Introduction About This Book LEED NC Sample Exam: New Construction prepares the reader for the Leadership in Energy ‘and Environmental Design (LEED) Professional Accreditation exam given by the US. Green Building Council (USGBC). The sample exam, based on the LEED-NC Rating system version 2.2, was designed to mirror the actual exam in fength, content, and format. Each ff the questions in this book has a detalled solution that explains the correct answer and provides insight into the LEED-NC Rating System and Reference Guide, which the exam is based on. About the LEED Professional Accreditation Exam The LEED Rating System is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. Members of the USGBC, represent ing all segments of the bullding industry, developed LEED and continue to contribute to its evolution. Buildings become LEED certified, but individuals become LEED accredited. As defined by the USGBC in their publication Candidate Handbook: LEED Professional Accreditation Exam, the LEED-NC exam fs designed to ensute that a successful candidate has the knowledge and stills necessary to participate in the design process, to support and encourage Inte grated design, and to streamline a building project's LEED application and certification process. Exam questions are designed to test an examinee's understanding of green bullc- ing practices and principles and familiarity with LEED requirements, resources, and processes. Exam questions are based on the LEED-NC Rating System and Reference Guide which are used in the bullding certification process. The exam tests for minimum competency In four subject areas, or sections, of the LEED certification process. These are identified by USGBC as follows. « Secilon 1: Knowledge of LEED Credit intents and Requirements + Section 2: Coordinate Project and Team FROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS, INC. vilLEED NC Sample Exam vill + Section 3: implement LEED Process + Section 4: Verity, Participate in, and Perform Technical Analyses Required for LEED Credits Each subject area is weighted to reflect its relative Importance to the practice of a LEED [Accredited Professional, These subject areas and their weighting are based on studies known as “task analyses" or job analyses," which identify the knowledge, skills, and abil ities needed of LEED Accredited Professionals working on LEED projects. ‘The exam is comprised of 80 randomly delivered multiple-choice questions that must be completed in 2 hours. Each question has four or more options to choose from. In some cases more than one option is correct, and the examinee must select all correct options to correctly answer the question, To ensure that an examinee’s chances of passing remain constant regardless of the particular administration of the exam taken, the USGBC con- vverts the raw exam score to a scaled score, with the total number of points set at 200 and a minimum passing score of 170. in other words, an examinee Is not penalized if the exam taken is more difficult than usual. instead, fewer questions must be answered cor- rectly to achieve a passing score. ‘The LEED Professional Accreditation Exam currently offers three exam tracks: LEED for New Construction (LEED-NO), LEED for Commercial intetlors (LEED-CI), and LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB). Each exam track is based on a specific version of the respec ‘ive LEED Rating System. A candidate for LEED Professional Accreditation must choose one of these tracks to be tested under. Any one of these tracks will provide a successful candidate with the LEED AP credential. This LEED AP credential is applicable to all LEED Rating Systems. Taking the Exam The exam Is administered by computer at any Promettic test site, Thomas Promettic is a third party testing agency with over 250 testing locations in the United States, When scheduling an exam, a candidate must first create an accreditation profile at ‘www.usgbc.org. The candidate will receive an ID to confirm their eligibility. Then the can- didate must go to the Prometric website at www.prometric.com/usgbc to schedule and pay for the exam. All cancellations and rescheduling must be done directly with Prometric. USGBC recommends that you show up a half hour before your exam appointment to check in and get settled A 15-minute tutorial is avaliable for you to take before beginning the actual exam. Questions and answer choices are shown on a computer screen, and the computer keeps track of which answers you choose. You can skip questions, mark questions for later review, and change your answers until the time fimit is up, While taking the exam, it's better never to leave a question unanswered, even if it's one you want to skip and come back to, Instead, make your best quick guess right away, and ark the question to look at again later. f you decide on a different answer later, you can change it, but if you run out of time before getting to all your skipped questions, you will still have made a guess on each one. Upon completing the exam, you will immediately receive your score, There is a 15-minute exit survey that completes the 2 