1- What should be included in a construction waste management plan?

A. Which existing building materials - if any - will be reused

This decision is part of the design phase where questions might be asked such as 'are we
going to reuse the roof of this existing building'. If the answer is no, then the waste
management plan would include information on where the roof is going.
B. The distance products were purchased from the construction site

This is not needed.

C. New technologies and materials that will help reduce waste

This decision would be part of the design plan, not part of how to divert and dispose of
waste.
D.If any construction waste materials to be recycled will be commingled or separated

The construction waste management plan will describe where construction and demolition
debris is going to go. The plan outlines diverting construction debris from landfills through
reusing, salvaging, and recycling materials. Part of this decision is to use commingled or
separate recycling.

Only your actual construction and demolition debris are included - wood scraps, metal,
drywall, cardboard boxes, etc.

The plan should include a target diversion rate (a goal that can be measured) such as 'divert
75% of construction waste'. Construction waste is calculated by weight or volume.
2- Which of the following does LEED use as a standard means of reporting the environmental
impacts of a product, such as global warming potential and greenhouse gas emissions?

A. Environmental Product Declarations

Typically, an EPD will include information about a product's impact on global warming,
ozone depletion, water pollution, ozone creation, and greenhouse gas emissions.
B. Greenhouse Gas Inventory
C. MSDS
D.Carbon management tool
3- Some wood flooring recovered from a local barn demolition is being used for flooring in a new
office project. What type of material is the wood flooring considered?

A. Virgin resource

Virgin wood is new wood. Since the wood flooring was obtained from the demolition project
the wood was not new and was not cut down from a forest specifically for the use in the
project.
B. Recycled content

Do not confuse recycled content with reused materials. Recycled content contains materials
that have been recycled. An example is insulation made from recycled newspapers.

C. Recycled and refurbished material

The flooring is not a recycled material.

D.Reused material

Reused materials are construction materials recovered from building sites and reused on
different building sites in the same or a different capacity. Examples can include flooring,
brick, beams, and doors.

4- Which of the following strategies should a hospital project choose to extend the life of the
building and conserve building resources as the surrounding population grows?

A. Select low-emitting materials

This meets neither project goal.

B. Design rooms with modular systems

Designing for flexibility is a concept that considers the future use of the building and how it
may be modified while at the same time reducing waste and reducing the need for new
materials.

Modular room partitions, modular furniture, and zoned utility systems allow for future
expansion.
C. Site the building in a dense area

This meets neither project goal.

D.Purchase additional land on which to construct additional buildings

Additional buildings would extend the project but this choice does not conserve resources.

5- In which of the following ways would a project use environmental product declarations (EPDs)?

A. To select product's that have met a minimum standard of energy efficiency

EPDs do not include information on the energy efficiency of a product.

 B. To identify products that contain hazardous chemicals

Health product declarations (HPDs) contain information on chemicals of concern found in

products.
C. To help the project team understand a product's sustainable qualities

EPDs act as neither product ratings nor ecolabels; rather, they help architects, designers,
specifiers, and other purchasers better understand a product's sustainable qualities and
environmental repercussions. As such, EPDs equip manufacturers with a valuable tool for
differentiation and empower customers to make more informed purchasing decisions.
D.To find certified green building products

EPDs are not a product certification.

6- How can projects reduce sending waste to a landfill?

A. Use materials with low lifecycle costs

Using materials with lower life cycle costs helps reduce operating costs and maintenance
expenses over the products lifetime.
B. Use local materials

Using local materials helps reduce the transportation costs associated with moving materials
as well as helping the local economy.
C. Reuse materials

Recycling and reuse of construction and demolition debris help reduce waste that is sent to
a landfill.
D.Recycle materials

Recycling and reuse of construction and demolition debris help reduce waste that is sent to
a landfill.

Providing occupants with recycling bins helps reduce waste during operations and
maintenance.
7- What is greenwashing?

A. Changing local zoning codes to be greener

B. The implementation of a green cleaning custodial policy
C. Building green buildings in an industrial area
D.Advertising a product or policy to be more environmentally friendly than it really is

The term greenwashing is generally used when significantly more money or time has been
spent advertising being green, rather than spending resources on environmentally sound
practices.
 The term greenwashing was coined by New York environmentalist Jay Westervelt in a 1986
essay regarding the hotel industry's practice of placing placards in each room promoting
reuse of towels ostensibly to 'save the environment'. Westerveld noted that, in most cases,
little or no effort toward reducing energy waste was being made by these institutions - as
evidenced by the lack of cost reduction this practice effected. Westerveld opined that the
actual objective of this 'green campaign' on the part of many hoteliers was, in fact, increased
profit. Westerveld thus labeled this and other outwardly environmentally conscientious acts
with a greater, underlying purpose of profit increase as greenwashing.
8- A product with a Health Product Declaration (HPD) will assist the project team in selecting
products that meet which of the following criteria:

A. Can be recycled

This is a product attribute.

B. Are more durable

This information would come from an LCA.

