Chapter 4-Sustainable Sites Questions

1. Which of the following project team member(s) is typically responsible for developing
the erosion and sedimentation control (ESC) plan for construction activity pollution
prevention?

A The project owner(s)

B The civil engineer(s)

C The LEED AP
D The architect(s)

2. A project design includes low-impact development and erosion and sedimentation

control. Which of the following will be aided by these strategies? (Choose 2)

A Walkability

B On-site rainwater management

C Access to diverse uses

D The creation of buffers between development and water resources

E An increase of the floor-area ratio

3. What is a strategy for construction activity pollution prevention that would prevent
waterway sedimentation?

A Reducing fertilization

B Protecting on-site materials

C Providing natural buffers around the property

D Increasing soil compaction

4. Projects may be able to use some of the same techniques for both :

A exterior lighting reduction and quality views.

B site assessment and submetering.
C construction activity pollution prevention and habitat conservation and restoration.
D designing for flexibility and open space.

5. A project developer is creating an erosion and sedimentation control plan. The plan must
conform to which of the following requirements?

A The LEED ESC Plan

B The landscape architect's site elevations

C The Owner's Project Requirements (OPR)

D The EPA Construction General Permit or the local equivalent

6. Construction activity pollution prevention should address what environmental protection

measures? (Choose 3)

A Soil erosion

B Ozone protection

C Airborne dust

D Fresh water consumption

E Greenhouse gas emissions

F Waterway sedimentation

7. Which of the following has the most synergy with other credits?

A Green cleaning

B Site assessment

C Quality of views
D Acoustics

8. A project owner is locating an office building on a greenfield near a wetland. The project
team has goals of protecting sensitive ecosystems, reducing the heat-island effect,
designing a healthy building, and reducing energy demand. Given these goals, where
should the project team start?
A By determining if a demand response program is available from the local utility
company
B By completing an early site assessment

C By finding out if the owner can lease a renewable energy system

D By sourcing local materials

9. Which part of the development process would inform design decisions, such as locating
community gardens in areas with fertile soils?

A Environmental site assessment

B Energy modeling

C Construction activity pollution prevention

D Site assessment

10. What would a project team do to check if a site needed any remediation?

A A public meeting with the surrounding community must take place

B A site assessment must be completed

C An energy analysis must be completed

D Rainfall data for the project location must be obtained

11. Which of the following does a site assessment evaluate? (Choose 3)

A Surrounding density

B Hydrology

C Geology

D Existing structures
E Shading

12. What design strategy would promote biodiversity the most?

A Installing a rock garden

B Installing a dry pond planted with invasive plants

C Increasing open space and covering it with turf grass

D Planting a variety of indigenous plants

13. Which of the following project features does NOT promote biodiversity?

A An intensive green roof

B The financial support of a conservation organization

C An extensive green roof

D A soccer field

14. The project owner of a LEED BD+C Retail project has decided NOT to provide financial
support to a local land trust. Which of the following will this decision impact?

A Habitat protection or restoration

B Surrounding density and diverse uses

C Open space
D Reduced-parking footprint

15. Construction activity pollution prevention has synergies with which of the following
other project areas? (Choose 2)

A Outdoor water use

B Rainwater management

C Protecting or restoring habitat

D Heat island reduction

16. What type of plants should be used on a green roof to promote biodiversity?

A Plants with high watering needs

B Native plants
C Tall plants that provide shade
D Monocultures

17. A project that specifies soil restoration as part of its site design is contributing to which of
the following environmental benefits?

A Increasing open space

B Reducing heat islands

C Preventing construction activity pollution

D Restoring habitat

18. A LEED project is in the pre-design phase, and a previously developed site has already
been selected. The team wants to protect or restore habitat. Which of the following
strategies should they consider? (Choose 2)

A Restoring compacted soils and revegetating

B Implementing a construction activity pollution plan

C Providing financial support to a local land trust

D Using pervious paving materials for the parking area

E Increasing the floor-to-area ratio of the building

19. What is a benefit of increasing the quantity of open space on a project? (Choose 2)

A Increasing rainwater infiltration

B More habitat for vegetation and wildlife

C Increased durability of the overall project

D Reducing potable water use

20. What does LEED accept as part of a building design to qualify as open space for projects
in urban areas?

A Shaded parking lots

B Balconies
C Higher density buildings
D Vegetated (green) roofs

21. Reducing the building's footprint will have positive synergies with which of the
following? (Choose 2)

A Rainwater management

B Surrounding density

C Open space

D Preservation of historic districts

E Access to diverse uses

22. A project team will provide outdoor space greater than the minimum 30% required in
LEED v4 for Open Space. Which of the following are examples of quality open space?
(Choose 2)

A An artificial turf for an outdoor soccer field

B Garden space dedicated to community gardens

C A jogging trail
D Small strips of turf in parking lots

23. A team wants to provide quality open space on the project site. Which of the following
strategies should it consider?

A A walking trail around a natural wetland

B A private garden for company executives

C A community garden located adjacent to the project boundary

D A water-detention pond

24. A project team decides to build up, instead of out, to reduce the building footprint. This
strategy could help with .

A Increasing surrounding density

B Construction activity pollution prevention
C Increasing diverse uses
D Increasing open space

25. Which of the following can happen as a result of increased rainwater runoff?

A Increased heat islands

B Decreased energy performance

C Increased potable water use

D Eutrophication

26. Which of the following strategies can a project team combine to reduce runoff volume
and improve water quality? (Choose 2)

A Monitoring yearly rainfall

B Green infrastructure

C Submetering irrigation systems

D Piping and conveyance

E Low-impact development

27. In an integrated approach to rainwater management, which of the following actions

should a project team take to reduce runoff volume and improve water quality?

