Integrative Strategies | LEED Green Associate

A LEED NC Project is pursuing Credit Integrative Process. As part of discovery phase of energy related research, which of the following elements should the team not include?

• Local climate

• Site conditions

• Potential building features

• Local Rainfall data

Answer explanation

As part of the discovery phase for energy related systems. Projects should collect information about the local climate, site conditions, energy sources, transportation options, and potential building features.

Reducing external light pollution will result in synergies between what LEED Credit Categories? (Choose 2)

• Energy and Atmosphere

• Sustainable Sites

• Indoor Environmental Quality

• Innovation

Answer explanation

Energy and Atmosphere: Reducing light pollution with impact energy usage, though the light pollution credit is not part of Energy and Atmosphere.

 

Sustainable Sites: Light pollution reduction is covered in the Sustainable Sites category. Light pollution impacts night-time views and nocturnal life. Projects attempting this credit are required to meet the lighting power densities defined in ASHRAE 90.1-2010 based on the zone of the project.

 

 

The other choices are:

 

Indoor Environmental Quality

Innovation

Which of the following factors is a fundamental evaluation criterion for the prerequisite Integrative Project Planning and Design?

• Sensitive Land

• Human health

• Strategies that have bigger impact on project energy usage

• Cost-effective adoption of green design and construction strategies

Answer explanation

The intent of integrative project planning and design prerequisite is to maximize opportunities for integrated, cost-effective adoption of green design and construction strategies, emphasizing human health as a fundamental evaluative criterion for building design, construction and operational strategies.

Reducing the heat island effect by installing paving materials with a high SRI can have an impact on credits in what LEED Categories? (Choose 2)

• Indoor Environmental Quality

• Sustainable Sites

• Materials and Resources

• Water Efficiency

• Energy and Atmosphere

Answer explanation

 

Sustainable Sites: Reducing heat islands is a credit from the Sustainable Sites category.

 

The other choices are:

 

Water Efficiency: Paving materials with a high SRI would not impact any of the Water Efficiency credits.

 

Indoor Environmental Quality: Paving materials with a high SRI would not impact any of the IEQ credits.

 

Materials and Resources: Paving materials with a high SRI would not impact any of the Materials and Resources credits. If the materials were Regional Materials they could but that information was not provided in the question so you can’t assume one way or the other.

A project in Phoenix, Arizona is required to conduct a four hour integrated design charrette to optimize the integration of green strategies. Which of the following rating systems suits for the project?

• LEED BD+C: New Construction

• LEED BD+C: Healthcare

• LEED BD+C: Homes

• LEED BD+C: Schools

Answer explanation

Healthcare Projects are required to conduct a four hour design charrette in order to meet the requirements of the Prerequisite Integrative Project Planning and Design.

Designing a building with a natural ventilation system will impact what credit categories? (Choose 2)

• Indoor Environmental Quality

• Energy and Atmosphere

• Sustainable Sites

• Materials and Resources

Answer explanation

Energy and Atmosphere: A natural ventilation system (aka passive ventilation) will reduce the energy demands of a building. No mechanical cooling system will need to installed and run.

Indoor Environmental Quality: A natural ventilation system impacts the indoor air quality of a building. Indoor air quality is part of this credit category.

The project team is identifying at least one on-site, non-potable water source that could be used to offset water demand. Which of the following credits are they working on?

• We Credit Indoor Water Use Reduction

• WE Prerequisite Outdoor Water Use Reduction

• Integrative Process

• WE Prerequisite Indoor Water Use Reduction

Answer explanation

 

Integrative Process For IP credit, discovery requires assessing and estimating potential non-potable water supply sources. Projects should demonstrate how at least one non-potable water supply source was used to offset at least two water demand components (indoor, outdoor, process).

Which of the following must be true for a health care project to earn LEED Certification?

• The project should earn a minimum of forty points

• The project should develop a health mission statement and incorporate it in the Owner’s Project Requirements

• The project should comply with Integrative Project Planning and Design

• The project should earn Integrative Process Credit

Answer explanation

This questions tests your knowledge on prerequisites. Remember, prerequisites are mandatory. Integrative Project Planning and Design is a prerequisite that’s only applicable to healthcare projects.

 

Let’s look at other answer choices:

 

Integrative process credit is optional (remember credits are optional). Earning minimum of forty points is not a requirement. The project should develop a health mission. This is true but is is just one of the requirement for a healthcare project to comply with the prerequisite Integrative Project Planning and Design. If the question were to pick multiple answers, then look for other prerequisite requirements also (there are four) such as:

 

1.     a) Develop a health mission statement and incorporate it in the Owners Project Requirements (OPR) document.

 

2.     b) The project should also create Preliminary Rating Goals – preferably before schematic design

 

3.     c) The project shall assemble an integrated project team and include as many of the following professionals as feasible (minimum of four), in addition to the owner or owners representative.

 

4.     d) And finally conduct a Design Charrette as early as practical and preferably before schematic design to optimize the integration of green strategies across all aspects of building design, construction and operations, drawing on the expertise of all participants.

A project team is removing cisterns from a project design and will install a green roof instead. What project area would this change impact? (Choose 2)

• On-site Renewable Energy

• Rainwater Management

• Heat Island Reduction

• Construction Waste Management

Answer explanation

Heat Island Reduction: Green roofs are an accepted LEED Strategy for reducing the heat island effect.

Rainwater Management: Cisterns are used to store storm water so their removal may impact Rainwater Management.

A project team has completed all the steps required to meet the Integrative Process credit. Which of the following describes their last step to successfully document the credit?

• Energy and Water Analysis Reports

• Water Budget Analysis

• Energy Modelling Reports

• Integrative Process worksheet (energy and water analysis tabs)

Answer explanation

The final documentation step for the integrative process credit is the integrative process worksheet, specifically the energy and water analysis tabs.  The other answer choices refer to water and energy documents, however are not correct.