C. Have less negative health effects

HPDs help determine which products may cause health problems.

D.Are verified to have been responsibly sourced

This would come from a corporate sustainability report or other responsible extraction
criteria.
Notes:

Health Product Declaration (HPDs) provide a full disclosure of the potential chemicals of concern in
products by comparing product ingredients to a wide variety of 'hazard' lists published by
government authorities and scientific associations.

The HPD itself does not indicate if a product is healthy, it merely reports on the material ingredients.
Armed with this information project teams can compare the materials in different products and see if
any of the products contain unhealthy materials or in what quantities.
9- A material that has met which of the following standards would contribute to material
ingredient optimization?

A. Cradle-to-Cradle Certified
B. GreenScreen
C. Health Product Declaration
D.Global Reporting Initiative

Notes:
With Building Disclosure and Optimization remember there are two parts - the disclosure and the
optimization.

The disclosure is about transparency, which includes environmental product declarations (life-cycle
impacts), material ingredients (health product declarations), and raw materials sourcing (corporate
sustainability reports).

The optimization is about using a certain quantity or percentage of those products that have
disclosure for the project. Optimization usually includes a third party certification for the product. For
material ingredients those certifications are GreenScreen and Cradle-to-Cradle Certified. Choosing
products that have met one of those standards helps earn the credit.

For international projects REACH Optimization can be used instead.

10- Which of the following is one of the most toxic and common sources of indoor air
pollution in an existing building?

A. Radon
B. VOCs
C. CFCs
D.Mercury

Standard fluorescent lamps contain mercury

11- Which of the following legally binding documents describe the quality of the materials
to be used on the project?

A. Specifications

Specifications are created by architects and given to the contractor for the purposes of
purchasing the right quantity and type of materials. Specifications include drawings of what
is to be built. They are legally binding documents. Specifications are detailed and might
include:

Use #2 salvaged oak flooring in the main lobby, along with the dimensions and layout of the
lobby. Purchase the oak flooring locally.
B. Cradle-to-Grave Analysis
C. Health Product Declaration (HPD)
D.Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
 12- What is FSC Certified wood?

A. Wood that has been sourced (extracted, manufactured, purchased) within 100 miles (160
km) of the project site

This is an example of a locally sourced product. In LEED v4 products sourced (extracted,

manufactured, purchased) within 100 miles (160 km) of the project site are valued higher
than those that are not.

For LEED v2009 projects the distance is 500 miles.

B. Wood that has been procured from well managed forests

Wood that has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is acceptable for LEED
credits.

FSC Certified wood comes from well managed forests that use responsible logging practices.
C. Composite wood that contains post-consumer recycled wood, usually from construction and
demolition debris

This type of material is not certified.

D.Composite wood that does not contain any urea formaldehyde

This type of wood is not certified.

13- A large home builder is developing a new neighborhood with 200 homes. What
strategies would help the builder save on material costs and conserve materials?

A. Low VOC paints

B. Choose products made in factories that support worker health
C. Reducing hallways
D.Structural insulated panels
E. Advanced framing
F. Select products that ship with less packaging

Notes:

The three correct choices are examples of source reduction and space-efficient strategies.
14- Which of the following purchasing decisions would reduce the environmental harm used
in the operations of a school project?

A. Paper towels that are FSC certified, cafeteria food from a local farm, ENERGY STAR
computers
FSC-certified paper products are environmentally preferable because they reduce the
demand for virgin resources.
 Purchasing food locally meets the goal by supporting the local economy.

Computers and equipment that is ENERGY STAR rated meets the goal because they use less
energy and enter sleep mode when not in use.
B. High VOC paints, low SRI roofing materials, metal furniture

Low VOC paints are preferred for better IAQ.

C. High VOC carpets and carpet pads, low VOC furniture, green cleaning products

Low VOC carpets are preferred for better IAQ.

D.Power adapters, new textbooks made from new-growth wood pulp, trash cans

Power adapters don't reduce environmental harm on their own.

Textbooks made with recycled paper are preferred.

15- When reviewing products in the integrative design, which of the following are preferable
material attributes that should be considered?

A. Being assembled in factories that pay below average wages

They should be made by people paid fair wages.

B. Durability

Durable materials last longer, reducing the demand for new materials.
C. Supporting the local economy

Materials extracted and manufactured locally support the local economy and are preferable
to materials from farther away.
D.Being created in the same or neighboring countries

This is in conflict with supporting the local economy.

16- Which greenhouse gas is produced in landfills as a result of solid waste disposal?

A. Methane

As trash decomposes in landfills methane is produced - a potent greenhouse gas.

B. Radon
C. CO2
D.NH3

17- Which of the following exemplify strategies of reducing harm to the environment over a
building's entire life?