A Provide habitat and promote biodiversity

B Control soil erosion from construction activities

C Replicate the natural hydrology and water balance of the site

D Assess the site for environmental contamination

28. What environmental issue occurs from runoff?

A Increased municipal wastewater treatment costs

B Heat islands
C Ozone depletion
D Sedimentation

29. Which of the following actions can a project team take to help manage runoff on-site in a
dense urban area? (Choose 2)

A Install a green roof

B Design all parking under the building

C Increase the size of the drainage pipes

D Harvest rainwater

30. What are ways to reduce water pollution from runoff? (Choose 2)

A Impervious concrete hardscapes

B Open grid paving

C Rain gardens
D Increasing the building footprint

31. What does the use of light-colored, pervious paving help with? (Choose 2)

A Rainwater management

B Open space

C Habitat conservation
D Heat island reduction

32. Why would a landscape designer choose native landscaping in an arid climate? (Choose
2)

A Increase occupant well-being and productivity

B Support integrated pest management (IPM)

C Heat island reduction

D Minimize evapotranspiration
E Provide linked habitat corridors in urban areas
33. A project in a warm climate is evaluating nonroof materials to help reduce heat islands.
Which of the following is the MOST effective measure of solar heat rejection of nonroof
materials?

A Three-year SRI

B SRI

C Three-year SR
D SR

34. What are the economic benefits of installing a vegetated roof?

A Increased habitat for birds

B Lower investment cost compared to roof surfaces with high SRI

C Provides occupants a connection to the outdoors

D Lower cooling costs for HVAC

35. How can the heat island effect on the roof of a building be reduced?

A Providing underground parking

B Covering the roof with recycled materials

C Painting the roof with a high SRI coating

D Increasing the amount of roof insulation

36. What is true about a project that is located in an urban area?

A The project is likely to experience higher cooling costs due to the heat island effect

B The project team will likely have to select a site on previously undeveloped land

C The design of the project within the project boundary is unlikely to contain open
space
D The project will need to be located near mass transit to achieve LEED certification

37. What material attribute would a project team use to compare different products' abilities
to reject solar heat?
A ENERGY STAR label

B Emissivity

C Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)

D Solar Reflectance Index (SRI)

38. A project site in an urban area has already been selected by an owner. The team is
researching how it can reduce the heat-island effect and have open space at the lowest
cost. Which of the following should be considered for a rooftop design?

A An intensive vegetated roof

B An extensive vegetated roof

C A roof covered with high SRI material

D An artificial turf soccer field on the roof

39. Which of the following can increase the heat island effect in urban areas?
A Hardscapes shaded by trees

B Underground parking

C Large areas of turf grass

D Reduced air flow from tall buildings and narrow streets

40. A project team has decided to modify a low SRI roof design to include a vegetated roof
to help with rainwater management. What other credit would this decision help with?

A Light pollution reduction

B Heat island reduction

C On-site renewable energy

D Construction activity pollution prevention

41. What does the emissivity of a material refer to?

A The ratio of energy radiated by a particular material to energy radiated by a black

body at the same temperature
B The environmental benefits of the material over time
C How hot a surface gets relative to standard black and standard white surfaces

D The measure of a material's ability to reflect sunlight (including the visible, infrared,
and ultraviolet wavelengths) on a scale of 0 to 1

42. When evaluating materials that would help with heat-island reduction, which of the
following is the MOST important material attribute?

A A three-year aged SR value

B An SRI

C An SR
D Thermal emittance

43. Which of the following can increase the heat island effect in urban areas? (Choose 2)

A Buildings that have passive ventilation

B Street equipment

C Air-conditioners
D Rooftops covered with a high SRI material

44. A project owner is concerned about the safety of building occupants during the evening
hours as they walk to the parking lot. What exterior lighting strategy would ensure
occupant safety, prevent light pollution, and conserve energy?

A Strategically place lighting to shine into the roads surrounding the property

B Use shielded LED fixtures that are on 24 hours day

C Installing timers that shut off the lights after hours

D Install up-lighting in the parking lot

45. A data center is located in a remote, forested area. In which of the following ways could
the project team reduce light pollution?

A By placing exterior lights close to the project boundary

B By installing surfaces and lights that reduce glare
C By increasing the number of exterior lights
D By installing lights that shine upward

46. A project that specifies products with BUG ratings is contributing to which of the
following environmental benefits?

A Imperiled species protection

B Rainwater management

C Heat-island reduction
D Light-pollution reduction

47. What design strategy would reduce the light trespass from a site to help prevent light
pollution?

A Up-lighting

B Paint all hardscapes white

C Install lamp posts every 20 feet (6 meters) around the entire property line
D Install shielded fixtures

48. A United Nations study indicates that which of the following percentages of the
ecosystem services that have been assessed worldwide are currently degraded or used
unsustainably?

A 60 %

B 40 %

C 30 %
D 50 %

49. The Sustainable Sites category focuses on all of the following EXCEPT which of the
following:

A The ways in which community infrastructure affects occupants' behavior and

environmental performance.
B Preserving the biodiversity on which natural systems rely

C Restoring project site elements

D Integrating the site with local and regional ecosystems

50. Which of the following is aided by the avoidance of building on sensitive land or
previously undeveloped land?

A Brownfield remediation

B Reducing parking footprint

C Rainwater management
D Reducing vehicle miles traveled

51. What are the environmental benefits of selecting a previously developed site for a
project?

A The site would have a greater development density

B The site would be located near mass transit

C Local tax savings may be available

D Preserving open space

52. A project team is removing from the design a solar car shading device that also serves as
a fueling station. Which of the following is this most likely to impact? (Choose 2)

A Heat island reduction

B Green vehicles

C Reduced parking footprint

D Rainwater management