LEED GA - Green Building Basics for students

Community Service & Continuing Education Center
LEED® GA Exam – 1. Green Building Basics
Charter 1
Green Building
Basics

Green building is the integrative practice of creating structures and
using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource
efficient throughout a building's life cycle.
Sustainability is the ability of the current generation to meet its own
needs without compromising the ability of future generation to meet
their needs

 72% of electricity consumption
 39% of energy use
 38% of all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions
 40% of raw materials use
 30% of waste output (136 million tons annually)
 14% of potable water consumption
1. Impacts of Buildings and Construction (Built Environment)
* Global CO2 Emission
Buildings>Transportation > Industry…

Built environment is the human-made surroundings that provide the
setting for human activity, ranging in scale from personal shelter and
buildings to neighborhoods and cities. This goes beyond just building,
but also includes transportation systems – roads, bridges, etc.
The built environment accounts for two-thirds of all greenhouse gas
emissions.

1) Whole building design
Traditional process of designing a building:
- Site
- Function
- Structure
- Systems
- Users
2. Defining Green Building

1) Whole building design
 Integrative design and uses an integrative
project team. It is this approach that will
facilitate sustainable design for the future.
 Views all of a building’s systems together as
they operate interdependently.
 Sustainable design begins when projects are
first imagined and requires thinking ‘green’ at
every stage in the lifecycle.
2. Defining Green Building

2) Conventional Development and practice
 Clearing of land for development often destroys wildlife habitat.
 Extracting, manufacturing and transporting materials contribute to the
pollution of water and air, the release of toxic chemicals, and the emission
of greenhouse gases.
 Building operations require large inputs of energy and water and generate
substantial waste streams.
 Building-related transportation, such as commuting and services, contributes
to a wide range of impacts associated with vehicle use, energy consumption,
and harmful environment effects

3) Integrative Approach
 An integrative process is an approach that integrates
people, systems, business structures and practices
into a process that collaboratively harnesses the
talents and insights of all participants to optimize
project results.
 Increasing value to the owner, reduce waste, and
maximize efficiency through all phases of design,
fabrication, construction, and ongoing operations.
* Integrated Project Delivery(IPD) Team
Owner, Architect, Engineers, Commissioning Authority, Contractor, Facilities Staff, Building User etc.

 Integrative process
1. Pre-Design
- Conduct “Charrette*” : Before Schematic Design
2. Design
- Schematic Design (SD)
- Design Development (DD)
- Construction Document (CD)
 3. Construction plans
 4. Bidding process
 5. Construction
 6. Commissioning* the building (Ex.CM)
 7. Occupancy and Recommissioning*
 8. Building end of life reuse or demolition/recycle
* Charrette is a type of workshop where project participants indulge in brainstorming, discussion,
and strategy development to create a shared vision. Participants in these workshops usually include
the owner, architect, consultants, contractors, landscape architect, commissioning agents, etc.

•Commissioning : 'the process of verifying and documenting that a building and all of its systems
and assemblies are planned, designed, installed, tested, operated, and maintained to meet the
owner's project requirements.' The systems cannot be commissioned until they are installed. The
process takes place prior to occupancy (usually) when the building is substantially completed.
 'For existing buildings, we found median commissioning costs of $0.27/ft2, whole-building
energy savings of 15%, and payback times of 0.7 years.
 For new construction, median commissioning costs were $1.00/ft2 (0.6 % of total construction
costs), yielding a median payback time of 4.8 years (excluding quantified non-energy impacts).
* Recommissioning : when an existing building undergoes the commissioning process to discover if
improvements or changes should be made to improve the building.

 Review Applicable Laws and Standards
What is the measurement or standard for a new building in general?
The answer is the “building code”
* Zoning and Local Codes: The project must meet local codes, zoning, and ordinances.
* ICC (International Code Council): The International Code Council, a membership
association dedicated to building safety and fire prevention, develops the codes used to
construct residential and commercial buildings including homes and schools.
* IgCC (International Green Construction Code) : The IgCC provides model code language
to establish baseline regulations for new and existing buildings related to energy
conservation, water efficiency, building owner responsibilities, site impacts, building waste,
and materials and other considerations.
* ADA (American Disabilities Act)
Projects in the United States must also comply with the accessibility guidelines of the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

4) Building Cost
 Life Cycle Cost (LCC)
Sum of all recurring and one-time (non-recurring) costs over the full
life span or a specified period of a good, service, structure, or
system. The life cycle cost includes the purchase price, installation
cost, operating costs, maintenance and upgrade costs, and
remaining (residual or salvage) value at the end of ownership or its
useful life. Traditional building processes look only at design and
construction costs, or first costs, and not life-cycle costs.
 Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)
Investigation and valuation of the environmental impacts of a given
product or service caused by its existence. LCA addresses
environmental impacts while LCC addresses economic impacts.

 Cradle to Grave
Full Life Cycle Assessment from manufacture (‘cradle’) the use phase and disposal
phase (‘grave’), the linear view of the life of a product, from creation to the end of
useful life, disposal.
 Cradle to Cradle
A term used in life-cycle analysis to describe a material or product that is recycled into
a new product at the end of its useful life. An example of a closed system.

