Studio4 Ga StudyGuide 20100415

8/18/2019 Studio4 Ga StudyGuide 20100415

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SUSTAINABLE IDEALS

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors...we borrow it from our children

studio 4

LEEDGreen Associate Study Guide

A Study ResourceforGreen Building and LEED Core Concepts

and the LEED Green Associate Exam Process


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SUSTAINABLE IDEALSii LEED® Green Associate Study Guide

© 2010 Stu dio4, LLC All Rights Reserved| Chapter 1

LEEDGreen Associate Study Guide

2009 Editionrevised: 15 April, 2010

NOTICEDISCLAIMER

THIS STUDY GUIDE IS PROVIDED BY Studio4, LLC ON AN “AS IS” BASIS. Studio4, LLC MNO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED AS TINFORMATION, CONTENT, MATERIALS OR PRODUCTS INCLUDED IN THIS DOCUMENT. TO THEXTENT PERMISSIBLE BY APPLICABLE LAW, Studio4, LLC DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXOR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILFITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Studio4, LLC WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMOF ANY KIND ARISING FROM THE USE OF THESE MATERIALS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMIDIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, AND CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. The materials herein are intended to be used as supplemental study materials for preparation ofthe LEED Green Associate examination. This study guide should be considered as a supplement

to the study materials as recommended by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and theGreen Building Certication Institute (GBCI). Studio4, LLC makes no guarantees for passing theLEED Green Associate examination. As a condition of use, the user covenants not to sue andagrees to waive and release Studio4, LLC, its officers, directors and volunteers from any andall claims, demands and causes of action for any injuries or losses that the user may now orhereafter have a right to assert against such parties as a result of the use of, or reliance on, thisstudy guide.COPYRIGHTAll content included in this study guide is the property of Studio4, LLC and is protected by U.S.copyright laws. You are not permitted to modify, distribute, reproduce, publish, transmit or create

derivative documents from any material in this document for any private, public or commercialpurposes. You may download a copy of the study guide for personal, non-commercial use,provided that you do not remove any copyright, trademark or other proprietary notices fromthe downloaded materials without prior written approval from Studio4, LLC.USGBC® and U.S. Green Building Council® are trademarks owned by the U.S. Green BuildingCouncil, Inc. (USGBC).GBCI™ and Green Building Certication Institute™ are trademarks of Green Building CerticationInstitute (GBCI).LEED® is a registered trademark of USGBC, used by GBCI under license from USGBC.Studio4, LLC is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, USGBC®, GBCI™ or LEED®. The content of this study guide is the copyrighted property of Studio4, LLC.All other trademarks in this study guide are the property of their respective owners. If any personor entity believes this document contains copyrighted materials without their permission, pleasesend a notice to Studio4, LLC at [email protected]


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SUSTAINABLE IDEALSSUSTAINABLE IDEALSGreen Associate Study Guide

Table of Contents

Notice iiDisclaimer iiCopyright ii

C H A P T E R | 1 1Introductory conversations into sustainable design and construction and theassociated benets of the roles of the LEED AP and LEED rating sysems

Introduction 1About this Study Guide 2

Why Bother with LEED® Certication? 3LEED® vs Green 4Integrated Design Process 5

C H A P T E R | 2 6An analysis between conventional construction techniques versus green buildingstrategies and the environmental impacts associated with each

Green Building 6The Argument for Building Green 7The Sustainable Parts of Green Design 8Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Cost 9The Integrated Design Approach 9

The Integrated Process 10The Building Program 11Credit Interactions 11Harvard University Office of Sustainability Green Building Resource 11

Green Building Costs 13Green Building Benets 13

Hard Costs 13Soft Costs 13Life Cycle Costs 13Economic Benets 14Health and Community Benets 14Environmental Benets 14

ENERGY STAR 14Final Thoughts 15

Terminology to know 15Thoughts to keep 15


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Table of Contents

C H A P T E R | 3 18A review of the U.S. Green Building Council, Green Building CerticationInstitute, LEED and the processes required for, and associated with, LEEDcertication

U.S. Green Building Council 18Introduction 19USGBC’s Mission 20U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) 20Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) 20The Triple Bottom Line 20Green Building Certication Institute (GBCI) 21LEED Green Building Rating Systems 21

LEED Rating Systems: Project Types and Sustainable Categories 21LEED Rating Systems: Summary Overview and Use Guidance 22

Multiple Certications 24LEED Reference Guides 24Rating System Structure 24Prerequisite and Credit Structure 25

LEED 2009 26Credit Harmonization 26Credit Weightings 26Carbon Overlay 26Regionalization 27

Credit Interpretation Request (CIRs) 27Minimum Program Requirements (MPRs) 28Registration and Certication Process 29

GBCI 29LEED Online 29Credit Scorecard 29Credit Forms and Calculators 29Charrette 30Project Administrator 30LEED AP 30

LEED Certication 30Certication Process: General 31Certication Process: Overview 32Certication Process: Detailed 32

LEED for Homes 37LEED Accreditation 38USGBC Portfolio Program 40LEED Technical Advisory Group (TAG) 40


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Table of Contents

USGBC/GBCI Logo Policies 40Final Thoughts 41


Studio4 Office Project: the Program Narrative 42

C H A P T E R | 4 46The sustainable goals of the Sustainable Sites category address the followingareas: site selection; transportation related emission reduction; stormwatermanagement; heat island reduction; light pollution reduction; protection ofexisting habitats and ecosystems

Sustainable Sites (SS) 46Credit Matrix 47Site Related Boundaries 47

Building Footprint 47

Development Footprint 47Property Boundary 47Project Boundary 47LEED Project Boundary 47

Introduction 48Transportation 48Site Selection 50Site Design and Management 51Low Impact Development (LID) 53Stormwater Management 53Heat Island Effect 55Light Pollution Reduction 57Development Density and Community Connectivity 58Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) 60Codes & Referenced Standards 61Final Thoughts 62


Studio4 Office Project: Sustainable Sites 66

C H A P T E R | 5 76The sustainable goals of the Water Efficiency category address the followingareas: Indoor potable water reduction; outdoor potable water reduction; waterefficiency as a teaching tool

Water Efficiency (WE) 76Credit Matrix 77Introduction 77Water Type Denitions 77


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Table of Contents

Indoor Potable Water Use Reduction 78Outdoor Potable Water Use Reduction 78Additional Benets of Potable Water Use Reduction 78Water Efficiency as a Teaching Tool 78

Water Efficient Strategies 78Codes & Referenced Standards 81Final Thoughts 82


Studio4 Office Project: Water Efficiency 84

C H A P T E R | 6 88The sustainable goals of the Energy and Atmosphere category address thefollowing areas: reducing energy demand; increasing energy efficiency; building andbuilding systems commissioning; managing refrigerants; renewable energy; ongoingenergy performanceEnergy and Atmosphere (EA) 88

Credit Matrix 89Introduction 89Energy Demand 90Energy Efficiency 91

Energy Simulation 91Renewable Energy 92Ongoing Energy Performance 93

Building Commissioning 94Monitoring and Verication 95

Managing Refrigerants to Eliminate CFCs 95Codes & Referenced Standards 97Final Thoughts 97


Studio4 Office Project: Energy and Atmosphere 101

C H A P T E R | 7 108The sustainable goals of the Materials and Resources category address the following areas: sustainable construction and materials selection; waste management

Materials and Resources (MR) 108Credit Matrix 109Introduction 109Sustainable Materials 109Construction Waste Reduction 110Source Reduction 110


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Table of Contents

Reuse and Recycling 110Waste Management 110Calculating Material Costs 111Materials and Resources Credit Metrics 111

Sustainable Material Selection Strategies 111Storage and Collection of Recyclables 111Building Reuse: Maintain Existing Walls, Floors and Roof 111Building Reuse: Maintain Interior Nonstructural Elements 111Materials Reuse 112Recycled Content 112Regional Materials 112Rapidly Renewable Materials 112Consider purchasing third party certication sustainable products 112

