LEED Indoor Environmental Quality 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which ASHRAE standard is the primary reference for minimum indoor air quality performance in mechanically ventilated buildings under LEED?
- ASHRAE 62.1 (Correct answer)
- ASHRAE 90.1
- ASHRAE 55
- ASHRAE 189.1
Correct answer: ASHRAE 62.1
ASHRAE 62.1 (Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality) establishes the minimum outdoor air delivery rates required by the LEED Minimum IAQ Performance prerequisite.
Question 2: Which LEED prerequisite prohibits smoking inside the building and within a specified distance of building entrances, operable windows, and air intakes?
- Minimum Indoor Air Quality Performance
- Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control (Correct answer)
- Enhanced IAQ Strategies
- Low-Emitting Materials
Correct answer: Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control
The Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control prerequisite requires buildings to implement a smoking policy that protects non-smokers from secondhand smoke exposure.
Question 3: What does VOC stand for in the context of LEED's Low-Emitting Materials credit?
- Variable Occupancy Control
- Ventilation Output Calculation
- Volatile Organic Compound (Correct answer)
- Verified Organic Certification
Correct answer: Volatile Organic Compound
VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compound; these are chemicals that off-gas from building materials and can negatively impact indoor air quality and occupant health.
Question 4: Which SMACNA publication does LEED reference for Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Plans during the construction phase?
- SMACNA IAQ Guidelines for Occupied Buildings Under Construction, 2nd edition (Correct answer)
- SMACNA HVAC Systems Commissioning Manual
- SMACNA Architectural Sheet Metal Manual
- SMACNA Fibrous Glass Duct Construction Standards
Correct answer: SMACNA IAQ Guidelines for Occupied Buildings Under Construction, 2nd edition
LEED references SMACNA's IAQ Guidelines for Occupied Buildings Under Construction, 2nd edition, for managing indoor air quality during the construction phase.
Question 5: In the flush-out path for LEED's Indoor Air Quality Assessment, what total volume of outdoor air must be delivered per square foot of floor area before occupancy?
- 7,200 cubic feet
- 14,000 cubic feet (Correct answer)
- 3,600 cubic feet
- 10,000 cubic feet
Correct answer: 14,000 cubic feet
LEED requires 14,000 cubic feet of outdoor air per square foot of floor area to be flushed through the building before occupancy as one path to achieving the IAQ Assessment credit.
Question 6: ASHRAE Standard 55 is referenced in LEED Indoor Environmental Quality credits to address which building performance aspect?
- Visual comfort and glare control
- Acoustic performance and noise levels
- Thermal comfort for building occupants (Correct answer)
- Indoor air quality and ventilation rates
Correct answer: Thermal comfort for building occupants
ASHRAE 55 (Thermal Comfort Conditions for Human Occupancy) establishes the conditions for acceptable thermal environments and is the basis for LEED's Thermal Comfort credit.
Question 7: Which of the following product categories is subject to VOC content limits under LEED's Low-Emitting Materials credit?
- Structural steel members
- Adhesives and sealants (Correct answer)
- Concrete foundations
- Electrical conduit
Correct answer: Adhesives and sealants
Adhesives and sealants are interior applied products that emit VOCs and are therefore subject to VOC content limits under the Low-Emitting Materials credit.
LEED Indoor Environmental Quality 1
Which ASHRAE standard is the primary reference for minimum indoor air quality performance in mechanically ventilated buildings under LEED?