LEED GA STUDY

SESSIONS
Proudly brought to you by the SBD
Club
LEED GA Study Sessions
The Test
80 questions
2 hours
Score: 120-200 possible. 170 to pass.
LEED GA Study Sessions
Test Material
LEED Structure, Logistics, and Processes
Sustainable Sites
Water Efficiency
Energy & Atmosphere
Materials & Resources
Indoor Environmental Quality
Innovation & Regional Design
Sample Question
Which of the following can affect a
buildings energy efficiency?

a) Building orientation
b) Envelope thermal efficiency
c) HVAC system sizing
d) Refrigerant selection
e) VOC content of building materials
Sample Question
Which of the following can affect a
buildings energy efficiency?

a) Building orientation
b) Envelope thermal efficiency
c) HVAC system sizing
d) Refrigerant selection
e) VOC content of building materials
LEED Study Session Outline
1. LEED Structure, Logistics, and Processes
2. Sustainable Sites
Today
3. Water Efficiency
4. Energy & Atmosphere
5. Materials & Resources
6. Indoor Environmental Quality
7. Innovation & Regional Design
LEED Structures, Logistics, & Processes

Rating Systems
Components of the LEED Score Card (Checklist)
Minimum Program Requirements for LEED Certification
GBCI
LEED Credentialing
USGBC Policies
Project Registration
Certification Process
Credit Interpretation Rulings (CIRs)
LEED Online
Letter Templates
Rating Systems
New Construction (NC) and Major
Renovations
Include:
All commercial buildings i.e. offices, institutional buildings (libraries, museums,
churches, etc.), hotels, and residential buildings of 4 or more habitable stories.

Major renovations that involve major HVAC renovation,

significant envelope modifications, and major interior
rehabilitation.
If a remodel does not involve significant design & construction activities and
focuses more on operations and maintenance activities, LEED EBO&M is
more appropriate.

Owner must occupy more than 50% of the buildings square

footage. If less than 50%, the owner should pursue LEED Core &
Shell (CS).
Schools
Must be used for the construction or major renovation of
an academic building on K-12 school grounds.
Nonacademic buildings on a school campus (administrative
offices, maintenance facilities, or dormitories) are eligible
for LEED NC AND LEED for Schools.
Postsecondary academic buildings or prekindergarten
buildings may choose either LEED NC or LEED for Schools.

*many projects neatly fit into only one LEED rating system; others
fit into 2 or more. If more than 1 rating system applies, the
project team can decide which to pursue.
Healthcare & Retail
Healthcare
For inpatient, outpatient, and long term care facilities
May also be used for medical offices, assisted living facilities, and
medical education & research centers.

Retail
The LEED for Retail pilot recognizes the unique nature of the retail
environment and addresses the different types of spaces that
retailers need for their distinctive product lines.
The USGBC plans to create both Retail: New Construction, and Retail:
Commercial Interiors.

*Healthcare and Retail are currently being developed and are in

pilot phase.
Core & Shell (CS)
Projects in which the developer controls the design and
construction of the entire core and shell base building (e.g.,
mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems) but
has no control over the design and construction of the tenant fit-
out. Examples of this type of project can be a commercial office building, medical office building,
retail center, warehouse, and lab facility.
If the owner will be occupying any of the building, it must be 50%
or less. Otherwise, the owner should pursue LEED for New
Construction.

Precertification: Core & Shell building owners can precertify

their building, indicating their intent to LEED certify their building.
This is a marketing tool to attract potential tenants and financiers
who recognize the benefits of LEED-certified building.
Core & Shell (CS)
The LEED Reference Guide includes the following appendices
which account for unique aspects of Core & Shell development.
They are:
Commercial Interiors (CI)
Tenant spaces primarily in office, retail, and
institutional buildings.
Tenants who lease their space or do not occupy
the entire building are eligible.
Homes (H)
LEED for Homes Providers local organizations that provide certification
services to LEED for Homes projects in their regional markets.
Provide a team of Green Raters.
Recruit & register projects.
Certify LEED homes.
Provide Quality Assurance of certifications.