A. Developing a new building on prime farmland

New buildings use more materials than reusing existing structures. If the building is going
on prime farmland, additional resources will be needed to bring in utilities and roads.
 B. Restoring a historic building
C. Tearing down a building and putting up a more energy-efficient one in its place

Studies show that most of the time an existing building can be renovated/reused and
achieve the same energy savings as a new building would have, without demolishing and
sending the old building to the landfill.
D.Conducting a life-cycle assessment to help reduce a building's environmental footprint
E. Using salvaged flooring in a new building

Notes:

Building reuse, materials reuse and conducting an LCA of a building are three ways to reduce the
harm done to the environment by construction.
18- An environmental product declaration (EPD) for LEED must conform to which of the
following standards?

A. ASHRAE

ASHRAE standards are used in LEED for energy performance and minimum indoor air quality.
B. Green-e

Green-e certifies RECs and carbon offsets.

C. ISO

The International Standards Organization (ISO) standards are used for EPDs in LEED.
D.Local code or jurisdiction

19- A project team for a school project is designing classrooms that will improve the
learning experience. Which of the following building components meet this goal while
maintaining preferable life-cycle impacts?

A. Reused acoustic tiles

School projects have a prerequisite for acoustics. This choice is a reused product, which is
preferable because it doesn't require any raw material extraction.
B. Refurbished desks that contain recycled content

While this component has preferable life cycle impacts, this choice does not improve the
learning experience as would the acoustic tiles.
C. New polyester carpet tiles

Based on the given information, this choice cannot be selected over the correct answer.
D.Single-pane glazing

Single-pane glazing is not energy efficient and would not be preferred in a project.
20- A wood product is environmentally preferable if it has which of the following attributes?

A. Wood that is sustainably grown and harvested

Products that are sustainably grown and harvested are preferable.

B. Wood harvested from an unmanaged forest

Wood harvested responsibly from managed forests is preferable.

C. Wood that does not rot from the treatment of carcinogenic chemicals

Products free of toxins are preferable.

D.Wood harvested from the land of an indigenous tribe

Products that don't interfere with the local population are preferable.

21- A laboratory project requires a lot of special-use equipment and systems to keep the
areas inside sterile. What would a sub-contractor need to safely handle a product during
installation?

A. A Material safety data sheet (MSDS)

Material Safety Data Sheets are intended to provide workers and emergency personnel with
procedures to safely handle a product during fabrication, installation, or in a life-safety
event. The information given in an MSDS is not a comprehensive disclosure of contents, nor
does it fully address all potential health hazards that may be associated with a product.

B. A Health product disclosure (HPD)

An HPD is a format for reporting product contents and health information about products
and materials.
C. MERV 13 filters

Filters are for the HVAC system and would not be needed by a sub-contractor.
D.The quantity of recycled content in a product

This would not be needed.

22- What are the environmental benefits of using salvaged wood flooring in a residential
project?

A. The wood flooring will increase the tax base of the local economy

There is a benefit to society (remember the triple bottom line?) assuming the material was
salvaged locally and re-used locally.
B. The wood flooring will have a lower installation cost

The installation cost is an economic issue, not an environmental issue.

C. The wood flooring will reduce the demand for virgin resources
 Salvaged materials reduce the demand for virgin materials and reduce waste. Flooring that is
taken from a demo project can be reused elsewhere so that trees do not have to be cut
down to supply wood for new flooring.
D.The wood flooring will have a lower cost since it did not have to be extracted from a forest

A lower cost would be an economic benefit. Most salvaged flooring would have a higher cost
since they tend to be of higher quality wood.

23- Which of the following are effective ways to lessen the overall environmental
consequences of an interior space over its lifetime?

A. Installing 1.6 gpf (6 lpf) toilets

This is the baseline water consumption of a toilet (water closet). LEED requires improving
upon this.
B. Selecting refurbished furniture

Reusing materials or furnishings reduces the demand for new materials and thus preserves
virgin resources.
C. Installing demountable interior nonstructural walls

This strategy is part of designing for flexibility which reduces the demand for new building
materials over time.
D.Choosing products that have a published Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)

Remember an EPD doesn't make a product good or bad. An EPD just states 'what the effects
of a product are on the environment and people. A product may perform better in some
environmental categories than others as listed on the EPD. The EPD helps project teams
compare products to choose those that do less harm.
E. Selecting a site located 1 mile (1,600 meters) from public transportation

For access to quality transit the minimum walking distance required by LEED is 1/2 mile
(800 meters)

24- REACH Optimization would be used in which of the following credit categories?

A. Location and Transportation

B. Materials and Resources
C. Indoor Environmental Quality
D.Energy and Atmosphere

Notes:

REACH is the Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals.

REACH requires all companies manufacturing or importing chemical substances into the European
Union in quantities of one ton or more per year to register these substances.
The main aims of REACH are to ensure a high level of protection of human health and the
environment from the risks that can be posed by chemicals, the promotion of alternative test
methods, the free circulation of substances on the internal market, and enhancing competitiveness
and innovation.

REACH makes the industry responsible for assessing and managing the risks posed by chemicals and
providing appropriate safety information to their users.

