ARE Sustainable Design and Environmental Systems 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which LEED certification level requires a minimum of 80 points out of 110 possible?
- Certified
- Silver
- Gold
- Platinum (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Platinum
LEED Platinum requires 80 or more points, making it the highest certification level in the LEED rating system.
Question 2: Which passive solar design strategy involves using heavy materials such as concrete or masonry to absorb, store, and slowly release heat?
- Daylighting
- Thermal mass (Correct answer)
- Cross ventilation
- Stack effect
Correct answer: Thermal mass
Thermal mass materials absorb heat during the day and release it at night, moderating interior temperature swings and reducing heating loads.
Question 3: For optimal passive solar heating in the Northern Hemisphere, a building's primary glazing should be oriented toward which direction?
- North
- East
- West
- South (Correct answer)
Correct answer: South
South-facing glazing maximizes winter sun exposure in the Northern Hemisphere while allowing horizontal overhangs to provide summer shading.
Question 4: ASHRAE 90.1 is primarily referenced in building design for which purpose?
- Structural load calculations
- Minimum energy efficiency requirements for commercial buildings (Correct answer)
- Indoor air quality ventilation rates
- Fire suppression system design
Correct answer: Minimum energy efficiency requirements for commercial buildings
ASHRAE 90.1 establishes minimum energy efficiency requirements for commercial buildings and is widely adopted by energy codes such as IECC.
Question 5: Which program administered by the EPA uses Energy Use Intensity (EUI) as a key metric to benchmark commercial building energy performance?
- LEED
- BREEAM
- ENERGY STAR (Correct answer)
- Living Building Challenge
Correct answer: ENERGY STAR
ENERGY STAR uses EUI—measured in kBtu per square foot per year—to compare a building's energy consumption against similar building types nationally.
Question 6: What is the primary stormwater management benefit of a vegetated green roof?
- Increasing surface runoff velocity
- Reducing peak stormwater runoff (Correct answer)
- Eliminating the need for roof drainage systems
- Increasing the impervious surface area
Correct answer: Reducing peak stormwater runoff
Green roofs retain rainwater in their growing medium and vegetation, releasing it slowly and significantly reducing peak stormwater runoff volumes.
Question 7: Which daylighting device is a horizontal reflective surface positioned at or above eye level that redirects sunlight deeper into an interior space?
- Light shelf (Correct answer)
- Skylight
- Clerestory window
- Light tube
Correct answer: Light shelf
A light shelf reflects sunlight onto the ceiling, distributing natural light deeper into the floor plate while reducing glare near the perimeter.
ARE Sustainable Design and Environmental Systems 1
Which LEED certification level requires a minimum of 80 points out of 110 possible?