USGBC Updated LEED-Green-Associate Exam Questions and Answers by ned

A site with minimal hardscape (such as concrete, asphalt, or other impervious surfaces) that has a large permeable surface (such as soil, grass, or other vegetation) results in reduced rainwater runoff. This is because permeable surfaces allow rainwater to infiltrate into the ground, replenishing the groundwater and reducing the amount of water that flows over the surface and carries pollutants into storm drains and waterways. Reducing rainwater runoff is one of the goals of the LEED v4 Location and Transportation category, which offers credits for using strategies such as green roofs, permeable paving, rain gardens, and vegetated swales

Infill development refers to building within unused and underutilized lands in existing urban areas, rather than developing on greenfields or open land. According to LEED v4 BD+C under LT Credit: Sensitive Land Protection and LT Credit: High Priority Site, infill development:

"Encourages development in locations with existing infrastructure to reduce environmental impacts of new construction."

"Limits land consumption and supports compact development by building on previously developed sites in established communities."

This practice supports smart growth, reduces the need for new roads and utilities, and maximizes land efficiency.

Option B (Parking restrictions) help reduce car use but don’t directly address land efficiency.

Option C (Financial incentives) are policies, not land-use strategies.

Option D (Increased open space) preserves land but doesn't reduce development footprint unless combined with compact development.

Correct answer: A. Infill development — it most directly supports land efficiency and sustainable site development.

The coordination of building and site systems should be addressed at the predesign stage to maximize the impact of integrative process. The integrative process is a method of design and construction that involves the collaboration and coordination of all project stakeholders from the beginning to achieve the project’s sustainability goals1. The predesign stage is the earliest phase of the project, where the project vision, scope, budget, schedule, and performance targets are defined2. By addressing the coordination of building and site systems at this stage, the project team can identify and analyze the interrelationships and synergies among various systems, such as energy, water, materials, indoor environmental quality, and site ecology3. This can help the team to optimize the design solutions, reduce costs and risks, enhance performance and quality, and avoid rework and conflicts later in the projec

When a project involves multiple rating systems, the project team must decide the most appropriate one based on the project’s scope and primary objectives. LEED provides guidance to facilitate this decision​​.