CBP CBP Sustainable Building & Energy Efficiency 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following rating systems is the most widely used green building certification program in the United States?
- BREEAM
- WELL Building Standard
- LEED (Correct answer)
- Living Building Challenge
Correct answer: LEED
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), developed by the US Green Building Council, is the most widely recognized and used green building rating system in the US.
Question 2: A building's 'thermal envelope' refers to:
- The HVAC ductwork layout throughout the building
- The building components that separate conditioned from unconditioned space (Correct answer)
- The R-value of roof insulation only
- The window-to-wall ratio of exterior facades
Correct answer: The building components that separate conditioned from unconditioned space
The thermal envelope includes all walls, roofs, floors, windows, and doors that separate the conditioned interior from the unconditioned exterior, controlling heat transfer.
Question 3: What does the R-value of insulation measure?
- The material's density per square foot
- The resistance to heat flow through the material (Correct answer)
- The reflectivity of a roofing surface
- The amount of recycled content in the product
Correct answer: The resistance to heat flow through the material
R-value measures thermal resistance — the higher the R-value, the greater the material's ability to resist heat transfer.
Question 4: Which passive solar design strategy involves using building overhangs to block summer sun while allowing winter sun to enter?
- Thermal mass
- Night flush cooling
- Solar shading (Correct answer)
- Clerestory lighting
Correct answer: Solar shading
Solar shading uses fixed or adjustable overhangs, fins, or louvers sized to block high summer sun angles while admitting lower winter sun angles into the building.
Question 5: In green building, 'embodied carbon' refers to:
- CO₂ emissions from HVAC operations over the building's lifetime
- Greenhouse gas emissions from material extraction, manufacturing, and transport (Correct answer)
- The carbon stored within wood structural members
- On-site combustion emissions from construction equipment
Correct answer: Greenhouse gas emissions from material extraction, manufacturing, and transport
Embodied carbon encompasses all greenhouse gas emissions associated with a building material's life cycle — from raw material extraction through manufacturing, transportation, and installation.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes a 'cool roof' strategy?
- Adding a green roof with planted vegetation
- Installing a roof with high solar reflectance to reduce heat absorption (Correct answer)
- Using phase-change materials in roof decking
- Applying spray foam insulation under the roof deck
Correct answer: Installing a roof with high solar reflectance to reduce heat absorption
A cool roof uses highly reflective materials or coatings to reflect solar radiation, reducing roof surface temperatures and lowering cooling energy loads.
CBP CBP Sustainable Building & Energy Efficiency 1
Which of the following rating systems is the most widely used green building certification program in the United States?