Life Cycle Impacts 112Codes & Referenced Standards 113Final Thoughts 113


Studio4 Office Project: Materials and Resources 117

C H A P T E R | 8 122The sustainable goals of the Indoor Environmental Quality category address thefollowing areas: indoor air quality; thermal comfort, lighting and acoustics

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) 122Credit Matrix 123

Introduction 123Ventilation Improvement 124Air Contaminant Management 124Material Selection Decisions 124Occupant Control of Systems 125Daylight and Views 125Core & Shell (CS) 125Schools 125Codes & Referenced Standards 126Final Thoughts 127


Studio4 Office Project: Indoor Environmental Quality 131


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Table of Contents

C H A P T E R | 9 140The Innovation in Design credit category awards bonus points for projectsthat use new and innovative technologies and strategies to improve a building’sperformance and for including a LEED Accredited Professional on the team

Innovation in Design (ID) 140Credit Matrix 141Introduction 141ID Credit 1: Innovation in Design 142

Innovation in Design (Innovative Performance) 142Exemplary Performance 142

Rating System ID Points 143ID Credit 1: Innovation in Design 143Path 1: Innovation in Design (Innovative Performance) 143Path 2: Exemplary Performance 143

ID Credit 2: LEED Accredited Professional 143ID Credit 3: The School as a Teaching Tool 143Studio4 Office Project: Innovation in Design 144

C H A P T E R | 1 0 146USGBC has identied environmental concerns that are important for everyregion of the country and offers bonus points for credits that address thoseregional priorities

Regional Priority (RP) 146Credit Matrix 147Regional Priority Credits 147

Studio4 Office Project: Regional Priority 148Studio4 Office Project: Certication Summary 150

C H A P T E R | 11 152The LEED Green Associate accreditation is for professionals who want todemonstrate green building expertise in non-technical elds of practice denotingbasic knowledge of green design, construction, and operations

LEED Green Associate Exam 152LEED Green Associate Exam 153Study Materials 1534 Steps for Exam Preparation 153Getting Started 154Examination Eligibility Requirements 154Applying for the Exam 154Registration and Scheduling 155LEED Green Associate Application and Exam Fees 155


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Table of Contents

Testing Rules & Regulations 155One Month Before Your Exam 156One Week Before Your Exam 156The Day of Your Exam 156

Examination Format 156Miscellaneous 156Passing the Exam 157Failing the Exam 157Certicates 157Exam Specications 157LEED Credentialing 1585 Things Every Candidate Should Know 158

C H A P T E R | 1 2 160A directory of the seven primary areas of study recommended for preparation ofthe Green Associate examination

The Seven Domains 1601. Synergistic Opportunities and LEED Application Process 1612. Project Site Factors 1633. Water Management 1634. Project Systems and Energy Impacts 1635. Acquisition, Installation, and Management of Project Materials 1636. Stakeholder Involvement in Innovation 1647. Project Surroundings and Public Outreach 164

C H A P T E R | 1 3 166Acronyms, abbreviations and denitions that may be unfamiliar or have specicmeanings in the context of sustainability and green building

Acronyms & Glossary of Terms 166Acronyms & Abbreviations 167Glossary of Terms 171

C H A P T E R | 1 4 202Green resource links, charts, processes, fees, credit interactions, referencedstandards and miscellaneous support information

Appendix 202Green Resources 203Websites 203Publications 203Blogs 203


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Table of ContentsUSGBC & GBCI Organizational Chart 205Six Steps to Certication 206Project Certication Fees 207LEED Rating Systems & Reference Guides 208LEED Rating Systems Reference Guides 209

Project Checklist Sample 210Credit Form Sample 211Commissioning Process 212

Commissioning Authority 212Tasks and Responsibilities 213

Referenced Standards 214Credit Interactions 224


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SUSTAINABLE IDEALS

1

Introduction

Personal involvement with sustainable idealsis a noble cause, regardless the philosophicaldifferences we may have with regard to the issues athand and how these issues are best addressed. Beingcommitted to our sustainable goals in a responsible

manner can deliver a process of educated dialogthat will help safeguard the environment for this generation and beyond.

About this Study Guide»Commentaries: the Value of LEED»

Why Bother with LEED Certication»LEED vs Green»Integrated Design Process»Green Trend Forecasting »

C H A P T E R | 1


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SUSTAINABLE IDEALS2 LEED® Green Associate Study Guide


IntroductionAbout this Study Guide This is a third party study guide and is recommended to be used as a supplement to USGBC andGBCI materials. It would be nearly impossible for any third party study material to accurately andcompletely convey the complete message USGBC promotes relative to green and sustainableknowledge. As such, those who plan to take any LEED exam are encouraged to purchaseand download materials as recommended by USGBC. Much of this study guide is focused oninformation and strategies contained within the Green Associate Candidate Handbook, theGreen Building and Core Concepts Guide and the 2009 LEED Reference Guide for Green BuildingDesign and Construction, intertwined, however, with many years of design and constructionexperience. USGBC has made a commitment to see that the LEED processes and informationhighways are frequently updated to meet ever changing demands. Therefore, it becomesexceedingly important to be connected in order to remain current. Throughout this guide,including the rst page of the Appendix, are links to USGBC and GBCI web sites as well as linksto additional green resource sites. To the extent possible, this study guide uses a bullet format

to frame the intended messages. Throughout this study guide you will see two terms repeatedover and over and over - Integrated design and synergies . These are the two most importantaspects to understanding what makes a sustainable project successful. To assist in understanding green building and LEED’s relationship with sustainability, a LEEDproject has been developed that progressively builds at the end of each sustainable categorychapter. The intent of creating a project from site selection to credit selection is to present abroad overview of the integrated design approach for achieving credits in order to produce a costeffective, high performance building. The intent of this project is to relate the sustainable itemsdiscussed in the chapter to a more detailed review of sustainable credits and their requirementsand the process of how they are implemented. The content is beyond that required for the GreenAssociate exam and need not be studied in great detail, but read as a source to understandhow LEED is used as a tool for the development of green projects. The Studio4 Office Projectis introduced at the conclusion of the USGBCchapter and continues at the conclusion of eachsustainable category chapter.Passing the LEED Green Associate exam, Part 1, is also a requirement when continuing forwardtoward a Tier II LEED AP with Specialty exam, Part 2.

Commentaries: the Value of LEED There should be no argument that we must become more educated in our understanding of howwe can make a difference contributing both individually and collectively to the conservation ofour natural resources, while providing more efficient and healthier places to live, work and play.

The following four pages are commentaries in support of the value LEED provides in establishingbenchmarks for achieving sustainable goals through the design and construction of our builtenvironments.


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SUSTAINABLE IDEALSChapter 1 |LEED® Green Associate Study Guide

© 2010 St udio4, LLC All Rights Reserved3

IntroductionWhy Bother with LEED® Certication?Part one: Intrinsic BenetsBuilding owners often question the additional time and expense involved with registering a buildingfor Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED (Registered)) certication through the UnitedStates Green Building Council (USGBC), versus just simply including ‘’green’’ features in a project. Thereare several reasons why owners choose to have their buildings certied through the various LEED RatingSystems. Some building owners feel that environmentally, it is the right thing to do. Others make thedecision to pursue LEED due to requirements of their own governing body. Still other building ownerspursue a nancial incentive offered through their local government or parent organization. Essentially,there are three general reasons why building owners should seek Certication: commitment, legitimacy,and marketability.Commitment. By registering your project with the USGBC you are committing to design and constructyour building to the standards and requirements outlined by the LEED Rating System. Your designteam and your building’s contractor are then committed to integrating those design features to ensurethat your building is more durable, healthy and more energy efficient. Through the rigors of budget,programming, or other project challenges, these ‘’green’’ features will remain because you and yourteam decided to produce a building that merits LEED Certication and national recognition for itssustainability.Legitimacy. In the face of widespread ‘’green washing’’ (i.e.: the attempt by businesses or individualsto mislead consumers as to the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benetsof a product or service), LEED Certication tells your peers, clients and customers, that your building’ssustainable features have been veried by a third party to promote energy conservation, to ensure ahealthier indoor environment and to reduce its impact on the environment. LEED is a consensus-basedsystem, meaning one that was commented and voted upon by the USGBC’s diverse membership. Itensures that your project team didn’t just invent the ‘’green’’ requirements on your own or design yourproject to some arbitrary denition of sustainability. Instead, thousands of professionals (there are over

100,000 LEED Accredited Professionals within the USGBC) collaborated, discussed and agreed uponthese requirements.Marketability. A LEED Certied headquarters, branch office, retail location, or elementary school is a strongmarketing tool to show the community that your organization is committed to something greater thanitself. It demonstrates that you were willing to make the extra effort to not only include those features,but also to have them conrmed - better yet Certied - by a nationally and internationally recognizedleader in the eld. The LEED Rating System is a tool that can help create a space that will enhance youremployees’, clients’, or students’ everyday environment while reducing operating and maintenancecosts as well as decreasing its impact on the environment. LEED Certication demonstrates how it wasaccomplished.

