LEED Green Associate Exam
Energy and Atmosphere Practice Questions
60 practice questions with detailed explanations — aligned to the LEED Green Associate Exam.
Master Energy and Atmosphere to boost your score on the LEED Green Associate Exam. Each question below mirrors the style and difficulty of real exam questions, complete with detailed explanations so you understand the why behind every answer. Work through all 60 questions, review any that trip you up, and use the related topics below to round out your preparation.
Q1.What does the Energy and Atmosphere (EA) Prerequisite: Fundamental Commissioning and Verification require?
A.Achieving 10% better energy performance than ASHRAE 90.1B.Installing renewable energy on-site equal to 100% of building energy useC.Verifying that building energy-related systems are installed, calibrated, and performing according to design intentD.Conducting an energy audit every 3 yearsC. Verifying that building energy-related systems are installed, calibrated, and performing according to design intentExplanation: Fundamental Commissioning requires a systematic process to verify that the Owner's Project Requirements (OPR) are met by the design and construction. It applies to HVAC, lighting controls, hot water, and renewable energy systems. Commissioning ensures systems perform as intended.
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Q2.Which ASHRAE standard is referenced in LEED's Energy and Atmosphere prerequisite for minimum energy performance?
A.ASHRAE 55 (Thermal Comfort)B.ASHRAE 62.1 (Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality)C.ASHRAE 90.1 (Energy Standard for Buildings)D.ASHRAE 189.1 (Green Buildings)C. ASHRAE 90.1 (Energy Standard for Buildings)Explanation: ASHRAE 90.1 (Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings) is the baseline energy standard referenced in LEED. Projects must demonstrate a certain percentage improvement over this baseline. The referenced edition depends on the LEED version (v4 uses ASHRAE 90.1-2010).
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Q3.What does the term 'energy use intensity' (EUI) measure?
A.The peak electrical demand of a building in kilowattsB.Annual energy consumption per unit of gross floor area (kBtu/sf/year or kWh/m²/year)C.The ratio of renewable energy to total building energy useD.The efficiency rating of HVAC equipmentB. Annual energy consumption per unit of gross floor area (kBtu/sf/year or kWh/m²/year)Explanation: Energy Use Intensity (EUI) = annual energy use ÷ gross floor area, expressed as kBtu/sq ft/year (IP) or kWh/m²/year (SI). Lower EUI indicates better energy performance. EUI is used to benchmark and compare building energy performance across building types and climates.
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Q4.What type of refrigerant is LEED's Enhanced Refrigerant Management credit designed to reduce or eliminate?
A.CO₂ (carbon dioxide refrigerants)B.Refrigerants with high global warming potential (GWP) and/or ozone depletion potential (ODP)C.All synthetic refrigerants regardless of GWP or ODPD.Natural refrigerants such as ammonia and propaneB. Refrigerants with high global warming potential (GWP) and/or ozone depletion potential (ODP)Explanation: The LEED Enhanced Refrigerant Management credit aims to reduce or eliminate the use of refrigerants with high ozone depletion potential (ODP) and global warming potential (GWP), such as HCFCs and HFCs. Preferred refrigerants include low-GWP alternatives and natural refrigerants.
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Q5.A building generates more energy on-site than it consumes annually. What is this called?
A.Net-zero water buildingB.Carbon-neutral buildingC.Net positive energy (or energy surplus) buildingD.Zero-emission buildingC. Net positive energy (or energy surplus) buildingExplanation: A building that generates more energy than it consumes over the course of a year is net positive energy. A net-zero energy building produces exactly what it consumes. LEED's EA credit for renewable energy can award points for on-site or off-site renewable energy generation.
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