) on a scale of 0 to 1
B The ratio of energy radiated by a particular material to energy radiated by a black body at the same
temperature
C The environmental benefits of the material over time
D How hot a surface gets relative to standard black and standard white surfaces
Question 9:
What strategy to control and reduce stormwater runoff will hold water and reduce the rate of runoff?
A Direct runoff into dry ponds
B Increase the area of permeable surfaces
C Install pervious pavement
D Reduce the size of the building footprint
Question 10:
A project team has decided to shrink the building footprint. This change can have a positive impact on what project
area?
A Car-pool parking
B Parking capacity
C Pedestrian access
D Open space
Question 11:
Which of these sites would be most appropriate for community connectivity?
A A site located in proximity to schools, parks, stores, and other services and amenities
B A site that has been documented as contaminated

4. C A site located within 1/4 mile of two or more bus stops
D A site located in an urban residential area
Question 12:
What general documentation is not submitted for LEED certification?
A Project photos / drawings
B Elevations
C Legal contracts
D Project narrative
E Typical floor plans
Question 13:
Which of the following is not a strategy to reduce construction waste?
A Recycle materials
B Use salvaged materials
C Maximize the building footprint
D Sell unused materials
Question 14:
If an HVAC engineer is a LEED AP and also a principal participant on a project, what type of credit can be earned??
A Bonus
B Platinum
C Quantifiable
D Innovation in Design

5. Question 15:
Developing on a greenfield can result in:
A Revitalization of urban areas
B An increased development footprint
C Fragmentation and loss of habitat
D Reducing stormwater runoff
Question 16:
Selecting products that have been developed with a sustainable design is an example of:
A Reuse
B Waste diversion
C Recycling
D Source reduction
Question 17:
The USGBC Trademark Policy permits the following uses of the organization's name:
A U.S. GBC
B US Green Building Council
C U.S. Green Building Council
D USGBC
E United States Green Building Council
Question 18:
What standard might need to be consulted for increasing building energy performance?
A ISO 14020
B ASHRAE 90.1-2007

6. C Green-e
D SMACNA
Question 19:
How is the documentation for Innovation in Design credits for innovative performance submitted?
A Using the CIR process
B Using LEED Online
C Using GBCI's website
D Using USGBC's website
Question 20:
When project team members discuss the albedo of a product, to what are they referring?
A Recycled content
B Emissivity
C Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) content
D The reflectivity of a material
Question 21:
Products that meet ISO 14000 standards are:
A Pre-approved products for LEED
B FSC certified
C Mercury-free
D Environmentally preferable
Question 22:
Reduced emissions are a benefit of purchasing:

7. A Recycled water
B Materials with high SRI
C RECs
D Certified wood
Question 23:
A project team for a new home has selected insulation made partly of recycled newspaper. What type of material is
the insulation considered?
A Post-consumer recycled content
B Salvaged
C Rapidly renewable
D Certified recycled wood content
Question 24:
What is not covered under the LEED for Core and Shell rating system?
A Envelope
B HVAC system
C Furniture, furnishings, and equipment (FF&E)
D Tenant fit out
E Structure
Question 25:
What best defines the project boundary?
A Total area within the platted property line not including any non-constructed areas
B Total area within the legal property boundaries of the site; this encompasses all areas of the site,
including constructed and nonconstructed areas
C Portion of the project site submitted for LEED certification

8. D Platted property line of the project defining land and water within it
Question 26:
A product made in part from cardboard boxes collected at curbside pickups or from an onsite, commingled recycling
area is an example of what material?
A Recycled material
B Durable material
C Remanufactured material
D Salvaged material
Question 27:
Which of the following would not be considered part of the 'built environment'?
A Personal shelter
B Single office building
C A city park developed on the site of a former steel mill
D Natural pond
Question 28:
Which LEED rating system topic addresses the creation of walkable streets, compact development, and diverse
communities?
A Transportation
B Ongoing performance
C Neighborhood pattern and design
D Community connectivity
Question 29:
Which of the following does not help achieve a water-efficient landscape?