Michael Senger, LEED AP, is a Mechanical Engineer with Heapy Engineering. Involved in over 100 LEED projectsand with +50 LEED Accredited Professional on staff, Heapy Engineering is one of the leading sustainable designrms in the country. Michael is also a Board Member of the Cincinnati Regional Chapter of the USGBC.


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IntroductionLEED® vs Green Three years ago, my team of graduate engineering students was presenting the energy, environmental,and economic analysis for the construction of a net-zero energy building. The client patiently listened,asked questions, and then dictated a verdict... we had the nancial green light. Years of analysis, research,and calculations had paid off.Next, we assembled a professional design team to take the project from concept to concrete. The housewould have it all: net-zero energy use, a sustainable project site, low water use, and sustainable materials. The idea of LEED certication was brought up and immediately dismissed by the team. Why would ourbuilding need such a stamp of approval when we knew just how good the design was? No one knew justhow wrong we were. Throughout the various stages of design, our student team lamented as the greenfeatures were removed. Once completed, the building would retain its net-zero energy status, but hadlost all other important green features.My current projects are larger and more expensive than that small house. But, the values of the lessonslearned during my nal years as a graduate student are greater than any that I have learned. I have cometo realize the true value of the LEED rating system as a necessity to truly attain sustainable (‘’green’’)design.During my career, I have seen project teams make 70% of the design decisions while spending justthe rst 1% of the design budget. Thus, it becomes a daunting task to retroactively set project goals ...specically sustainability goals. The less prominent the goal, the more likely the feature necessary toattain that goal will fall by the wayside or be ‘’value-engineered’’ from the project. The LEED Rating System is a tool that a design team uses in order to insure that a project’s green featuresare properly designed, constructed, and accounted for. Human error pervades the construction process.Examples of such errors include ordering the wrong product, calculation mistakes, or forgetting a stepin a process. The LEED process, by no means ensures a perfect building. However, many portions ofthe LEED process act to signicantly decrease such errors. One of the most prominent examples is theCommissioning process, which is a service that all owners will benet from, regardless of project scope,size, or cost.Once the entire project has been completed, the owner asks, ‘’What insures that I now own and operatea green building?’’ If the project has achieved LEED Certication, the team can be certain of their answer. The entire project team knows which goals have been successfully achieved, how much energy andwater the building should save, and what type of indoor environment has been created for the buildingoccupants.A holistic perspective is necessary to grasp the true impact of a third-party rating system such asLEED. The LEED Rating system has two major components. First, LEED promotes general sustainabilityoriented features such as bike racks and daylighting. Second, LEED is a group of ‘’best-practice’’ codesand standards compiled to inuence the construction industry. When projects pursue LEED Certication,the market is driven to provide goods and services that attain the standards that have been chosen.Each LEED-Certied project strengthens the green building movement, pushes for products that are lessimpactful on people and the environment, and enables property owners to truly know just how ‘’green’’their building is.

Greg Raffio, LEED AP, is with Heapy Engineering


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IntroductionIntegrated Design Process The built and natural environments are inextricably and vitally linked. To create a high performance /sustainable facility, a collaborative design approach is essential for a successful outcome. The IntegratedDesign Process fosters knowledge-sharing among signicant stakeholders during the development of aholistic design and leads to increased project value. These stakeholders should be comprised of the owner group, key users, facilities directors, programmers,real estate managers, architects, commissioning agents, civil engineers, planners, mechanical engineers,interior designers, structural engineers, construction managers, electrical engineers, plumbing designers,landscape architects, and / or key specialty consultants. The General Contractor and / or the ConstructionManager should also be included in this process to encourage the sharing of cost, scheduling andconstruction knowledge. This will also familiarize the contractor with the construction intent resulting ina more accurate bid and more efficient construction period.During the traditional approach, design and construction professionals work somewhat independentlyon their respective area of expertise. One of two things can happen when consultants are added to thedesign process midstream. The new team member shares expertise that changes the project late in theprocess, requiring more time, effort and money to back track; or more commonly, the team decidesnot to pursue the new approach. In either case, the project and the owner suffer a consequence. ‘ValueEngineering’ during design and construction becomes the norm, which leads to value loss. The Integrated Design Process deviates from this traditional approach as it leverages the collectiveexpertise as early as the pre-design phase, where the highest potentials and greatest values are realized.‘Value’ engineering tends to generate project cuts, which successfully lessen the construction costs, butusually lessen the true value. The Integrated Design Process is vital to a successful work process, whichcan lessen the damages of ‘value’ engineering.By bringing all the stakeholders to the design process early, intensive analysis and in-depth investigationscan discover complementary and innovative project goals and design strategies when change costs less. This Integrated Design Team establishes project goals together while engaging in a productive exchangeof ideas. The team understands, applies and tests these goals throughout the design process.Stakeholders share their knowledge in multi-day charrette (brainstorming) formats; trade-offs andconnections are recognized. Problems are reframed and better solutions are generated by creating aninnovative and collaborative environment where each opinion matters. The entire team establishes andmeets the project goals, objectives and major solutions. These charrettes frequently become rather livelyand informal without jurisdiction. They are investigatory by nature, thoughtfully critiqued and leveragethe expertise and resources of the team. Connections are made that typically are not immediatelyunderstood, such as how paint color impacts the mechanical load or how building orientation affectshuman productivity. Sometimes the most effective solutions have the lowest construction costimplications and might be undiscovered in a traditional design process.By utilizing the Integrated Design Process, deep curiosity, thorough analysis and strategic, technicalproblem solving prevail, leading to a more comprehensive, cost effective and sustainable facility.

Chad Edwards, RA, LEED AP, is an Associate at Emersion Design and serves on the USGBC Cincinnati RegionalChapter Board of Directors.


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SUSTAINABLE IDEALS

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Green Building

C H A P T E R | 2

Annually, buildings account for 39% of the totalenergy used and 72% of the electricity consumed inthe U.S. Each day 5 billion gallons of potable waterare used to ush toilets. Green building practicescan substantially reduce negative environmentalimpacts through high performance, market leading

design, construction and operations practices.Green operations and management reducesoperating costs and increases workers’ productivityby improving indoor air quality.

The Argument for Building Green» The Sustainable Parts of Green Design»Life Cycle Assessment & Life Cycle Cost»The Integrated Design»

The Integrated Process»The Building Program»Credit Interactions»Harvard University »

Green Building Costs»Green Building Benets»ENERGY STAR »Final Thoughts»


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Green Building The Argument for Building GreenWhen working on a LEED project, there are many decisions that will need to be made whichtranscend conventional wisdom with respect to our thinking, designing and developing the actualbuilt product. Understanding the basic tenets of green building is paramount to progressing asuccessful sustainable project. Conventional building methods should be generally regarded asunfriendly assaults on the environment, our natural resources and our quality of life. The design, construction and operation of conventional buildings:

Pre design●

Lack of project team communication and coordination•

Lack of sustainable support for site selection and building orientation/location•

Lack of focus as a responsible member of the community•

Poor stewardship of site during development●

Loss of topsoil•

Disregard for existing habitat and ecosystems•

Lack of coordinated construction parking and material delivery storage areas•

Project design●

Excessive carbon dioxide emissions•

Excessive use of energy and electricity•

Excessive use of potable water•

Excessive burden on our raw material resources•

Poor indoor environmental quality•

Construction practices●

Poor waste management•

Lack of sufficient building moisture protection•

As such, conventional buildings account for:14% of potable water consumption•

30% of waste output•

38% of carbon dioxide (CO• 2)emissions

40% of raw material use•

39% of energy use•

72% of electrical consumption•

By denition, sustainability is the ability of the current generation to meet its own needs withoutcompromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs . With the projected populationand construction growth, coupled with the vast amount of resources that our buildings consume,we are going to have to get a lot smarter about how we build.


