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

The Indoor Environmental Quality Credit, Enhanced Indoor Air Quality Strategies aims to establish better quality indoor air for the building occupants that promotes their comfort and well-being1. This credit requires the project team to implement several strategies to reduce the exposure of occupants and HVAC systems to environmental tobacco smoke, airborne contaminants, and chemicals1. One of the strategies is to design and construct all interior partitions to full height (deck-to-deck) or provide a hard-lid ceiling for spaces where hazardous gases or chemicals may be present or used2. This strategy helps prevent the migration of contaminants from one space to another through the plenum3. A copy room is an example of such a space, as it may contain printers, copiers, toners, and solvents that can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter (PM) into the air4. Therefore, the project team can achieve Indoor Environmental Quality Credit, Enhanced Indoor Air Quality Strategies by providing a hard-lid ceiling for the copy room.

References:

• Enhanced Indoor Air Quality Strategies
• Enhanced Indoor Air Quality Strategies - Canada Green Building Council
• [LEED Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction v4], page 631
• Copy Rooms: A Source of Indoor Air Pollution

The surrounding residential density is calculated by dividing the total number of dwelling units by the total residential land area. In this case, it would be 780 dwelling units divided by 60% of 130 acres, which equals approximately 13 dwelling units per acre (or 32 dwelling units per hectare).

The nonresidential density, or Floor Area Ratio (FAR), is calculated by dividing the total nonresidential building floor area by the total nonresidential land area. In this case, it would be 1,600,000 ft² divided by 40% of 130 acres, which equals a FAR of approximately 0.47.

These calculations are used when attempting to achieve the Location and Transportation Credit, Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses, under the LEED AP BD+C V4 rating system.

References:

• [LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide]

The metal base, 20% of product by weight, which do not contain heavy metals and is not plated with hexavalent chromium, contributes toward Materials and Resources Credit, Furniture and Medical Furnishings. This is because it meets the criteria of Option 1: Minimal Chemical Content, which requires that all components that constitute at least 5%, by weight, of a furniture or medical furnishing assembly must contain less than 100 ppm of at least four of the five chemical groups listed in the option. The other portions of the product either do not meet the 5% weight threshold (wheels), or contain chemicals that are restricted by Option 1 (fabric, armrests).References: LEED v4 BD+C Reference Guide, Materials and Resources Category, MRc Furniture and Medical Furnishings, Option 1. Minimal Chemical Content, page 711.

According to the LEED v4: Building Design + Construction Guide1, Option 2 of the Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses credit requires the project to be within walking distance of at least 10 diverse uses. The guide also states that “walking distance is defined as the distance that a pedestrian must travel between origins and destinations without obstruction, in a safe and comfortable environment on a continuous network of sidewalks, all weather-surface footpaths, crosswalks, or equivalent pedestrian facilities.” Therefore, the documentation must include walking routes from the project to each use to demonstrate that the distance requirement is met. References:

• LEED v4: Building Design + Construction Guide
• CI-v4.1 LTc2: Surrounding density and diverse uses | LEEDuser