LEED products that do not contain substances in the Authorization List or Candidate List can be used
to meet certain credit requirements in the Materials and Resources category.
25- What do the credits in the Materials and Resources (MR) category focus on?

A. Helping project teams select materials that have the most environmental benefits at the
least cost
B. Minimizing the embodied impacts associated with the entire life-cycle of building materials
C. Reducing the quantity of materials used on a project
D.Selecting materials that are more energy efficient than traditional building materials

26- For new construction projects, which of the following tools enable the project team to
understand the environmental impact of a building over its entire life?

A. Cradle-to grave life cycle analysis (LCA)

A life-cycle assessment provides information on a building over all phases of its life. Using
LCA in the design process helps the project team understand which short- and long-term
impacts different design decisions will have, allowing them to make better design decisions.
B. EPA ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager
C. LEED Online
D.ENERGY STAR rating

27- A manufacturer has a carpet tile that includes an environmental product declaration
(EPD) and health product declaration (HPD). The manufacturer has also published a corporate
sustainability report (CSR). Which of the following do these documents aid?

A. Improving the community

B. Reducing product costs
C. Transparency

Each building disclosure and optimization credit in the Materials and Resources section has
two options for compliance. The first option is for material transparency - what's in the
material or how was it obtained. There are third party certifications used to confirm
 transparency. Transparency in the materials credits comes from publishing:

EPDs, which include the life-cycle impacts of a product.

CSRs help to identify products/manufacturers that have been verified to be extracted or

sourced in a responsible manner.

'HPD' is an acronym for 'Health Product Declaration.' The HPD is a standard format for
reporting product content and associated health information for building products and
materials. HPD is free for all to use. The HPD's ongoing development, maintenance, and
evolution is grounded in a transparent process that relies on input from both customers and
producers and is overseen by the non-profit Health Product Declaration Collaborative.

The other option is an optimization path. This one requires teams to use products that are
certified by a third party to demonstrate an impact reduction below industry average.

D.Material design optimization

28- An environmentally conscience tenant wants to select flooring that is environmentally

preferable in an effort to plan ahead for when the tenant will eventually move to a larger office
space. Which of the following flooring products meet the criteria?

A. Ceramic tile that a manufacturer takes back after its end of life and recycles
B. Linoleum tile that a manufacturer takes back after its end of life and sends to the landfill
C. Carpet that a manufacturer takes back after its end of life and burns
D.Wood flooring that a manufacturer takes back after its end of life and refinishes

Notes:

Environmentally preferable products have known end-of-life scenarios for when the product needs to
be replaced to keep them out of the landfill. These are frequently called take-back programs.

In LEED credit, the take-back program is a type of extended producer responsibility, defined as:

'Measures undertaken by the maker of a product to accept its own and sometimes other
manufacturers' products as postconsumer waste at the end of the products' useful life. Producers
recover and recycle the materials for use in new products of the same type. To count toward credit
compliance, a program must be widely available. For carpet, extended producer responsibility must
be consistent with NSF/ANSI 140�2007. Also known as closed-loop program or product take-back.'
- USGBC
29- A project has construction debris that is nonrecyclable waste. Which of the following
actions can the project team take with the waste that will help the project with construction
waste management?

A. Send it to a landfill

Sending it to a landfill doesn't help earn the credit.

B. Bury it on site

This doesn't help earn the credit.

C. Waste-to-energy

Waste-to-energy is 'the conversion of nonrecyclable waste materials into usable heat,

electricity, or fuel through a variety of processes, including combustion, gasification,
pyrolization, anaerobic digestion, and landfill gas (LFG) recovery'

It's quite popular and Europe and becoming more common. When strict air-quality
guidelines are followed, it's a good way to dispose of trash and generate energy in the
process.

D.Exclude it from the credit calculations

All waste must be accounted for in LEED as part of construction waste management.

30- What is true regarding carpet made from recycled milk jugs?

A. The carpet is more durable than conventional carpets

There is usually similar performance of products that contain recycled material and products
made with only virgin materials.
B. The carpet has lower life cycle costs than conventional carpets

There is usually similar costs when comparing products that contain recycled material and
products made with only virgin materials.
C. The carpet contains post-consumer recycled content

Postconsumer recycled content - is the percentage of material in a product that was

consumer waste. The recycled material was generated by household, commercial, industrial,
or institutional end-users and can no longer be used for its intended purpose. It includes
returns of materials from the distribution chain. Examples include construction and
demolition debris, materials collected through recycling programs, discarded products (e.g.,
furniture, cabinetry, decking), and landscaping waste (e.g., leaves, grass clippings, tree
trimmings). (ISO 14021)
 D.The material would reduce the need for virgin materials

Using materials that contain recycled content reduces virgin materials use. Steel is the
country's most widely recycled material. Supplemental cementitious materials (SCMs) is
another common recycled materials used in commercial building. Fly ash is a common type
of SCM.

31- Which project layout would be the best for reducing demand for new materials?