9. A Planting with native plants
B Green roof
C Micro misters
D Planting with adaptive plants
Question 30:
What environmental issue occurs from stormwater runoff?
A Heat islands
B Sedimentation
C Ozone depletion
D Blackwater
Question 31:
What may happen if a project does not comply with the minimum program requirements?
A Additional fees or fines may be incurred
B The building's certification may be revoked, if the project has earned a LEED certification
C An alternative compliance path can be used
D The project team will need to submit a CIR
Question 32:
What is an example of a negative feedback loop?
A Increased heat islands require more mechanical cooling which generates more greenhouse gas
emissions causing the need for more cooling
B A warmer atmosphere melts more ice, changing the Earth's albedo which further warms the
atmosphere
C A thermostat whose temperature feedback indicates to the system when to turn off
D Warming oceans releasing greenhouse gasses which would warm the ocean even more

10. Question 33:
Which statement is true regarding a LEED for New Construction project?
A This rating system can be used for tenant spaces
B No refrigerants are used in the building
C No refrigerants are used in the HVAC systems
D This rating system is for buildings that do not primarily serve K-12 educational, retail, or designated
healthcare uses
Question 34:
A granite countertop taken from a demolition project and reused in a residence is what type of product?
A Salvaged
B Locally manufactured
C Locally recovered
D Locally extracted
Question 35:
When calculating building energy performance what is included as non-process energy?
A Parking garage ventilation
B Parking garage lighting
C Fans for increased ventilation
D Refrigerator
E Escalator
F Electric kitchen stove
Question 36:
A LEED AP on a project works exclusively on the HVAC system and does not serve as a principal participant. What
statement is true regarding this scenario?

11. A The project would earn a Regional Priority credit
B No Innovation in Design credit would be earned for having the LEED AP work on the project
C The project would earn an Innovation in Design credit
D The project would earn an Energy and Atmosphere credit
Question 37:
Which of the following are not Minimum Program Requirements?
A Minimum use (less than 1%) of CFC-based refrigerants
B Minimum occupancy rate of at least one Full Time Equivalent (FTE)
C The project must be a permanent building or structure
D Minimum building area to site area ratio
Question 38:
A project team is considering registering a two story residential building for LEED for New Construction. Each story is
500 square feet. What statement is true about this scenario?
A The project team could apply for a building size exception in order to use LEED for New Construction
B LEED for New Construction could be used because the project meets the 1,000 square foot minimum
floor area requirement
C LEED for New Construction could be used if the LEED project boundary is no more than 50,000
square feet
D LEED for New Construction could not be used because residential projects must be at least four-
stories high for this rating system
Question 39:
What gives the ozone layer legal protection?
A ASHRAE Standards
B Kyoto Protocol
C US DOE
D Montreal Protocol

12. Question 40:
What would a project team use to compare different products' abilities to reject solar heat?
A Perviousness
B Albedo
C Solar Reflectance Index (SRI)
D Emissivity
Question 41:
What is a brownfield?
A An infill site
B Previously used or redeveloped land that may be contaminated with hazardous waste or pollution
C Gaps between existing infrastructure
D A site that has been graded
Question 42:
What is one of the goals of filling in the LEED Score Card?
A To estimate the ROI of the project
B To obtain owner buy-in for the project
C To determine credit responsibilities
D To determine the target certification level
Question 43:
What are indigenous plants?
A Plants with high watering requirements
B Plants that require lots of fertilizer
C Plants that are high maintenance

13. D Plants that have been in the area for many years and are not invasive
Question 44:
Within what distance must a material be extracted, harvested, recovered, or manufactured to be considered a
regional material?
A 250 miles
B 500 miles
C 100 miles
D 200 miles
Question 45:
How can the heat island effect of a parking lot be reduced for LEED credit?
A Installing shaded parking covers that have low SRI values
B Installing asphalt that has a high SRI value
C Orienting the building so that the building shades the parking lot from any afternoon sun
D Reduce the size of the parking lot
E Installing pervious paving
Question 46:
Which of the following are NOT soft costs?
A Windows
B Commissioning of the building's systems
C Project drawings
D City permits
Question 47:
Which LEED category has the greatest total number of points a project can earn?