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SUSTAINABLE IDEALS LEED® Green Associate Study Guide


Green Building Through a coordinated team effort and intelligent, educated design decisions, the goal ofsustainable design, or “green” design, is to create high performance buildings that reduceslife cycle costs, reduces environmental impacts related to infrastructure, increases employeeproductivity and increases the efficiency of building operations. Federal, state and local

governments are adopting more sustainable building practices. Government agencies, utilitycompanies and manufacturers increasingly offer nancial incentives to developers and ownersto enhance the environmental performance of their buildings.A GSA survey of 12 green buildings revealed the following savings and Improvements:

13% reduced maintenance costs•

26% reduced energy usage•

27% increased levels of occupant satisfaction•

33% reduced carbon dioxide emissions•

Additionallysustainable green buildings successfully addresses the aforementioned concerns related to•conventional design and construction practicesAs LEED continues to grow in acceptance and projects get on board for certication,•building codes are being rewritten to incorporate more sustainable mandates

The Sustainable Parts of Green DesignUSGBC denes green building as the integrated effort of transforming the way built environmentsare designed , constructed and operated and encourages involvement from early planning tobeyond the end of a structure’s life. Incorporating a holistic, or whole building, approach to thedesign and construction, green building produces high performance by focusing on sustainable

categories as dened by LEED. With an integrated and holistic approach, the interaction, orsynergies and trade-offs, between construction strategies is managed to maximize performanceresults. LEED channels green design through ve sustainable categories as determined by theenvironmental issues being addressed. The ve sustainable categories of LEED (except LEED for Homes and LEED for NeighborhoodDevelopment) plus the two categories for ID and RP:

Sustainable Sites (SS)•

Water Efficiency (WE)•

Energy and Atmosphere (EA)•

Materials and Resources (MR)•

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)•

Innovation in Design (ID)•

Regional Priority (RP)•


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Green Building Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle CostLife Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a cradle-to-grave analysis that examines the building along with itsmaterials and components. From their extraction, manufacture and transport, to their use, reuse,recycling and assumed disposal, the process of life cycle assessment minimizes the negativeimpacts on people and the environment. LCA is essential to sustainable design!Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analysis assesses the total cost of ownership, taking into account all costsrelated to design and construction, ownership, operations and the eventual disposal of a buildingand its parts. By denition, sustainable design requires an analysis of a building over its entire lifeand life cycle cost analysis identies which high performance building systems will save moneyover the life of the building. For example: Product A may cost less and have a life expectancy of5 years whereas Product B may cost a little more but have a life expectancy of 15 years, makingProduct B a better choice due to it having a better life cycle cost.Life Cycle Costs include:

I• nitial project design and construction costs - cradleBuilding operating costs•Building maintenance, repair and replacement costs•Building salvage value at the end its life -• grave

Value Engineering (VE ), when considering sustainability, can be dened as a ratio of function tocost, with the goal of improving performance, quality and life cycle cost. Conventionally however,value engineering is used as a cost cutting exercise, often late in the process, when costs need tobe cut from the budget, for whatever reason. When components are VE’d out of the project late,the project and the owner suffer a consequence. Value engineering tends to generate projectcuts, which successfully lessen the construction costs, but usually lessen the true value. However,when using an integrated design process, considering value engineering with the life cycle costof a building will reect the efficiency of a building long after it is built and occupied.The Integrated Design ApproachAny design process should begin by establishing parameters that dene the goals of a project. These parameters are then transformed into rough visual representations, referred to as schematicdesigns. Schematic designs then become the theme that is used as the base for developing thenal design/engineering that is eventually incorporated into the construction documents.Architects, engineers, contractors and other stake holders traditionally work separately of eachother, with minimal coordination and communication between the team members. This type ofsegregated design and limited communication restricts integration and subsequent synergistic

opportunities, often leading to under or over designed systems.In an integrated design approach, all stakeholders are brought into the project at the onset todiscuss the project goals and requirements. At several checkpoints during the design process,reviews are conducted to verify that the owner’s requirements and goals are being met.Integrated design allows the stakeholders and design team to coordinate the design process sothat each member is aware of all decisions made. This is critical as most decisions made relativeto one discipline will have an affect on other disciplines. For instance, if the owner decides to


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Green Building omit day lighting controls, this decision will most likely cause a change to the building’s heatgain, requiring additional cooling capacity while also increasing the electrical loads and energyconsumption. Integrated and holistic design and understanding synergies are essential tomeeting the sustainable goals of a green building. All interested parties must be gathered early,

communicate often and coordinate their efforts collectively to ensure success.The Integrated Process The success of the integrated design process is dependant upon the makeup of the project teamand its early integration into the project. For a typical sustainable project, the team membersand their responsibilities would include:

Project Owner:• denes the parameters of the project and often participates in the selectionof the project teamLEED AP:• optional member of the Project Team but can play an essential role in ensuring asuccessful sustainable projectDesign Team:•

Architect:• design of the building and often coordinates the Design TeamCivil Engineer:• design of the site development plan and related strategies such as stormwater management; often, civil engineering rms have Landscape Architects on staff Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing (MEP) Engineers:• design of the building’s mechanicalsystems such as HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical and Lighting, system controls

General Contractor/Contractor:• construction related activitiesCommissioning Authority:• oversees the commissioning process to ensure compliancewith the construction documentsFacilities/Maintenance Staff:• oversees and maintains the building after occupancy andshould be a participant in the integrated design process

Building Occupants:•

users of the buildingAnother important process is the development of a timeline for design and construction phaseactivities:

Predesign:• Information gathering and establishing goals (charrette)Design:•

Schematic Design (SD):• prepare design options to establish project layout and scopeDesign Development (DD):• renement of preliminary spaces and begin design of thebuilding’s energy systemsConstruction Documents (CD):• completed detailed documents ready for permitting

Bidding:• CDs sent for bids and subsequent award of contracts to prepare for construction

Construction:•

the processes involved with construction from beginning until occupancySubstantial Completion:• construction has been completed and could be occupiedFinal Completion:• all construction activities completedCerticate of Occupancy:• legal authorization by local building officials that projectconforms to applicable codes

Occupancy:• buildings can only be legally occupied after the Certicate of Occupancy hasbeen issued.


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Green Building The Building Program The Project Team’s building program should include: the physical constraints of the project;general room by room description; the project’s environmental vision and goals and it’s designcriteria and priorities; criteria for energy efficiency, indoor air quality, materials selection, wasteand demolition recycling as well as other green requirements; consideration of the local culturaland climatic factors including ease of pedestrian and mass transit access; budget; schedule

Credit InteractionsOne of the most critical aspects of a successful green project strategy is to understand thecredit interactions, or synergies, that may develop when a credit is being considered. It wouldbe difficult, at best, to recognize all the behind-the-scenes interactions taking place withoutdeveloping an integrated project team. How one credit impacts other areas can have bothpositive, synergies , and negative, trade-offs , implications. A good project team will consider thefact that every decision they make will have, to some degree, an impact somewhere along the

chain. Recognizing the importance of understanding synergies and trade-offs is just simplybeing a responsible professional.An argument can be made that every action has an opposite and equal reaction. Certainly,every action has some degree of reaction and the importance here is, rst, to recognizing thesereactions and, second, analyzing the overall impact to the project as a whole. One of the simplerexamples to use would be the issues related with ‘cool’ roofs. Obviously a cool roof with a lightercolor will be of great value in a hot environment such as Florida. The roof would reect much ofthe sun’s energy - allowing the building to be cooler - requiring less cooling - reducing the size ofrequired HVAC equipment - resulting in less energy consumption. Great! This is what we’re strivingfor. Now take that ‘cool’ roof to the upper limits of Michigan. The absolute same reactions butNOT what we want in a colder climate. Cooler buildings equate to increased heating - requiringadditional energy. This example, obviously, plays to the extreme side of the issues, but whatabout that cool roof somewhere in the middle of the country in a more moderate climate zone.Some decisions will be, as they say, no brainers. However, many will require a careful analysis intothe pros and cons. This is why an integrated project team is important. The Appendix has several charts listing all credits and their potential for interacting with othercredits. Reviewing these credit interactions and understanding just the basics of synergies andtrade-offs is important to understanding green LEED.