A. Single-home residences in a suburban area

Compared to the mixed-use project, single-story homes would use more new materials.
B. An outdoor shopping mall built on a greenfield

Compared to the mixed-use project, the outdoor mall would use more new materials.
C. A multi-building office project with single-story buildings

Having multiple buildings that are each one-story compared to having a single tall building
would use more new materials.

D.A dense, mixed-use neighborhood

The greater the density of a project, the more environmentally friendly it is. Putting more
people into a building compared to building more buildings is better.

Mixed-use projects such as putting apartments on top of retail stores reduce materials
because the project isn't building separate buildings for residential and retail. Less buildings
means less new materials.

Finally, more dense building requires less roads and infrastructure, saving more materials.
32- When selecting windows for a building project, along with performance and
adaptability, what else should the project team consider?

A. Embodied energy of the windows

Embodied energy is an accounting methodology which aims to find the sum total of the
energy necessary for an entire product lifecycle. This lifecycle includes raw material
extraction, transport, manufacture, assembly, installation, disassembly, deconstruction
and/or decomposition.

For example consider a clay brick. This includes the energy to extract the clay, transport it
to the brick-works, form the brick, fire it in the kiln, transport it to the building site and put
the brick into place. It also includes all the indirect energy required, i.e., all the energy
required to manufacture the equipment and materials needed to manufacture a brick, e.g.
 trucks, kilns, mining equipment, etc. All have a proportion of their energy invested in the
brick.

When selecting a building material there are three things that should be considered:

1. Performance - How will the material perform compared to other alternatives? Consider
insulation - should the project use foam insulation, batt insulation, or something else for
the best insulating properties?

2. Adaptability - Can the insulation be reused in the future when the building is at the end
of its life or will it need to be disposed of?

3. Embodied energy - How much energy went into manufacturing each type of insulation
being considered. Was the insulation sourced close by or was manufactured in an
environmentally unfriendly plant and then shipped from overseas?

B. Leverage points in the windows

A leverage point is a tipping point in a system where a small change can lead to large
changes in results.
C. Reusing old windows

LEED does not encourage reusing old windows since they are usually less energy efficient.
D.The social context of the windows

Windows do not have a social context.

33- The purchasing policies for the ongoing operations of a building should address which
of the following?

A. Utility rates

Utility rates are not in the purchasing policies.

B. Designing for flexibility

Designing for flexibility includes things like movable or demountable partitions - not
materials that would be in a purchasing policy for the operations of a building.
C. Ongoing consumables

Ongoing consumables are 'a product that has a low cost per unit and is regularly used and
replaced in the course of business. Examples include paper, toner cartridges, binders,
batteries, and desk accessories. Also known as ongoing purchases.' - USGBC
D.Renewable Energy Credits (RECs)

RECs are not in purchasing policies.

 E. Pest control service

Services are not part of the purchasing plans for the operations of a building.
F. Durable goods

Durable goods are 'products with a useful life of approximately two or more years and that
are replaced infrequently. Examples include furniture, office equipment, appliances, external
power adapters, televisions, and audiovisual equipment.' - USGBC
Notes:

Purchasing policies for ongoing operations should address durable goods and ongoing consumables.
34- Which of the following are the environmental benefits of reusing a building?

A. Reduces CFCs

CFC reduction is based on the type of refrigeration.

B. Reduces demands on virgin resources

Because less new materials are required, virgin resources are preserved.
C. Preserves a site's historical, cultural, and aesthetic values

This is a benefit to the community or the people aspect of the triple bottom line.
D.Increases water efficiency

Building reuse and water efficiency are two different and unrelated LEED topics.
E. Makes landfills last longer

Reuse - whether a building or material - prevents the building or material from ending up in
the landfill, extending the landfill's life.

35- How can an architect make sure that the general contractor understands what products
to include in a project?

A. Tell the contractor during the LEED charrette

B. Include the products in the specifications

Specifications are created by architects and given to the contractor for the purposes of
purchasing the right quantity and type of materials. Specifications include drawings of what
is to be built. They are legally binding documents. Specifications are detailed and might
include:

Use #2 salvaged oak flooring in the main lobby, along with the dimensions and layout of the
lobby. Purchase the oak flooring locally.
C. Send the contractor an email
D.Select the materials to use in LEED online
36- In an existing office building, how can the project team determine if there are additional
opportunities for increasing the amount of waste diverted from ongoing operations?

A. Count the number of recycling bins

B. Survey the building occupants
C. Review the monthly waste-haul receipts
D.Conduct a waste-stream audit

What can't be measured can't be managed. The audit of the waste streams shows how much
and of what type of waste is being generated by the project. Once the quantities are known,
researching can be done to learn how to best reduce them.

37- Which of the following are strategies that help a project team design for flexibility?

A. Underground parking

Underground parking is fixed and cannot be added to after the fact.

B. Operable windows

This is a type of individual occupant control.