14. A Indoor Environmental Quality
B Water Efficiency
C Sustainable Sites
D Energy and Atmosphere
Question 48:
Which of the following are sources of graywater?
A Toilets
B Municipal potable water supply systems
C Showers
D Washing machines
E Wells
Question 49:
Which of the following materials, if reused, would be considered pre-consumer recycled content?
A Construction and demolition debris
B Sawdust
C Walnut shells
D Sunflower seed hulls
E Milk jugs
Question 50:
A project team is removing cisterns from a project design and will install a green roof instead. What project area
would this change impact?
A Heat Island Effect
B Construction Waste Management

15. C Onsite Renewable Energy
D Stormwater Management
Question 51:
On a project with an older, existing HVAC&R system that uses CFCs, what can the project team do to earn LEED
certification?
A Purchase Renewable Energy Certificates to offset the CFC use
B Replace the CFCs with Halons
C Purchase carbon credits
D Replace the CFCs with natural refrigerants
Question 52:
What is an example of adaptive reuse?
A Designing classrooms so they can be divided into separate class spaces
B Tearing down an old steel mill and putting residences on the property
C Renovating a historic home
D Designing a building with a flexible floor plan that can accommodate offices or apartments
Question 53:
Which of the following is NOT a type of biofuel?
A Soybean oil
B Vegetable oil
C Wood chips
D Geothermal
Question 54:
What has a long atmospheric life that causes harm to the ozone layer?

16. A HCs
B CFCs
C HCFCs
D NH3
Question 55:
Which of the following are transient occupants?
A Part-time receptionists
B Shoppers
C Full time employees
D Shift workers
E College students in a classroom
Question 56:
Which of the following is a strategy to prevent stormwater runoff?
A Minimizing the quantity of open space in the project boundary
B Installing a vegetated roof
C Locating the building 40 feet from a water body
D Replacing native plants with turf grass to capture and filter the water
Question 57:
What does the weighting and level of importance of a LEED credit depend on?
A The ease with which the credit can be earned
B Quantity of resources consumed
C Environmental and human health concerns
D Cost of implementation

17. Question 58:
Which of the following are strategies for conserving potable water?
A Installing a dual flush toilet
B Installing a bioretention pond
C Increasing the infiltration of stormwater runoff
D Installing an onsite septic system
Question 59:
A multi-family building that is 3 stories tall would be certified under what rating system?
A LEED for New Construction
B LEED for Commercial Interiors
C LEED for Homes
D LEED for Core and Shell
Question 60:
What is a Minimum Project Requirement (MPR) for LEED Certification?
A A minimum occupancy rate of 300 Full Time Equivalents (FTEs)
B A minimum occupancy rate of 100 Full Time Equivalents (FTEs)
C A minimum occupancy rate of 25 Full Time Equivalents (FTEs)
D A minimum occupancy rate of 1 Full Time Equivalent (FTE)
Question 61:
Reductions in the water use of cooling towers, boilers, and chillers are calculated as part of what usage group for
water efficiency?
A Harvested water
B Process water

18. C Outdoor water
D Indoor water
Question 62:
Which of the following are not required to be identified in writing to achieve an Innovation in Design (ID) credit for
innovative performance?
A The proposed submittals to demonstrate compliance
B The intent of the proposed credit
C The baseline threshold of the existing LEED credit
D The proposed requirement for compliance
Question 63
What does ASHRAE 55-2004 specify?
A Thermal comfort
B Indoor air quality
C Energy performance
D Commuting surveys
Question 64:
What is the primary reason that a LEED project can have higher development costs compared to conventional
development?
A Green building goals were not set in the pre-design phase
B Material costs rose
C Team members worked together instead of separately
D New, green building technologies were used