 Hard Costs
By far the largest portion of the expenses in a construction budget, mostly comprised of the
actual construction costs incurred to build the project, masonry, wood, steel, carpet, tile,
mechanical systems, roofing, etc.
 Soft Cost
Not directly related to building, construction, which include building permit fees, architect fees,
legal, financing, engineering fees, commissioning, and other costs incurred before and after
construction.

5) Integrative Process Compared to Traditional Project Delivery
Traditional Project Delivery Integrative Process
Teams
Hierarchical, working independently only as
needed
Collaborative, integrative, assembled as
early as possible before any designing
Process/Schedule Linear Concurrent; shared information, iterative
Risk Individual risk Shared equally
Compensation Individually based Based on team success
Communication Paper based Digital and virtual; use of computer models
Materials/Strategies Least expensive to meet code Life cycle analysis, life cycle costing
Project phases Design – occupancy
Predesign phase; green building goals are
reviewed at every phase

6) Integrative Process and Project Teams
 The integrative process of a project is what contributes to reaching the sustainability goals
established by the project team
 A fully integrative process is only possible with an integrative project team
 Communication for Identifying opportunities for synergy is very important, and it needs to
start as early in the design process as possible

Synergies

Synergy means two individual parts can work together to create
something more than just the sum of the two. 2+2= 5
The goal from synergies is to:
1. Maximixe synergies between design decisions to improve employee
health, lower environmental impact, and construction costs.

Synergies of Location and Transportation with Indoor
Environmental Quality
A site location may impact indoor environmental quality due to views and
surrounding air attributes.

7) Ongoing Operations and Maintenance by a facility manager
 The ongoing operations and maintenance of a high-performance
building is a continuous process that needs to follow a plan that
identifies and corrects building system problems to maintain peak
building performance over time.
 This process is a continuous cycle of planning, auditing, measuring,
analyzing, and correcting.

8) The triple bottom lines (Guiding Principle by USGBC)
1. Economics (Profit) -- Economic bottom line of a company
that produces a long-term, positive economic impact.
2. Environment (Planet) -- Sustainable environmental
practices. Organizations should endeavor to benefit the
planet as much as possible and consider negative
externalities to the environment
3. Social Responsibility (People) -- Improving the lives of those
with whom the building interacts. The well- being of a
building’s workers, occupants, community members,
neighbors, and other stakeholder interests should be
interdependent.
* USGBC has one of the guiding principles outlined in the 2013-2015 strategic plan, which is PROMOTE THE
TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE - USGBC will pursue robust triple bottom line solutions (people, planet, profit) that clarify
and strengthen a healthy and dynamic balance between environmental, social, and economic prosperity.

9) System Thinking
 Systems thinking is similar to integrative design in that in systems thinking project teams are
supposed to view each part of the project in relationship to other parts of the project. Systems
thinking tries to avoid designing a solution to one problem that results in a problem in another
system.
 Closed Systems - A set of actions/materials with a closed loop. Closed systems are considered
to be the most sustainable because there is no “waste” or final end product.
 Open Systems - Unlike closed systems, an open system is a system that constantly takes in items
from outside the system, uses them and then released them as waste. This system has no
feedback loop. Open systems are less sustainable because they require new inputs and create
waste

 Leverage Points - leverage points are a point in a system where a small
change can lead to large changes in results. This means small actions that
can be free or a small cost might mean large savings or improvements on
a project.
 Positive Feedback Loop – a system where energy is taken from the output of a system and
reapplied to the input, or A produces more of B which in turn produces more of A. i.e.
population growth – Adults make children whom in turn make more Adults.
 Negative Feedback Loop - a system where the output may signal the
system to stop changing, i.e. a thermostat - at a certain point the
temperature feedback will tell the system to cut off. The information
of temperature must be made available to the thermostat for this
system to work.

 The operation of buildings, including landscaping, accounts for ____ of total water use in the United
States.
A. 18%
B. 20%
C. 6%
D. 14%
 In the United States buildings account for ____ electricity consumption.
A. 56%
B. 66%
C. 72%
D. 74%

 The built environment, including buildings and transportation systems, account for what percent of all
greenhouse gas emissions?
A. 1/2
B. 1/4
C. 1/3
D. 2/3

 Sustainable design strategies are effectively implemented only by using a:
A. Incremental approach
B. Whole building approach
C. Conventional approach
D. Flexible approach

 What is different about green building design compared to conventional design?
A. Green building uses an integrative process
B. Green building does not have a bidding phase
C. Green building costs more
D. Green building has longer schedules
 What is at the core of the integrative process?
A. Linear planning
B. Working toward individual goals
C. Collaborative team members
D. Cost-based decision making

 What intense workshop is used to establish green building goals across all aspects of the building
design, drawing on the expertise of all participants?
A. Charrette
B. Technical Advisory Group meeting
C. Facility manager meeting
D. LEED roundtable
A charrette is an intense collaborative session where participants make a concerted effort to
solve a problem or plan the design of something.
The charrette is one of the first things that should occur on a new project. During the initial
charrette the project team will:
•Decide what rating system to use
•Determine the projects green building goals
•Set a preliminary rating using the LEED Project Checklist