C. Moveable furniture

Movable furniture and partitions are 'items that can be moved by the users without the need
of tools or assistance from special trades and facilities management.' - USGBC
D.Demountable partitions

A demountable partition is 'a temporary interior wall that can be easily reconfigured. In a
health care facility, acoustical concerns and embedded equipment, as in a surgery suite,
may prevent demountable partitions from being used.' - USGBC

E. Occupancy sensors

These help with energy performance.

F. Modular casework

Modular and movable casework is 'shelving and cabinetry designed to be easily installed,
moved, or reconfigured. In a retail setting, items that are movable but semi-permanently
attached using mechanical fastening systems for operational use are considered furniture
and not base building elements (e.g., a table or display bolted to the floor, or shelving
attached to a wall).' - USGBC

38- A tenant is reviewing cabinets for an office kitchen. One option is wheatboard cabinets
sourced from different areas and compressed together with glue. A second option is solid oak
cabinets extracted and manufactured locally. How can the environmental attributes of the
products be compared?
 A. By a life-cycle assessment

Life-cycle assessment is 'an evaluation of the environmental effects of a product from cradle
to grave, as defined by ISO 14040�2006 and ISO 14044�2006.' - USGBC

The LCA would indicate attributes to compare between the products.

B. By an air-quality sample

Air-quality sampling is done to measure indoor air quality.

C. By the product's MSDS

Material safety data sheets would probably not come with kitchen cabinets.
D.By a review of the manufacturer's corporate sustainability policy

The corporate sustainability policy would be for the entire company, not the single product
being compared.

39- Which of the following would help with sustainable purchasing during building
operations?

A. Purchasing cafeteria food from a nearby distribution center

Sustainable purchasing of food would include local sourcing of food and beverages. A
nearby distribution center doesn't give enough information to make this the best choice.
B. Removing any ENERGY STAR qualified vending machines

If the vending machines were removed completely this would just reduce energy use.
C. Ordering toner cartridges online
D.Purchasing recycled printer paper

The recycled printer paper is a sustainable purchasing option.

40- For what purpose would a project team do a life-cycle assessment?

A. To compare the raw materials of different products

This is a different LEED credit than LCA.

B. To understand the trade-offs of material selection and energy performance

One reason to do an LCA of a building is to be able to compare different material choices

and see how they impact the project over the building's life.
C. To measure the VOC content between different paints

MSDS would be compared for this.

D.To calculate a project's indoor baseline water use

This is done by using the baseline flush and fixture rates along with calculating FTE.
41- When choosing products that have Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), which
factor is used in determining if LEED credit can be earned?

A. The number of different permanently installed products used from different manufacturers

When purchasing materials a certain number of products must be selected to meet LEED
credit requirements.

For LEED a product must be a permanently installed building product, and is defined as 'an
item that arrives on the project site either as a finished element ready for installation or as a
component to another item assembled on-site.' - USGBC

Example products include: steel, wood, drywall, carpet.

Things that are not considered products that count towards the MR credits include:

Scaffolding
Concrete formwork
Anything temporary
B. The cost of the qualifying products as a percentage of the total building envelope material's
cost
C. The cost of the qualifying products as a percentage of the total project cost
D.The number of different permanent and temporary products used from one manufacturer

42- Which of the following actions are aided by completing a life-cycle assessment (LCA) of
a building during the design process?

A. Shortening the construction schedule

An LCA doesn't shorten the construction schedule

B. Decreasing the project costs

The project costs may go up or down depending on the results of the LCA and the influence
these results have on the design. Project costs are likely aided by an LCC (Life-cycle
costing).
C. Reducing change orders

An LCA doesn't reduce change orders

D.Determining the materials that best fit the project over the building's life

One reason to do an LCA of a building is to be able to compare different material choices

and see how they impact the project over the building's life.
E. Reducing the amount of materials used
 An LCA provides insight into the building design. Through this process the materials may be
reduced.

43- A door found onsite and turned into a table as part of a major renovation would be
considered what type of material?

A. Renewable material

Renewable materials are made from renewable sources, such as bamboo.

B. Recycled material

Recycled content contains materials that have been recycled. An example is insulation made
from recycled newspapers.
C. Commingled material

These are materials recycled into a single storage bin.

D.Reused

The door is an example of a reused material.

Reused materials are construction materials recovered from building sites and reused on
different building sites in the same or a different capacity. Examples can include flooring,
brick, beams, and doors.
44- The manufacturer of a foam ceiling acoustic tile has disclosed the ingredients in the
product. With this information project teams will be able to do which of the following?

A. Evaluate the greenhouse gas emissions of the product

B. Determine if the product is locally sourced
C. Select less expensive products
D.Make better-informed decisions

The purpose of having manufacturers disclose materials is for project teams to make better
decisions and encourage manufacturers to make efforts to improve the environmental
qualities of their products over time.

45- For solid waste management, which of the following ranks the highest by the EPA to
reduce waste?

A. Waste to energy

Waste-to-energy, or energy-from-waste, is the process of generating energy in the form of

electricity and/or heat from the incineration of waste.