Harvard University Office of Sustainability Green Building Resource The Harvard University Office of Sustainability Green Building Resource website is a treasure

cove of information about sustainability. From Green Building Guidelines, the Integrated DesignApproach, Implementation Tools, Credit-by-Credit LEED Roadmap, Energy Modeling, Life CycleCosting, Case Studies and more, few sources offer or share more than Harvard does with theirLEED projects. The Integrated Design Approach is so critical to the success of sustainable projects that Harvardoffers the Integrated Design Checklist, Integrated Design 101 (10 page summary analysis) andRoadmap for the Integrated Design Process (114 page Summary Guide and Reference Manual).


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Green Building The following, taken from Harvard’s website, is a partial checklist of salient items relative to theIntegrated Design Approach and is well worth promoting in this guide.If it is important, ask for it: Include integrated design, sustainability, occupant education &LEED goals in RFP language, interview questions, and Owners Project Requirements.Evaluate program needs: Work with building occupants and project team to assess an actualbuilding program with space needs, and consider opportunities to share resources throughadjacencies and providing communal amenities. By better understanding actual programneeds, team members are more likely to work towards a common goal and create a successfulproject.Establish measures for success: Set measurable sustainability targets for energy, water,daylight, etc. and require reporting on progress towards goals as part of all design submissions.For successful designs, consider nancial incentives such as passing on tax credits or sharingenergy savings or coming in under GMP.Take advantage of available expertise: Include design charrettes in Concept and SchematicDesign that include representatives from all major stakeholders including members of theowner’s team, design team, construction team, and possibly vendor’s team. See HGCI sampleagendas.Ask why: Question decisions made during building design and construction that were donebased on “rules of thumb” or “business as usual.” Project teams should be prepared to look toalternatives to common strategies and develop solutions appropriate for their specic project.Each project is unique and technologies are constantly changing, so very few decisions shouldbe taken for granted.Model alternative building systems: Include energy modeling in Concept, Schematic, &Design Development with multiple parametric runs to evaluate major design decisions.Design for operations and maintenance: Identify & include operations representative incharrettes, design meetings, and construction meetings. Provide comprehensive preventivemaintenance plan and ensure effective training of operations and maintenance staff.Commission throughout project: Engage a commissioning agent in Schematic Design andinclude thorough verication of building performance and plans for continuous commissioningthroughout building’s life.Consider life cycle costs: Identify Life Cycle Costing requirements early in design prior toselecting systems and require LCC results before making major design decisions. Utilize lifecycle costs when evaluating systems rather than strictly rst costs.

Consider alternative funding mechanisms: Make project team aware of local utility rebates,state and federal grant programs, power purchasing agreements and performance contractsand take advantage of these programs as appropriate. If the team is made aware of theseopportunities early in the design process, they are more likely to suggest strategies to pursuethese monies.


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Green Building Meter and verify performance: Identify measurement and verication requirements for theproject and include operations staff and controls vendor in design process.Utilize lessons learned: Provide project team with access to and training for the HighPerformance Building Resource. Throughout the project, collect and share documentationincluding energy model les, LCC results, evaluation of consultants and contractors, and successstories.

Green Building Costs The general belief that green buildings add costs to new construction projects is oftenmisunderstood. With a basic LEED certied building, it is possible to design and construct greenbuildings at little or no additional cost. Although some studies show as little as a 2% cost increasefor green building projects, the cost differential rises commensurate with the level of certicationbeing sought. The more greenness a project seeks, the higher the resultant project costs.Numerous options are available to eliminate or minimize extra costs for green buildings. In many

regions, state, local and utility company incentives are available to cover costs associated withgreen design services or reducing the cost of specic energy efficiency and renewable energytechnologies and products. Importantly, by incorporating a holistic design approach that takesadvantage of the interaction of building systems by optimizing systems, other systems canshrink or be eliminated, offsetting the optimization costs. Also, some LEED credits may addressstrategies already written into local codes.In every type of construction project, regardless if they are conventional or sustainable, there are2 basic types of costs related to the project: the project’s hard costs and soft costs. With LEED,a third cost element, life cycle costs, are used for the purposes of factoring into the analysis thetrue value of a building over it’s lifetime.

Hard Costs: costs for expenditures related to the actual construction phases of the project suchas sitework, concrete, masonry, roong, interior nishes such as carpet and painting, mechanicalsystems, etc. In general, these are the costs paid to the general contractor, subcontractors ormaterial suppliers for direct construction related activities and materials.Soft Costs: typically costs for services outside the realm of what is done on the constructionsite. Including, but not limited to, architectural and engineering fees, permit fees, legal and realestate fees, interest paid for the cost of doing the project, insurance, closing costs, etc.Life Cycle Costs: “cradle to grave” costs that go beyond the initial construction costs to includeoperation and maintenance of the building after occupancy, demolition costs and reuse valueat the end of the building’s life.

Green Building BenetsGreen buildings save energy, use less water, generate less waste and provide higher levelsof indoor quality and comfort over conventional design and construction practices. Studiesconducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that Americans spend, onaverage, 90% of their time indoors where pollutant levels can be 2 to 100 times higher thanoutdoor levels. Green buildings provide higher levels of occupant satisfaction with regards to airquality and lighting, where studies indicate signicant gains with occupant productivity.


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Green Building Economic Benets

Reduce operating costs•Enhance asset value and prots•Improve employee satisfaction and productivity•Optimize life cycle economic performance•

Health and Community Benets

Improve air, thermal and acoustic environments•Enhance occupant comfort and health•Minimize strain on local infrastructure•Contribute to overall quality of life•

Environmental Benets

Enhance and protect ecosystems and biodiversity•Improve air and water quality•

Reduce solid waste•

Conserve natural resources•

ENERGY STARFrom the EPA ENERGY STAR website:What is the difference between LEED and ENERGY STAR?

ENERGY STAR is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program that focuses on improvingenergy performance in buildings as a method of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. ENERGYSTAR is a technical assistance and recognition program that offers owners and managers of allbuildings access to free tools and resources to help them evaluate their energy performance

and reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Organizations are encouraged to beginby benchmarking the performance of their buildings using ENERGY STAR’s Portfolio Manageronline energy tracking tool. For certain types of buildings that perform in the top 25% comparedto their peers nationwide, the ENERGY STAR label is available as an indicator of superior energyperformance. Buildings carrying the ENERGY STAR label consume on average about 35% lessenergy than their non-ENERGY STAR counterparts.LEED is a building certication process that looks at various aspects of “green building” andawards recognition to buildings that meet certain standards. Users of the LEED process earncredits in several categories associated with green buildings. These differ by the type of LEEDcertication, but generally include: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy & atmosphere,materials & resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation. While each category mayhave required prerequisites that must be met, for the bulk of the credits required for certicationusers can choose in which categories they wish to focus based on their own priorities.ENERGY STAR also provides labeling for home appliances, electronics, cooling and heatingequipment and for homes as an indication that the item has met certain energy efficiencies.EPA ENERGY STAR website:http://energystar.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/energystar.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=4908