Green Raters
Conduct on-site performance tests and visual inspections.
Complete checklist, accountability forms, Durability Risk Evaluation
Form, and durability inspection checklist.
Submits the above stated paperwork to the LEED for Homes Provider
for review and approval.
Homes (H)
Five Steps to Participate
1. Contact a LEED for Homes Provider and join
the program.
2. Identify a project team.
3. Build the home to the stated goals.
4. Certify the project as a LEED home.
5. Market and sell the LEED home.
Neighborhood Development (ND) - Pilot

The rating system is designed to certify exemplary

development projects that perform well in terms of smart
growth, new urbanism, and green building. Projects may
constitute whole neighborhoods, fractions of
neighborhoods, or multiple neighborhoods.
Existing Buildings Operations &
Maintenance (EBO&M)

Designed to certify the sustainability of ongoing operations of existing commercial

and institutional buildings.
Available for:
Building operations, system upgrades, minor space-use changes,
and minor alterations or additions.
Buildings new to LEED certification OR buildings previously
certified under LEED NC, Schools, or CS.
May be new construction or an existing building.
Existing Buildings Operations &
Maintenance (EBO&M)

LEED EBO&M is a whole-building rating system;

individual tenant spaces are ineligible.
Must file for recertification at least once every 5
years to maintain their certification status.
Performance Period: a continuous, unbroken
time during which sustainable operations
performance is being measured to receive a
credit.
 Components
of LEED Score
Cards
(Checklist)
This is the LEED NC Checklist

It is a list of all available credi

Broken out into categories

Points Attempting Components
Maybe Attempting of LEED Score
Not Attempting
Cards
(Checklist)
Possible Points

Prerequisites: No point values, but are required for certification

Credits: Have point values
Certification Levels
Minimum Program Requirements (MPRs)

The LEED 2009 Minimum Program Requirements (MPRs) define the

minimum characteristics that a project must possess in order to be eligible
for certification under LEED 2009.

Example MPRs for LEED NC (and other rating systems):

The LEED project must include a minimum of 1,000 square feet of gross floor area.
No building or space that is designed to move at any point in its lifetime may pursue
LEED Certification.
GBCI (Green Building Certification Institute)

A separate organization from the USGBC

Provides 2 main services:
Project Certification
Professional credentials
LEED Credentialing
LEED Green Associate (GA)
LEED Accredited Professional (AP) with
Specialty
LEED Fellow
LEED Green Associate
For professionals who want to demonstrate green
building expertise in non-technical fields of
practice.

Thank you, SBD Club

$200 +$50 biennially

LEED AP
The LEED AP credential signifies an advanced depth of
knowledge in green building practices; it will also reflect
the ability to specialize in a particular LEED Rating System.

The LEED AP exam is divided into two parts.

1. LEED Green Associate Exam
2. Specialty exam based on one of the LEED Rating Systems

$400 minimum + $50 biennially

 LEED AP
LEED AP Specialties LEED Rating Systems

Homes
ND Neighborhood Development
ID+C Interior Design & Construction
BD+C - Building Design & Construction
O+M Operations & Maintenance
Credentialing Maintenance
Continuing education (CE) required on a 2-year
cycle, beginning on the exam date.
LEED GA: 15 CE hours biennially (3 must be LEED-
specific hours)
LEED AP: 30 CE hours biennially (6 must be LEED-
specific hours)

Non-compliance will lead to credential expiration,

and exams will have to be retaken to become a
GA or an AP again.
Fellow
an extraordinary class of leading professionals
distinguished by their years of experience and
contributions to the standards of practice and body of
knowledge in green building.

Still under development

Project Registration
USGBC Members: $450, Non-Members:
$600
Certification Process
A 70,000 SF school would cost $2,450 to certify.
Sample Questions
What information is required to register a
project for LEED certification?

a) List of LEED project team members

b) Name of LEED AP who will be working on
project.
c) Primary contact information
d) Project owner information
e) Project Type
Sample Questions
What information is required to register a
project for LEED certification?

a) List of LEED project team members

b) Name of LEED AP who will be working on project.
c) Primary contact information
d) Project owner information
e) Project Type

FIND THIS TYPE OF STUFF OUT, BY MESSING AROUND

ON GBCI.ORG
Credit Interpretation Rulings
(CIRs)
Situation: Your building plans to use
biofuels to provide power to the building.

Problem: You want to receive a credit

for this, but the Renewable Energy credit
only addresses solar, wind, and biomass.
You arent sure if you can get credit for
this.
Credit Interpretation Rulings
(CIRs)
LEED Online
Click here to go to LEED Online and watc
h the Demo
Available Resources
www.usgbc.org US Green Building Council - Created
LEED
LEED Rating Systems
LEED Checklists
Webcasts & Videos
Etc.

www.gbci.org Green Building Certification Institute

Conduct LEED credentialing & building certification
Green Associate Candidate Handbook
Etc.
SBD Club Provided Material
USGBC Green Associate Study Guide