B. Source reduction
 Source reduction, also known as waste prevention or pollution prevention, is the elimination
of waste before it is created. It involves the design, manufacture, purchase or use of
materials and products to reduce the amount or toxicity of what is thrown away.

An example of source reduction is using less packaging to ship a product or material or

using dimensional lumber of the exact size needed.

The four preferred strategies of the EPA for reducing waste are, in order:

Source reduction
Reuse
Recycling
Waste to energy
C. Reuse
D.Recycling

46- Selecting products that have been developed with a sustainable design is an example of:

A. Source reduction

Source reduction reduces the materials brought into a building. This includes products that
have reduced packaging and products developed with sustainable design principles.
B. Recycling
C. Reuse
D.Waste diversion

47- The project owner of an office park wants to make sure that once a tenant leaves, the tenant
space can be quickly and easily renovated. How would the project team meet this goal?

A. By finding contractors who are willing to work on weekends

This would speed up the process but not make it easier.

B. By designing for flexibility

Designing for flexibility helps reduce construction waste and the need for new building
materials. It also allows renovations to occur more quickly because modular systems are
frequently used.
C. By selecting materials that are sized appropriately

This reduces the quantity of construction waste.

D.By selecting a waste hauler that has enough hauling capacity
48- What is an example of adaptive reuse?

A. Designing classrooms so they can be divided into separate class spaces

A classroom divider is not a type of reuse. The classrooms aren't designed for another
purpose in the future.
B. Designing a building with a flexible floor plan that can accommodate offices or apartments

This is an example of designing for flexibility. In this example the building can have offices
now but in 20 years could be updated to apartments more easily than if the design did not
include this option.
C. Renovating a historic home

This is just renovation.

D.Renovating an old steel mill into an apartment complex

Adaptive reuse is the practice of redesigning and using a structure for a use that is
significantly different from the building's original use.

49- Which of the following is an example of a source control waste reduction strategy?

A. Installing recycling bins onsite

Installing recycling bins does not reduce waste at the source.

B. Pre-ordering materials cut to size

Source reduction is the first and best way to minimize waste. Source reduction starts at the
source-such as pre-ordering materials cut to size and choosing modular construction,
which generates less onsite waste.
C. Using commingled recycling

Commingled recycling does not reduce waste at the source.

D.Reusing salvaged materials onsite

Using salvaged materials does not reduce waste at the source.

50- How can a project team learn about the environmental impacts of a manufacturer's extraction
operations and the product's supply chain?

A. By analyzing the product's health product declaration (HPD)

B. By conducting a life-cycle assessment of the product

Don't confuse EPDs/LCA with raw material sourcing.

Environmental product declarations include the life-cycle impacts of a product.

CSRs help to identify products/manufacturer's that have been verified to be extracted or

sourced in a responsible manner.
 C. By reviewing the manufacturer's corporate sustainability report (CSR)

A CSR report is a third-party verified report that includes information on how the
manufacturer extracts or sources materials.
D.By checking if the company is a USGBC member

USGBC doesn't verify extraction practices.

51- Which of the following materials, if reused, would be considered pre-consumer recycled
content?

A. Walnut shells

Walnut shells are a type of pre-consumer recycled content. The walnut shells are taken from
the walnut processing line at the food plant and shipped somewhere else to be turned into
composite wood products such as cabinetry.
B. Sunflower seed hulls

Sunflower seed hulls are a type of pre-consumer recycled content.

C. Construction and demolition debris

Construction and demolition debris is a post-consumer material. For example wood and
steel scraps that are left over from installation can be recycled and turned into something
else.
D.Sawdust

Sawdust can be taken from a lumber mill and sent to another manufacturer where they turn
it into medium density fiberboard (MDF).
E. Milk jugs

Any curbside pickup material is a post-consumer material. If you recycle soda cans at your
house, or newspapers, cereal boxes, cardboard, milk jugs - those materials are sent to a
recycling plant, sorted and resold to manufacturers that turn them into something else.
Notes:

Post-consumer material - recycled material generated from the waste of household, commercial,
industrial, or institutional end-users

Postconsumer recycled content - is the percentage of material in a product that was consumer waste.
The recycled material was generated by household, commercial, industrial, or institutional end-users
and can no longer be used for its intended purpose. It includes returns of materials from the
distribution chain. Examples include construction and demolition debris, materials collected through
recycling programs, discarded products (e.g., furniture, cabinetry, decking), and landscaping waste
(e.g., leaves, grass clippings, tree trimmings). (ISO 14021)
Pre-consumer content - formerly known as post-industrial content, is the percentage of material in a
product that is recycled from manufacturing waste. Examples include planer shavings, plytrim,
sawdust, chips, bagasse, sunflower seed hulls, walnut shells, culls, trimmed materials, print overruns,
overissue publications, and obsolete inventories. Excluded are materials such as rework, regrind, or
scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated
it (ISO 14021).
52- Which of the following reduce the energy use and waste associated with the demolition and
construction of buildings?