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Green Building Final ThoughtsTerminology to know

Refer to Acronyms and Glossary of Terms chapter

Hard Costs•

Integrated Design Team•Life Cycle Assessment•Life Cycle Costs•Soft Costs•Sustainability•

Thoughts to keep

Conventional buildings account for:•

14% of potable water consumption•30% of waste output•

38% of carbon dioxide emissions•

39% of energy use•40% of raw material use•72% of electrical consumption•

Energy usage in commercial buildings (EPA, September 2008):•

1% office equipment•3% personal computers•3% cooking•6% refrigeration•7% ventilation•

7% cooling•

8% water heating•9% other•20% lighting•38% space heating•

Green building performance:•

13% lower maintenance costs•26% less energy usage•27% higher levels of occupant satisfaction•33% lower carbon dioxide emissions•

Green Building Benets:•

Economic•Health & Community•Environmental•

Green buildings cost approximately 2% more than conventional buildings•

Americans spend 90% of their time indoors where pollutant levels are higher than outdoor•levels


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Green Building A holistic approach considers the analysis of the sum of a building’s parts as opposed to the•separation of these parts The integrated design/build approach binds the individual members of the team into one•homogenous entity that collaborates as one unitENERGY STAR can be used to compare performance of multiple buildings•

Life Cycle Assessment = LCA = Environment and People•

Life Cycle Cost = LCC = Economics•

Design/Construction process:•Predesign•Design:•

Schematic Design (SD)•Development Design (DD)•Construction Documents (CD)•

Bid•Construct•Occupy•

The ve categories of LEED (except LEED for Homes and LEED for ND):•Sustainable Sites (SS)•Water Efficiency (WE)•Energy and Atmosphere (EA)•Materials and Resources (MR)•Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)•Innovation in Design (ID)•

Regional Priority (RP)•


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SUSTAINABLE IDEALS

18

U.S. Green Building Council

C H A P T E R | 3

Introduction»USGBC, LEED and GBCI»LEED Green Building Rating Systems»Harmonization, Weightings & Carbon Overlay »CIRs & MPRs»Registration and Certication Process»Prerequisite and Credit Structure»Submittal Review »LEED for Homes»LEED Accredidation»USGBC Portfolio Program»LEED Technical Advisory Group»USGBC/GBCI Logo Policies»Final Thoughts»Studio4 Project: the Program Narrative»

T he U.S. Green Building Council promotessustainability in how the buildings of today aredesigned, built and operated through an integratedand holistic approach. USGBC developed theLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design(LEED) Rating Systems and Greenbuild. LEED is acomprehensive system of ve interrelated standardscovering all aspects of the development andconstruction process. Greenbuild is a green buildingconference that promotes the green buildingindustry, including environmentally responsiblematerials, sustainable architecture, techniques andpublic policy.


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U.S. Green Building CouncilUSGBC’s Mission“To transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated, enabling anenvironmentally and socially responsible, healthy and prosperous environment that improves thequality of life”

U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprot organization formed in 1993whose members represent companies and organizations across the industry and include buildingowners and users, real estate developers, facility managers, architects, designers, engineers,general contractors, subcontractors, product and building system manufacturers, governmentagencies, nonprots. USGBC:

Committee based; Member driven; Consensus focused•Provides tools and expertise; Builds community; Provides forums for industry dialog;•Educates the industry and the public; Stewards market transformation.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)LEED is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and was formed byUSGBC as a third party certication program to provide denitions to, and measurementsof, green buildings. LEED promotes a holistic, whole building approach to sustainability byrecognizing performance in location and planning, sustainable site development, water savings,energy efficiency, materials selection, indoor environmental quality, innovative strategies andregional priority issues.

The Triple Bottom LineNearly every LEED sustainable strategy should be analyzed by how it measures to LEED’s adoptionof the Triple Bottom Line. The triple bottom line, with regards to sustainability, establishes a

measurement to recognize performance in three areas:Economic Prosperity • : impact on a corporation’s bottom lineSocial Responsibility • : impact of a person’s happiness, health and productivityEnvironmental Stewardship• : impact on air, water, land and global climate

Another way to look at TBL:People, Planet, Prot


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U.S. Green Building CouncilGreen Building Certication Institute (GBCI) The Green Building Certication Institute (GBCI) was established in 2008 with the support ofthe U.S. Green Building Council to independently administer credentialing programs related togreen building practices.GBCI manages all aspects of the LEED Professional Accreditation program, including examination.GBCI also oversees the development and implementation of a credential maintenance program(CMP) for LEED APs.USGBC handles the development of the LEED Rating Systems while GBCI administers all LEEDproject certication.

LEED Green Building Rating SystemsLEED Rating Systems: Project Types and Sustainable Categories

The LEED Rating System is a versatile tool for design and construction professionals that evaluatesgreen buildings and neighborhoods and applies to new and existing institutional, commercialand residential buildings.LEED Rating Systems:

LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations (NC)•LEED for Core & Shell (CS)•LEED for Commercial Interiors (CI)•LEED for Schools•LEED for Healthcare•LEED for Retail•LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (EB O&M)•LEED for Homes•

LEED for Neighborhood Development (ND)•

Green building categories within each rating system:Sustainable Sites (SS)•Water Efficiency (WE)•Energy and Atmosphere (EA)•Materials and Resources (MR)•Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)•Innovation in Design (ID); Innovation in Operation (IO)•Regional Priority (RP)•

Additionally, the following categories are specic to the rating system noted:

Location and Linkages (LL): LEED for Homes•

Awareness and Education (AE): LEED for Homes•Smart Location and Linkages: LEED for Neighborhood Development (ND)•Neighborhood Pattern and Design: LEED for Neighborhood Development (ND)•Green Infrastructure and Buildings: LEED for Neighborhood Development (ND)•

Refer USGBC for current information and free download copies of all LEED Rating Systems:http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=222


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U.S. Green Building CouncilLEED Rating Systems: Summary Overview and Use Guidance

LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations (NC)New Buildings and Major Renovations●

New Buildings•Offices, institutional buildings (libraries, museums, churches, etc.), hotels, and•residential buildings of 4 or more habitable stories

Major Renovations•Major HVAC replacement or modications•Building core (major mechanical systems) & shell (building envelope and structural)•renovation

Owner must occupy greater than 50% of leasable space

LEED for Core & Shell (CS)Developer controls core (major mechanical systems) & shell (building envelope and●structural) but not leasable tenant spaces

Commercial office buildings, medical office buildings, retail centers, warehouses,•

institutional buildings and laboratory facilitiesDeveloper has no control over the design and construction of the tenant build-out•

Due to uncertainties associated with speculative Core & Shell projects, LEED CS offers•guidance and procedures such as default occupancy counts, C&S Project Scope, etc.

Owner must occupy 50% or less of leasable area

LEED for Commercial Interiors (CI) Tenant spaces primarily in office, retail, and institutional buildings●

Tenant spaces that do not occupy the entire building•

Supplements LEED Core & Shell projects•

LEED for SchoolsMust be used for the construction or major renovation of an academic building on K–12●school grounds

Other projects on a school campus may qualify under 2 or more LEED rating system•project scopesNonacademic buildings on a school campus, such as administrative offices, dormitories•or maintenance facilities are eligible for either LEED for New Construction or LEED forSchoolsProjects involving postsecondary academic buildings or prekindergarten buildings may•also choose to use either LEED for New Construction or LEED for Schools

LEED for HealthcareDeveloped to meet the unique needs of the health care market●

Inpatient care facilities, licensed outpatient care facilities, and licensed long term care•facilities, medical offices, assisted living facilities and medical education & researchcenters.Addresses increased sensitivity to chemicals and pollutants, traveling distances from•parking facilities, access to natural spaces and other environmental issues


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U.S. Green Building CouncilLEED for Retail

Recognizes the unique nature of the retail environment and addresses the different types of●spaces that retailers need for their distinctive product lines