 During a LEED project when does commissioning take place?
A. Schematic design phase
B. Substantial completion phase
C. Discovery phase
D. Pre-design phase
 What is the median payback period for the commissioning of existing buildings?
A. 1 year
B. 2.8 years
C. 0.7 years
D. 1.5 years
 Commissioning of a building is intended to verify the building and its systems meet which of the
following:
A. Local building code
B. HVAC specifications
C. Occupant preferences
D. The owner's project requirements

 What is true if a building code official finds an issue between a proposed energy efficiency strategy
and the city's building electrical code?
A. The project team must alter the design
B. The project administrator should re-run the energy model
C. A LEED reviewer must approve the existing strategy
D. The electrical contractor can proceed with the design
 For which of the following are the ICC International Codes used?
A. Defining minimum indoor air quality standards
B. Guiding code officials about hazardous chemicals contained in building materials
C. Providing minimum safeguards for people at home, at school, and in the workplace
D. Establishing energy-efficiency guidelines for public buildings

 A building owner of a new extended-stay hotel is concerned about the higher initial costs for ENERGY
STAR appliances. Which of the following could help with the decision-making process?
A. Using computer modeling to prioritize the owner's project requirements
B. Reviewing the building's energy use for ways to improve efficiency
C. A life cycle costing of the trade-offs between the capital and operating costs
D. Showing the GHG emissions that would be reduced
 What is the term for the analysis of the environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with a
product, process, or service?
A. Life-cycle costing
B. ASHRAE Level I audit
C. Life-cycle assessment
D. Triple bottom line accounting

 A floor covering that can be recycled into a new product at the end of its useful life would be what type
of product?
A. Cradle to grave
B. Renewable
C. Cradle to cradle
D. Passive

 What are examples of construction hard costs for an office condominium project? (2 Answers)
A. Irrigation fees for water use
B. Cost for installing a green roof
C. Masonry costs paid to a sub-contractor
D. Fees to develop tenant agreements
 Relative to the LEED project design what has a low soft cost?
A. Facility management costs
B. Building commissioning
C. Carpet installation
D. Cost of the LEED charrette

 Which of the following identifies the biggest difference in the integrative process compared to a conventional
building process?
A. The integrative process includes a schematic design phase.
B. The integrative process involves all project team members.
C. The integrative process has a completion date.
D. The integrative process is iterative.
The integrative process is iterative.
The integrative process is, 'An iterative, collaborative approach that involves a project's stakeholders in the process
from visioning through completion of construction and throughout building operation.' - USGBC
 By identifying synergies between systems during the integrative process, teams will save time and money in
both the short and the long term while optimizing resource usage. Which of the following are also true of the
integrative process? (2 Answers)
A. The integrative process is based on an ISO standard.
B. The integrative process can avoid delays and costs resulting from design changes during the Construction
Documents phase.
C. The integrative process reduces the need for change orders during construction.
D. The integrative process increases the amount of construction time for a project.

 Which of the following is one of the tasks that integrative project team members complete together?
A. Applying for financing
B. Select a target certification level
C. Energy modeling
D. Identifying opportunities for synergy
 What statement is true regarding a facility manager?
A. A facility manager would not be part of an integrative project team
B. The facility manager has sole responsibility for designing a building recycling plan
C. A facility manager that is a LEED AP could not earn a project an Innovation point
D. A facility manager would be most involved in the ongoing operations and maintenance of a building

 Promoting the triple bottom line is a part of USGBC's:
A. Vision
B. Strategic goals
C. Mission
D. Guiding principles
 What impact category most directly helps with the people aspect of the triple bottom line?
A. Protect and restore water resources
B. Promote sustainable and regenerative material resources cycles
C. Enhance social equity, environmental justice, and community quality of life
D. Protect, enhance, and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services
 Including task lighting and increasing ventilation levels in a new building has what effect on the triple
bottom line?
A. Lower first costs
B. Decreased maintenance
C. Decreased ozone depletion
D. Increased occupant performance

 What is an example of a project team applying systems thinking and integrative process?
A. Establishing water saving metrics for measuring success
B. One team member completing the design of a system and handing it off to the next team member
C. Ending the green building process when the project team hands the site over to the owner
D. Focusing on the first costs of a particular wood flooring
 What major concepts are integral to green building and sustainability? (3 Answers)
A. Life cycle approach
B. Open systems
C. Linear planning and design processes
D. Systems thinking
E. Integrative process
 What type of system is more sustainable?
A. Closed system
B. Neutral system
C. Dynamic system
D. Open system

22. What is an example of a negative feedback loop?
A. Increased heat islands require more mechanical cooling which generates more greenhouse gas emissions
causing the need for more cooling
B. Warming oceans releasing greenhouse gasses which would warm the ocean even more
This is a positive feedback loop.
C. A thermostat whose temperature feedback indicates to the system when to turn off
D. A warmer atmosphere melts more ice, changing the Earth's albedo which further warms the atmosphere

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