A. Rehabilitating blighted buildings

B. Incinerating construction waste from a demolition
C. Restoring existing buildings
D.Designing buildings with single-pane glazing for daylighting
E. Preserving historic structures

Notes:

This question is about building reuse and its benefits.

Restoration, preservation, and rehabilitation are three types of building reuse which will help reduce
the energy use and waste from tearing down a building.
53- 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. Passive

This is not correct.

B. Cradle to cradle

Cradle to cradle is 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. Cradle to cradle is an example of a
closed system.

The Herman Miller Aeron chair is an example of a cradle to cradle product. It is designed so
all parts can be separated and then reused and/or recycled.
C. Cradle to grave

Cradle to grave is a view of materials and products where products that have reached the
end of their useful lives are considered worthless. This is a type of open system.
D.Renewable
 Some forms of energy are described as renewable. Building materials are usually reused,
salvaged, refurbished, but not renewable.

54- Which of the following is NOT a strategy to reduce construction waste?

A. Maximize the building footprint

Increasing the size of the building footprint would likely increase the amount of
construction waste.
B. Sell unused materials
C. Recycle materials
D.Use salvaged materials

Notes:

Note the question asks what is not a strategy.

To reduce construction waste, divert any unused materials from the waste stream-namely, landfills
and incinerators.

Materials can be donated, sold, or recycled, to keep them out of landfills and to help reduce the
demand for virgin materials.
55- The choice of a building material used for a project should be determined by what criteria?

A. If the company is a USGBC member

While many suppliers are USGBC members, this alone doesn't indicate a quality material.
B. The cost of the material

This is the economic portion of the triple bottom line.

C. How long the material has been used in other projects

This might be a factor, but some newer materials may perform better than older materials.
The inverse is also true.
D.The environmental impact of extracting and manufacturing the material

This is the environmental portion of the triple bottom line.

E. The impact the material has on society

This is the social portion of the triple bottom line.

F. The size of the company supplying the materials

Good materials can come from small or large companies.

Notes:
This is an example of selecting a material based on the triple bottom line, which is how USGBC is
guided by their decisions.
56- A project team is reviewing potential building materials for a school project. What impact
would reusing brick and stone found off-site have on the triple bottom line?

A. The reuse would reduce peak energy demands.

Energy demands would be the same

B. The reuse would take away local jobs.

This is not correct.

C. The reuse would be sustainable.
D.The reuse would be cost-effective.
E. The reuse would decrease energy performance.

Energy performance would be the same.

Notes:

A material that is reused or repurposed is more sustainable than a new material, and frequently it is
cost effective to include these in a project.

In this example, old brick and stone probably cost the same as new brick and stone and they don't
have to be extracted.
57- A construction waste management plan should address what items?

A. A target diversion rate and what materials should be diverted from the waste stream

A construction waste management plan should address what materials will be diverted from
the landfill, as well as how they will be diverted and how the plan will be policed. For
example:

Will we recycle cardboard? What types of bins will we need? Where will they be stored? How
will we protect the material from rain?

Only your actual construction and demolition debris are included - wood scraps, metal,
drywall, cardboard boxes, etc. Construction waste is calculated by weight or volume.
B. The disposal of hazardous materials and corporate sustainability reporting
 CSRs are used for material selection.

The plan would include information on the disposal of hazardous materials

C. Where onsite waste can be incinerated and where certified wood can be procured

The use of certified wood is a design decision related to sustainable materials selection.

Waste should not be incinerated onsite

D.A community recycling program and source reduction

Source reduction is the process of reducing product size and packaging needs that occur at
the point of manufacturing, not at the construction site.

Community recycling is not part of a construction waste management program

58- Which of the following materials can be certified under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)?

A. Wheatboard desks
B. Bamboo floors
C. Linoleum floor tiles
D.Softwood moulding
E. Hardwood cabinets
F. Leather furniture

Notes:

See the USGBC definition of wood: 'plant-based materials that are eligible for certification under the
Forest Stewardship Council. Examples include bamboo and palm (monocots), as well as hardwoods
(angiosperms) and softwoods (gymnosperms).'
59- What document does the project team create for the administrative and procedural
requirements for salvaging, recycling, and disposing of non-hazardous demolition and
construction waste?

A. Construction waste management plan

A construction waste management plan contains the administrative and procedural

requirements for salvaging, recycling and disposing of non-hazardous demolition and
construction waste.

Only your actual construction and demolition debris are included - wood scraps, metal,
drywall, cardboard boxes, etc.
 The plan should include a target diversion rate (a goal that can be measured) such as 'divert
75% of construction waste'. Construction waste is calculated by weight or volume.
B. Owners Project Requirements (OPR)
C. Building recycling plan

The building recycling plan addresses how materials should be collected and stored for
recycling, once the building is occupied.
D.Building commissioning plan

The commissioning plan is a document that outlines the organization, schedule, allocation
of resources, and documentation requirements of the commissioning process.