19. Question 65:
A rainwater harvesting system can help with:
A Heat island effect
B Water efficiency
C Stormwater management
D Site restoration
Question 66:
Which statement is true about CFCs in the United States?
A CFC production in the United States will be phased out by 2010
B CFC production in the United States will be phased out by 2030
C CFCs are no longer used in the United States
D CFC production in the United States ended in 1995
Question 67:
What are the best design strategies for improving indoor air quality during operations and maintenance of a building?
A Increase the ventilation in the building
B Use air filters with high minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) ratings
C Use natural refrigerants
D Orient the building for optimal sun exposure
E Use soft surfaces on the interiors
Question 68:
What are some of the economic benefits of green building?
A Reduced utility costs
B Increasing the tax base to the community

20. C Reduced liabilities due to poor indoor air quality causing health issues
D Reduced disturbance of greenfield sites
Question 69:
For a sustainable site, plants should be selected that minimize evapotranspiration. What is evapotranspiration?
A A plant's ability to attract pests
B The quantity of fertilization a plant requires
C The loss of water from a plant's leaves
D The quantity of pesticide a plant requires
Question 70:
Which of the following causes depletion of the ozone layer?
A Solar radiation
B Heat islands
C Mercury
D Halons
Question 71:
What statement is true about RECs?
A RECs provide electricity
B RECs depreciate in value
C RECs are reduced from utility bills
D RECs are tradable commodities

21. Question 72:
A project team decides to build up, instead of out, to reduce the building footprint. This strategy could help earn what
credit?
A Development Density
B Community Connectivity
C Heat Island Effect, Roof
D Maximize Open Space
Question 73:
Which refrigerants are considered environmentally benign?
A Halons
B Propane
C Hydrocarbons
D Hydrofluorocarbons
Question 74:
ASHRAE standards are used in all of the following LEED categories except:
A Materials and Resources
B Indoor Environmental Quality
C Sustainable Sites
D Energy and Atmosphere
Question 75:
The Green Label Plus certification is used for what material?
A Carpets
B Cleaning products

22. C Wood
D Floors
Question 76:
What practice would be used to investigate lumber from the point where the lumber was extracted to the point where
the lumber was disposed of?
A Regenerative design
B Cradle to cradle
C Cradle to grave
D Upcycling
Question 77:
The selection of a less efficient refrigerant for HVAC&R systems can result in an increase in what types of emissions?
A Radon
B CO2
C CFCs
D VOCs
E NH3
Question 78:
Some wood flooring recovered onsite from a renovation project was refurbished and reused onsite. What type of
material is the wood flooring considered?
A Regional/local material
B Recycled content
C Salvaged material
D Virgin wood

23. Question 79:
What is the EPAct of 1992 used for?
A To determine the baseline building energy performance for buildings 20,000 sq. ft. or less
B To define the VOC content limits of certain building materials
C To define ODP and GWP limits for refrigerants
D To set the baseline water flow requirements of toilets and fixtures
Question 80?
To meet the minimum program requirements for a new welcome center in a park, how big does the welcome center
need to be if the LEED project boundary is 100,000 square feet?
A At least 60% of the LEED project boundary
B At least 40% of the LEED project boundary
C 1,000 square feet
D 2,000 square feet of gross floor area
Question 81:
A project using recycled materials manufactured 750 miles from a project site would not impact what LEED credit?
A Community Connectivity
B Construction Waste Management
C Regional Materials
D Recycled Materials
Question 82:
What type of construction materials are recovered from building sites and reused on different building sites in the
same or a different capacity?
A Salvaged material
B Durable material

