Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) LEED-AP-Homes Full Course Free

TheLEED for Homes Rating System (v4)includes theLocation and Transportation (LT) Credit: Community Resources and Services, which awards points based on the number of publicly accessible community services within 1/4 mile (0.4 km) for single-family homes or 1/2 mile (0.8 km) for multi-family projects. The question specifies a 1/2-mile radius, suggesting a multi-family context.

According to theLEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction (v4):

LT Credit: Community Resources and Services (1–2 points)

Earn 1 point for at least 4 community services or 2 points for 8 or more services within 1/2 mile (0.8 km) walking distance for multi-family projects. Qualifying services include restaurants, schools, pharmacies, grocery stores, and places of worship (e.g., churches), provided they are publicly accessible.

Source: LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, Location and Transportation Credit: Community Resources and Services, p. 56.

TheLEED v4.1 Residential BD+Crating system confirms:

LT Credit: Community Resources and Services

Community services such as restaurants, schools, pharmacies, grocery stores, and churches within 1/2 mile (0.8 km) of a multi-family project count toward the credit if publicly accessible.

Source: LEED v4.1 Residential BD+C, Credit Library, accessed via USGBC LEED Online.

Evaluation of resources:

Three restaurants: All qualify as community services.

One school: Qualifies as a community service.

Two pharmacies: Both qualify as community services.

One church: Qualifies as a place of worship.

One grocery store: Qualifies as a community service.

Total: 3 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 1 =7 resources.

The correct answer isseven resources(Option C), as all listed services are publicly accessible and within 1/2 mile, contributing to the credit.

Why not the other options?

A. Five resources: This undercounts the qualifying services (7 total).

B. Six resources: This also undercounts the total (7).

TheLEED for Homes Rating System (v4)promotes the use of native and adapted plants in theWater Efficiency (WE) Credit: Outdoor Water UseandSustainable Sites (SS) Credit: Site Development – Protect or Restore Habitatto reduce maintenance and environmental impacts compared to conventional turf.

According to theLEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction (v4):

WE Credit: Outdoor Water Use (1–4 points)

Native and adapted plant species require less maintenance, including decreased frequency of mowing, compared to conventional turf grass, which often needs frequent cutting to maintain appearance.

Source: LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, Water Efficiency Credit: Outdoor Water Use, p. 98.

TheLEED v4.1 Residential BD+Crating system confirms:

WE Credit: Outdoor Water Use

Using native and adapted plants reduces maintenance demands, such as mowing frequency, compared to turf grass, while also lowering irrigation needs.

Source: LEED v4.1 Residential BD+C, Credit Library, accessed via USGBC LEED Online.

The correct answer isdecreased frequency of mowing(Option C), as native and adapted plants typically require less frequent maintenance than turf grass.

Why not the other options?

TheLEED for Homes Rating System (v4)includesRegional Priority (RP) Creditsto incentivize projects to address environmental issues that are particularly critical in their specific geographic region.

According to theLEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction (v4):

Regional Priority Credits (1–4 points)

The purpose of Regional Priority Credits is to enhance the ability of LEED project teams to address critical environmental issues specific to the project’s location, such as water scarcity or habitat restoration, by providing bonus points for achieving designated credits that align with regional priorities.

Source: LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, Regional Priority Credits, p. 190.

TheLEED v4.1 Residential BD+Crating system confirms:

Regional Priority Credits

RP Credits encourage projects to prioritize credits that address location-specific environmental challenges, offering up to four bonus points based on the project’s ZIP code or region.

Source: LEED v4.1 Residential BD+C, Credit Library, accessed via USGBC LEED Online.

The correct answer isto enhance the ability of LEED project teams to address critical environmental issues for the project’s location(Option D), as this reflects the intent of RP credits to focus on regional environmental priorities.

Why not the other options?

TheLEED for Homes Rating System (v4)includes theWater Efficiency (WE) Prerequisite: Total Water Use, which requires metering to monitor water consumption in LEED-certified homes, even those using well water.

According to theLEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction (v4):

WE Prerequisite: Total Water Use

Install water meters to measure total potable water use for the entire home, including indoor and outdoor uses. For multifamily or attached housing (e.g., semi-detached homes), each dwelling unit must have its own water meter to track individual usage accurately.

Source: LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, Water Efficiency Prerequisite: Total Water Use, p. 94.

TheLEED v4.1 Residential BD+Crating system confirms:

WE Prerequisite: Total Water Use

In attached housing projects, such as semi-detached homes, each unit must have a separate water meter to monitor potable water use, regardless of whether the water source is municipal or well water.

Source: LEED v4.1 Residential BD+C, Credit Library, accessed via USGBC LEED Online.

For two semi-detached homes using well water, the builder mustinstall two water meters for each unit separately(Option A) to comply with the prerequisite, ensuring individual monitoring of water use for each dwelling unit.

Why not the other options?