USGBC Updated LEED-AP-BD+C Exam Questions and Answers by mikhail

Discovery

The discovery phase of the integrative process gives the team the greatest chance of success in meeting the project’s environmental goals cost-effectively.The discovery phase is the initial stage of the project, where the team establishes the vision, goals, and performance criteria, conducts a site assessment, identifies synergies and trade-offs among systems, and performs preliminary analysis and modeling of energy and water use1.By engaging in this phase early and iteratively, the team can explore various design options, identify potential savings and benefits, and optimize the project outcomes2.

References:

• Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction v4 – Pages 28-291
• Understanding Integrative Design in LEED v4 - BuildingGreen2

This strategy would qualify as an innovation credit because it is not addressed in the LEED green building rating system, and it achieves significant, measurable environmental performance by educating the students and the community about the benefits of green building. The project team would need to identify the intent, requirements, submittals, and design approach of this strategy in the Basis of Design document1. This strategy is also listed as an example of innovation in the LEED Innovation Catalog2.

References: = NC-v4.1 INc1: Innovation | LEEDuser, LEED credit library | U.S. Green Building Council

The Integrative Process credit under the LEED BD+C v4 rating system encourages the coordination of all the project team members, starting from the predesign phase, to discover unique opportunities for project design, enhanced building performance, and green features. The three phases within the Integrative Process Credit are:

• Discovery phase: This involves investigating at least two energy-related and several water-related sustainable design strategies prior to the end of schematic design1.
• Design and Construction (implementation) phase: This requires the project teams to turn their findings into reality2.
• Occupance, Operations, and Performance Feedback phase: This phase involves the evaluation of the implemented strategies and their effectiveness3.

References:

• LEED Integrative Process Credit Explained - Projectific, Inc.
• LEED AP BD+C v4 - Integrative Process Flashcards | Quizlet
• Achieving the LEED v4 Integrative Process Credit - SketchUp

An economic advantage of the infill site is that it reduces the need for new utility infrastructure. This is because the infill site is located within an existing urban area that already has access to water, sewer, electricity, and other utilities1. The developer can save on the costs of extending or installing new utility lines and services to the rural greenfield site, which may not have adequate or reliable utility infrastructure2. The other options are not economic advantages, but rather environmental benefits of the infill site. Protecting greenfields and farmland, preserving habitat and natural resources, and reducing potential damage to an existing stream are all positive outcomes of avoiding development on the rural greenfield site, but they do not directly translate into monetary savings for the developer3.

References:

•High-priority site, p. 1

•The Economics of Infill Development, p. 2

•LEED v4 for Building Design and Construction, p. 69