LEED for Retail: New Construction allows for the whole building certication of free•standing retail buildingsLEED for Retail: Commercial Interiors permits tenants to certify their tenant build-out and•nish without responsibility of the building envelopeExisting freestanding retailers can use LEED for Existing Buildings: O&M•

LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (EB O&M)

For the ongoing operations and maintenance of existing commercial and institutional●buildings and residential buildings of 4 or more habitable stories

Solves building problems and improves building performance; maintain and improve•this performance over time

Reduces cost streams associated with building operations, reduces environmental•

impacts, creates healthier and more productive employee workspacesEncourages owners and operators of existing buildings to implement sustainable•practices and reduce the environmental impacts of their building over their functionallife cyclesCerties the operations and maintenance of the building and creates a plan for ensuring•high performance over timeInstitutionalizes a process of reporting, inspection and review over the lifespan of the•buildingApplies to only single, whole buildings; if more than one building is on the same property,•each must certify; individual tenant spaces are not eligible

LEED for Homes

Promotes the design and construction of single family and small multifamily homes●Must be 3 stories or less. 4 stories and above may use LEED NC or the LEED for Homes•Mulit-Rise Pilot rating systemsMust provide permanent provisions for living, sleeping, cooking/eating and bathroom.•

LEED for Neighborhood Development (ND)

The rst national standard for neighborhood design and mixed use communities●

Certies development performance with regards to smart growth, urbanism and green•

buildingsRegulates land use planning of an entire neighborhood: buildings, infrastructure, street•design and open spacePromotes development in areas of existing infrastructure and alternative transportation•

Designed for new development, but applicable to redevelopment of existing areas•

As with all LEED rating systems, LEED ND promotes the protection and enhancement of•the environment, health and quality of life


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U.S. Green Building CouncilMultiple Certications

Certain building types can achieve multiple rating systems:Buildings certied under the NC, CS or Schools may also be certied under EB O&M•

Buildings certied under CS may also be certied under CI•

LEED Neighborhood Development may earn additional points for construction or retrot•of certied buildings which are part of the development

LEED Reference Guides

LEED 2009 Reference Guides include detailed information on the process for achieving LEEDcertication, detailed credit and prerequisite information, resources and standards for theLEED 2009 rating systems and all other requirements as outlined in the Prerequisite and CreditStructure section of this chapter. Refer to the Appendix for details of LEED Reference Guides andtheir respective LEED Rating SystemsRating System Structure

The LEED Green Building Rating Systems are comprised of categories, each of which containsprerequisite and credit green building strategies.Prerequisites : Each sustainable category in a LEED rating system contains one or more prerequisiterequirements. Although structured much the same as credits, prerequisites differ from credits inthat achievement of each and every prerequisite within the rating system is mandatory for projectcertication. Failure to meet any prerequisite will render a project ineligible for certication.Additionally, prerequisites earn no points .Credits: Each sustainable category in a LEED rating system contains numerous credits thatrepresent sustainable elements that collectively create a particular category. Credits are non-mandatory and are selected for a variety of reasons as deemed by the Project Team. However,in addition to the mandated prerequisites, certication requires achievement of a minimumnumber of credit points. Each credit is associated with a specic number of points and projectsmust be awarded a minimum number of points to achieve a particular level of certication, suchas Certied, Silver, Gold or Platinum.All LEED Rating Systems, except LEED for Homes, have 100 base points plus 6 Innovation inDesign points and 4 Regional Priority bonus points, for a total of 110 points. LEED for Homes isbased on a 125 point scale plus 11 Innovation in Design points. Projects, except LEED for Homes,achieve certication if they earn points according to the following levels:

Certied • : 40 - 49 points

Silver •

: 50 - 59 pointsGold • : 60 - 79 pointsPlatinum• : 80+ points


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U.S. Green Building CouncilPrerequisite and Credit Structure

Every LEED prerequisite and credit will have one or more requirements that must be met in orderto be in compliance. The rst section of every prerequisite or credit summarizes the “ Intent ”, orgoals, of the credit and the “ Requirements ”, or methods, strategies and/or standards required toachieve compliance for that prerequisite or credit. The content structure of all LEED prerequisitesand credits is as follows:

Intents:●

Describes the sustainability goal•

Requirements●

Describes the path, or paths, that must be met for prerequisite or credit compliance.•

The remainder of each prerequisite/credit section contains the following 13 components:1. Benets and Issues to Consider

Describes the environmental damage that is being mitigated and economic considerations•

offered by the prerequisite or credit2. Related Credits

Other credits that may be affected through synergies or tradeoffs•

3. Summary of Referenced StandardsStandards, such as ASHRAE, ASTM and EPA that may be used as a requirement to achieve•prerequisite or credit complianceFor some prerequisites and credits, LEED will allow federal, state and or local laws or•codes to over rule if they are more strict.Not all prerequisites and credits require a referenced standard•

4. ImplementationMethods and strategies that can be used to achieve prerequisite or credit compliance•

5. Timeline and Team Team members involved with achieving prerequisite or credit compliance, when this•task should occur and if the prerequisite/credit can be a design or construction phasesubmittal

6. CalculationsLists formulas and calculations, if required, to achieve prerequisite or credit compliance•

7. Documentation Guidance This important section lists and explains what documents are required to be uploaded•

to LEED Online demonstrating compliance and the declarant responsible for signing offon the prerequisite or credit

8. ExamplesSome prerequisites and credits have examples to demonstrate how compliance can be•achieved


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U.S. Green Building Council9. Exemplary Performance

Many credits can earn additional points for exceeding the minimum credit performance.•No prerequisites offer Exemplary Performance points

10. Regional VariationsLEED recognizes regional differences by offering bonus points based on the zipcode•identication of environmentally important credits

11. Operations and Maintenance ConsiderationsMethods and strategies for operational and maintenance procedures•

12. ResourcesWebsites and print media that can offer additional relevant information benecial to•achieving prerequisite or credit compliance

13. DenitionsDenitions for terminology specic to that prerequisite or credit•

LEED 2009In response to creating credit unity across the various LEED 2009 rating systems and addressingthe growing concerns related to threats upon the environment, USGBC has reorganized andadvanced LEED 2009 rating systems.Credit Harmonization

Credits and prerequisites from all LEED 2009 commercial and institutional rating systems havebeen consolidated and aligned, allowing credits and prerequisites to be consistent across allLEED 2009 rating systems.Refer USGBC for detailed and current Credit Harmonization information:

http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1971#harmonizationCredit Weightings

LEED 2009 credits are assigned point values based on their ability to impact various environmentaland human health issues. With revised credit weightings, LEED awards more points for strategiesthat will have greater positive impacts on energy efficiency and CO 2 reductions. Each credit isevaluated against numerous environmental impact categories. As a result, LEED 2009 operateson a 100-point scale.Refer USGBC for detailed and current Credit Weighting information:http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1971#weightings

Carbon Overlay

Carbon overlay addresses global warming by establishing the project’s carbon footprint. Abuilding’s carbon footprint is the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with its constructionand operation. LEED 2009 credits are prioritized by their ability to reduce greenhouse gasemissions. As such, each credit is scored by how it compares to a baseline building.


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U.S. Green Building CouncilRegionalization

LEED 2009 has created the Regional Priority category that acknowledges the fact environmentalpriorities may differ between different geographical regions in the U.S. For a project’s location,as determined by its zip code, 6 existing LEED credits have been prioritized because they addressenvironmental issues within that specic zip code. Although the project may be able to qualifyfor more than 4 of the 6 Regional Priority credits available, the project team can choose only 4credits for which they prefer the points to apply.Refer USGBC for detailed and current Regional Priority information:http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1971

Credit Interpretation Request (CIRs)Occasionally during the process of analyzing prerequisite or credit compliance requirements,the Project Team may encounter instances where they are unclear whether their strategy forachieving the credit is appropriate. The Project Credit Interpretation Request (CIR) and ruling

process is designed to allow Project Teams to obtain technical and administrative guidance onhow LEED requirements, including Minimum Program Requirements, Prerequisites, and Credits,pertain to their projects.In summary:

CIRs can be submitted any time after project registration•

CIRs must be submitted via LEED Online•

CIRs are restricted to no more than one prerequisite or credit per submittal•

CIRs should not be formatted in letter form, contain more than 600 words or 4000 characters•and cannot be submitted with attachments (plans, photos, etc.)