hour and 30 minute exam experience. When exiting the PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS, INC.examination room, an exam attendant will distribute your LEED Professional Accreditation Exam Score Report. if you pass, a LEED AP Certificate will be sent in the mail How to Use This Book ‘To get the most out of this book, treat it as a real exam. Don't [ook at the questions or solutions ahead of time. When you think you're ready to take the test, get a pencil and paper to record your answers with, sit down, set a timer for 2 hours, and solve as many questions as you can within the time limit ‘After you've taken the sample exam, check your answers against the answer key. It con- tains a full explariation of each answer. Read the solutions in the back of the book, pay ing special attention to any questions you got wrong. To do well on the real exam, you'll need two things: knowledge of the LEED-NC Rating System, and the ability to bring up that knowledge under time pressure. The LEED NC Sample Exam will help you improve both. PROFESSIONAL PUBL Introduction. ixSample Exam 2. 3. A 55,000 sq ft, five-story office building ts planned for the site of a large existing parking lot. The design includes bioswales to help treat stormwater and reduce runoff. Which of the following standards applies to SS Prerequisite 1, Construction Activity Pollution Prevention? (A) USDA In the US. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 7, Volume 6 (8) US. EPA Document 832/R-92-005 (© ASTM £1903-97 Phase Il Environmental Site Assessment {D) 2003 EPA Construction General Permit ‘A 30,000 sq ft office bullding in an eco-ndustrial park is being built to comply with SS Credit 8, Light Pollution Reduction. Which of the folowing pieces of information will be needed to provide a sultable exterior lighting design? (Choose four) (A) lamp lumens for exterior luminaires (8) exterior pavement surfaces (©) watts per square foot of exterior lttumination (0) location of property line : (© interior lighting calculations indicating that the maximum candela value shall intersect opaque buliding interior surfaces (2) watts per square foot of interior illumination A firm is designing a Midwestern law office bullding with 15,000 sq ft of perimeter private offices, 30,000 sq ft of non-perimeter open offices, and 10,000 sq ft of non- regularly accupied spaces. Occupant comfort is a primary goal of the design criteta. ‘To meet this goal, the design must meet crtetia relating to ASHRAE 55, which refers to thermal comfort. Complying with ASHRAE 55 standards, however, may interfere with one of the following LEED-NC credits. Which one? (A) EQ Credit 6.1, Controllability of systems: Lighting (8) EQ Credit 4.1, Low-Emitiing Materials: Adhesives and Sealants PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS, INCTDEED ING Scemple! Exons ce cee teesetsateatagtggc tc e eee cece g Egan TEC 5 6. 7 (QA Gredit 5, Measurement and Verification. (0) EA Credit 1, Optimize Energy Performance On projects over 50,000 sq fl, to comply with EA Prerequisite 1, Fundamental Commissioning of the Building energy systems, which one of the following can the commissioning agent be? (A) the construction manager (8) the mechanical engineer {Q)_ the mechanical engineer's subcontractor responsible for energy modeling (0) an individual on the owners statt 1A.15,000 sq ft LEED-certifable day care facility is being built. Indoor air quality, nat- ural ventilation, and daylighting are primary design objectives. Specifications include low-VOC adhesives and sealants, Which of the following standards must be met to comply with £Q Credit 4.1, Low Emitting Materials: Adhesives and Sealants? (A) ASHRAE 621-2004 {B) ASHRAE 62.2-2004 (9 SMACNA {D) SCAQMD Rule #1168 {E) Green Seat's GS-11 ‘One prerequisite in the LEED-NC Rating System involves meeting ASHRAE 62.1-2004, What does this standard refer to? (A) heating requirements (8) lighting levels (© ventiation requirements (0) greenhouse gas regulations A building owner is commissioning the renovation of a three-story, 78,000 sq ft faci ity, Including a major renovation of the existing mechanical system, According to EA Credit 3, Enhanced Commissloning, there are certain tasks that must be performed by the commissioning agent. Commissioning agents must complete the following, tasks. (Choose two} (A)_ Develop a systems manual to illustrate optimal operation of commissioned systems. (8) Conduct one design review of the owner's design requirements, basis of design, and design documents prior to the mid-construction docurnent phase. (© Review building operation 10 months after substantial completion. that the requirements for training personnel and building occupants have been completed ‘A 20,000 59 # environmental learning center will be constructed on a 130,500 sq ft site with an existing asphalt parking jot. The center will be constructed from insulating. concrete form (IF) wall systems, and renewable resources such as small-diameter trees, bamboo, and cork will be used. interpretive signage will teach visitors about PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS, INC