24. C Pre-consumer recycled material
D Post-consumer recycled material
Question 83:
What generally defines the LEED project boundary?
A Building footprint
B Building footprint and hardscapes
C Site boundary
D Area of disturbance and all surrounding roadways
Question 84:
What should the project team do with the LEED Score Card once it has been completed for a new construction
project?
A Refer to it during the construction process
B Mail it to GBCI
C Use it to determine project soft-costs
D Use it to determine the baseline building water use
Question 85:
What statement is true regarding ChloroFluoroCarbons (CFCs) and HydroChloroFluoroCarbons (HCFCs)?
A CFCs have a greater global warming potential (GWP) than HCFCs
B LEED encourages replacing CFC or halon-based fire suppression systems with HCFCs
C The ozone depletion potential (ODP) of HCFCs and CFCs is about the same
D CFCs are banned under the Montreal Protocol while HCFCs are not

25. Question 86:
The practice of placing windows or other transparent media and reflective surfaces in such a way that during the day
natural light provides effective internal illumination is referred to as:
A Natural ventilation
B Lighting power density
C Passive ventilation
D Daylighting
Question 87:
What environmental issue is associated with refrigerants used in HVAC&R systems?
A Pollution of water bodies
B Increased air pollution
C Increased use of fossil fuels
D Damage to the Earth's ozone layer
Question 88:
What is not true about Innovation in Design (ID) credits?
A ID credits can be awarded for specific environmental issues related to the region the project is located
in
B Exemplary performance is only available for existing LEED credits
C ID credits are awarded for environmental impacts
D Each innovative performance credit awarded requires a 12 month follow up to verify the strategy is
comprehensive
Question 89:
What area is NOT considered previously developed?
A Stone quarry

26. B Nature preserve
C Unused parking lot
D Racetrack
Question 90:
A building owner's project includes a major HVAC renovation, significant envelope modifications, and core plumbing
renovation. An interior fit-out is not part of the project. What LEED rating system would be most appropriate for this
project?
A LEED for New Construction
B LEED for Core and Shell
C LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance
D LEED for Commercial Interiors
Question 91:
What is source reduction?
Question 91:
Which of the following are not alternative fuel vehicles?
A Liquid natural gas powered van
B Diesel powered car
C Gas-electric hybrid
D Methanol powered truck
A Reducing energy use in a building
B Decreasing the materials used for manufacturing products
C Reducing the heat island effect
D Reducing the amount of stormwater runoff

27. Question 93:
What types of water can NOT be used for flushing toilets?
A Blackwater
B Non-potable water
C Stormwater
D Graywater
Question 94:
How does LEED evaluate the environmental performance of a building?
A By the amount of energy reduction
B Through a cradle to grave analysis
C Using LEED Online
D From a whole building perspective over a building's life cycle
Question 95:
Which of the following is a type of graywater?
A Wastewater that has not come in contact with toilet waste or kitchen sinks
B Stormwater collected and held in a cistern
C Rainwater collected in a retention pond
D Wastewater from urinals
Question 96:
What is not an example of a basic service?
A Public park
B Bank

28. C Mass transit
D House of worship
Question 97:
What is an example of an ongoing operating cost?
A Design of a sedimentation control plan
B Attorney fees for building contracts
C Carpet installation
D Salaries for janitorial services in a building
Question 98:
Energy efficiency is defined as:
A Any strategy that reduces resource use 20% from a baseline comparison
B Any strategy that reduces resource use 10% or more from a baseline comparison
C The replacement of any older building product with a newer building product
D The use of technology that requires less energy to perform the same function as a conventional item
Question 99:
A vehicle must meet which requirement to be considered low-emitting and fuel-efficient?
A Green Seal score of 40 or more
B Green Label score of 40 or more
C Green score of 40 or more
D Green-e score of 40 or more

29. Question 100:
How many of the 110 possible LEED points can be earned for addressing regionally specific environmental issues?
A 1
B 10
C 4
D 2