CIR language cannot be revised any time during the CIR process•

CIR rulings do not guarantee MPR/Prerequisite/Credit compliance or achievement•

*CIR rulings submitted pre-LEED 2009 Rating System are precedent setting*CIR rulings submitted after June 26, 2009 for all rating systems including pre-LEED 2009 andcurrent versions, will be project specic*CIR database created for pre-LEED 2009 rating systems may not be used with LEED 2009 ratingsystems

Only USGBC Company Members, LEED Registered Project Team Members and USGBC•Workshop Attendees have access to review CIRs

CIR fees are $220 for each application•

* These directives are new to 2009 and were listed on the GBCI website as late as April 10, 2010but can no longer be located. Currently, there is disagreement whether they remain applicable.Refer GBCI for detailed and current/updated CIR information:http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=1510


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U.S. Green Building CouncilRegistration and Certication ProcessGBCI

The Green Building Certication Institute (GBCI) manages the review and verication process for

projects seeking certication under the LEED Green Building Rating System.Refer GBCI for updated Registration and Certication information:http://www.gbci.org/main-nav/building-certication/leed-certication.aspx

LEED Online

LEED Online is the control center where project teams manage the LEED Registration andCertication process and is available only to registered projects . Using LEED Online you can:

Manage project details•Complete documentation requirements•Upload supporting les•Submit applications for review•

Receive reviewer feedback •

Earn LEED certication•

Credit Scorecard(aka LEED Credit Checklist)

The LEED Credit Scorecard is a form used by the Project Team that lists all of the prerequisitesand credits of the rating system being pursued:

Should be initiated by the Project Team early during the charrette process•

Allows the Project Team members the ability to assess and track attempted credits•

Lists all prerequisites and credits for each category with columns for the Project Team to•

mark as Yes, ? (maybe),or No A sample Scorecard (v2.2) is available for review in the Appendix.Credit Forms and Calculators(aka LEED Credit Templates, Letter Templates or Submittal Templates)

Mandatory to the certication process are the Adobe interactive PDF LEED Credit Forms thatcan be accessed only by the Project Administrator and invited Project Team members via LEEDOnline. Credit Forms are used to upload documentation required to verify prerequisite andcredit compliance. Each Credit Form will list the requirements for achievement as well as thedocumentation required for submittal and must be signed by the declarant. For credits thatrequire calculations, calculators are built in to indicate if the credit requirements have been met.

In part, Credit Forms:Streamlines the preparation of LEED applications•

Allows the Project Administrator to assign Project Team member responsibility•

Provides automatic calculation for compliance verication when required data is entered•by a Project Team member

A sample v2.2 Submittal Template is available for review in the Appendix.


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U.S. Green Building CouncilCharrette

A LEED Charrette is a forum where those who can inuence project decisions meet and beginplanning the project. As a gathering of all key stakeholders in the LEED certication process, acharrette facilitates agreement on project goals. By soliciting ideas, issues, and concerns early inthe project process, it saves time and money and gives an early sense of collective enthusiasmwith realistic goals and directions.Project Administrator

The GBCI assigns the role of Project Administrator to the person who initially registers the projectvia LEED Online. This person is the main contact with the GBCI via LEED Online. Although it isadvisable to select the Project Administrator during the charrette, this person can be replacedafter registration. The roles of a Project Administrator include:

Provides project information when registering via LEED Online•

Invites Team Members for access to LEED Online•

Assigns credit responsibility to Team Members•

LEED AP

Provides project coordination between all Project Team disciplines•

Knows the responsibilities and status of each Team Member•

Manages and reviews Project Team documentation prior to uploading to Credit Forms•

Knows which credits each member of the Project Team is responsible for•

Understands the entire certication process•

Coordinates codes and standards•

Must play a principle role in the project to be eligible for an Innovation in Design credit •

LEED CerticationIndividuals are Accredited and become LEED Accredited Professionals by successfully testing atthe level of accreditation sought.Buildings are Certied : A registered building is in the process of implementing LEED. A certiedbuilding is a completed project that has been awarded certication. LEED Certied is a projectthat has been certied to the base level: Certied.

Certied•

Silver•

Gold•

Platinum•

Companies or products are neither accredited nor certiedOrganizations can obtain membership to USGBC national organizationIndividuals can become members of USGBC regional chapters


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U.S. Green Building CouncilCertication Process: GeneralLEED certication is provided by an independent third-party to verify that a building projectmeets all requirements for the level of certication being sought. Certication for any projectrequires satisfying all Minimum Program Requirements (MPRs), prerequisites and a minimum numberof credits. Each LEED 2009 rating system corresponds with a LEED reference guide that is thestandard document for detailing the applicable prerequisites and credits as dened by the ratingsystem structure.Important to a clearer path to certication, the project should implement an integrated designapproach to evaluate and dene the project’s goals and certication level most appropriatefor the project. Project teams can utilize resources, such as the project checklist, to identifyindividual credits and strategies that are readily achievable within the rating system. The projectteam should rst determine if all prerequisites can be achieved. Timeline and Project Design Phases

Predesign●

Information gathering and establishing goals (charrette)•

Schematic Design●

Examines design options and establishes an agreed upon layout and scope of work •

Design Development●

Begins the process of rening the schematic design and developing rst design of the•project’s energy systems

Construction Documents●

Schematic design developed into detailed drawings so that construction can take place•

Construction●

Construction documents (CDs) completed and necessary local authority approvals•received to begin construction

Substantial Completion●

Construction is nearly completed and the client could occupy the space, providing local•authorities permit occupancy prior to receipt of Certicate of Occupancy

Final Completion●

All construction per the construction documents has been completed•

Certicate of Occupancy●Official notice by building authorities having jurisdiction that the project conforms to•applicable building and safety codes


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U.S. Green Building CouncilCertication Process: OverviewFor all LEED Ratings Systems

except LEED for Homes and LEED for Neighborhood Development:

Step 1: PlanningStep 2: RegistrationStep 3: DocumentationStep 4: CerticationLEED for Homes and LEED for Neighborhood Development follow different Rating Systems and Certication Processes:LEED for Homes:

Step 1: Early PlanningStep 2: Design

Step 3: BuildStep 4: Verication and certicationStep 5: Reection on achievementsLEED for Neighborhood Development:

Stage 1: Review prior to completion of entitlement (permitting) processStage 2 : Certication of an approved development planStage 3 : Review of a completed neighborhood development

Certication Process: Detailed except LEED for Homes & LEED for Neighborhood Development

Step 1: Planning (Charrette)

The rst action toward any LEED project should be establishing a collective forum, or the charrette. The stakeholders comprising the charrette should document the project goals, prepare a draftof the LEED Credit Scorecard and select the Project Administrator.Step 2: Registration

The LEED process begins with registration. The Project Administrator submits the registrationform and registration fee. Registration information required:

Account login information:• name, address, company, title, e-mail address, passwordProject type• : select rating system type, USGBC member status, amount dueGeneral project information• : project title, project address, is project condentialPrimary contact information• : name, address, organization, e-mail addressProject Owner information• : name, organization, e-mail address


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U.S. Green Building CouncilProject details• : owner type, project scope, site conditions, occupant type, owner occupied,gross square footage, project budget, current project phase, project typePayment information•

Registration provides:Point of contact between GBCI and project•

Access to LEED Online tools•

Access to LEED Credit Forms (Credit Templates)•

Ensures maximum potential for achieving certication, if done early in the design process•

Registration fees (11 January 2010):USGBC members: $900•

Non-Members: $1,200•

GBCI offers free registration for LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance forprojects certied under LEED for New Construction, LEED for Schools, and LEED for Core & Shellprior to January 1, 2011.Step 3: Application Submittal

For detailed and updated submittal/review process information per rating system refer to GBCI:http://www.gbci.org/main-nav/building-certication