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

Under LEED BD+C Water Efficiency (WE) credits , a public use faucet is defined as a sink or faucet that is available for general use in shared spaces , rather than being restricted to private, residential, or patient-specific settings.

School classroom sinks are used by multiple people throughout the day , making them a public use fixture .

Patient room sinks, hotel sinks, and dorm room sinks are considered private use fixtures , as they are designated for individual users or a limited number of occupants.

LEED water efficiency calculations differentiate between private and public use fixtures due to differences in water usage patterns and flow rate requirements .

(Source: Official LEED BD+C Reference Manual)

Detailed Explanation:

Providing at least 75% of parking spaces under cover helps reduce heat island effects by minimizing exposed hardscape areas. LEED recognizes covered parking (using reflective roofing or vegetative systems) as an effective strategy to decrease heat absorption and improve microclimate conditions.

The strategy that will contribute toward the Interior Cross-Contamination Prevention strategy in Indoor Environmental Quality Credit, Enhanced Indoor Air Quality Strategies is to provide a ventilation system specifically for the laundry facility that has no recirculating air. This is because the laundry facility is a space where hazardous gases or chemicals may be present or used, such as detergents, bleach, or fabric softeners. According to the LEED V5 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction, the project must "sufficiently exhaust each space where hazardous gases or chemicals may be present or used (e.g., garages, housekeeping and laundry areas, copying and printing rooms), using the exhaust rates determined in EQ Prerequisite Minimum Indoor Air Quality Performance or a minimum of 0.50 cfm per square foot (2.54 l/s per square meter), to create negative pressure with respect to adjacent spaces when the doors to the room are closed. For each of these spaces, provide self-closing doors and deck-to-deck partitions or a hard-lid ceiling." 1 Therefore, option D is the correct answer. The other options will not prevent cross-contamination from the laundry facility to the locker rooms. Relocating the laundry facility to the basement (option A) may reduce the exposure of the occupants to the laundry chemicals, but it will not eliminate the possibility of cross-contamination to other spaces in the basement. Naturally ventilating the laundry space per ASHRAE 62.1-2010 (option B) may not provide sufficient exhaust to create negative pressure and prevent cross-contamination, especially if the outdoor air quality is poor or the natural ventilation is not well designed. Installing particle filters, with a MERV of 13 or higher or F7 (option C) may improve the air quality in the laundry space, but it will not prevent the hazardous gases or chemicals from escaping to the adjacent spaces through the ventilation system or the gaps in the doors or ceiling. References : LEED V5 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction, p. 688 1 ; ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2010, Section 6.2.5 2