Your FREE LEED Green Associate Flashcards 2026 – 250+ Cards

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

The world's most widely used green building rating system, developed by USGBC

U.S. Green Building Council

Develops and maintains the LEED rating system; promotes green building through education and advocacy

Green Building Certification Inc.

Administers the LEED professional exams and reviews/awards LEED project certification

USGBC writes the rules (develops LEED); GBCI verifies them (exams + project certification)

Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum

40 to 49 points

50 to 59 points

60 to 79 points

80 points or more

110 points total

100 base points + 6 Innovation + 4 Regional Priority bonus points

A mandatory requirement every project must meet; worth zero points

An optional requirement a team can pursue to earn points

Prerequisite = mandatory, 0 points; credit = optional, earns points

It cannot be certified, regardless of how many credit points it earns

A main topic area of a rating system containing prerequisites and credits (e.g., Energy and Atmosphere)

Basic eligibility rules a project must satisfy to use LEED (permanent location, reasonable boundaries, size)

LEED Green Associate

LEED AP (Accredited Professional) with specialty

BD+C, ID+C, O+M, Neighborhood Development, Homes, Cities and Communities

Building Design and Construction

New construction and major renovations

Interior Design and Construction

Tenant fit-outs and interior projects

Operations and Maintenance (existing buildings)

A rating system for whole neighborhoods and multi-building developments

LEED for Homes

Register, choose a rating system, pursue prerequisites + credits, submit documentation, get certified by GBCI

GBCI, after reviewing the project's documentation

LEED v4

An updated version of the LEED rating systems used in practice

Healthier, more resource-efficient, lower-impact buildings that also save money over their life

LEED Process (16 scored questions)

A framework that scores a building's sustainability against defined credits and certifies the result

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)

Independent review by GBCI confirming a project meets the requirements it claims

Certified (40 to 49 points)

Platinum (80+ points)

15 continuing-education hours every two years (3 LEED-specific)

Voluntary, though some jurisdictions and owners require it

Formally enrolling a project with GBCI to begin pursuing certification

The environmental goal a credit is designed to achieve

No, prerequisites are mandatory and worth zero points

GBCI's web platform where teams register projects and submit documentation

The performance level a project must reach to earn a credit's point(s)

No, every prerequisite is mandatory for certification

A substantial building upgrade eligible for BD+C certification

USGBC

Tracking which prerequisites and credits a project is pursuing and its point total

The team member who manages registration and documentation in LEED Online

The 40/60 rule of thumb helping teams pick the right rating system for a project

That a building met LEED prerequisites and earned enough credit points for its level

v4 raised performance expectations and added transparency-based materials credits

Whole project team collaborating from the earliest design phase to analyze how systems interrelate

An intensive, collaborative goal-setting workshop held early in a project

Integrative = early whole-team collaboration; conventional = sequential, siloed hand-offs

A benefit from designing systems together (e.g., a better envelope allows a smaller HVAC system)

Decisions are cheaper to change early, and synergies are captured before systems are locked in

A high-performance envelope reduces heating/cooling loads, allowing a smaller, cheaper HVAC system

Owner, architect, MEP/structural/civil engineers, landscape architect, contractor, operators, occupants

Their input on constructability, cost, and waste improves design decisions

They improve real-world performance and how the building is actually run and used

A document defining the owner's goals and expectations that guides design and commissioning

Discovery and design before decisions are made (early-phase analysis)

The conventional siloed process where each system is designed in isolation

It reveals synergies and trade-offs that a siloed process would miss

8 scored questions

The landscape architect and civil engineer

Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (engineering disciplines)

It lowers cost by making changes early when they are cheap and capturing synergies

The whole integrative team together, often facilitated in a charrette

The targeted level of performance (and certification level) the team commits to

Efficient water systems (e.g., less hot water) can also cut energy use

Repeatedly testing design options against goals to find the best-performing solution

Set shared sustainability goals and identify synergies before design begins

Involving everyone affected by a project early to improve outcomes

A document explaining how the design meets the Owner's Project Requirements

Smart site selection near transit/amenities and reducing car dependence

Undeveloped land; LEED discourages building on it

A previously developed site complicated by real or perceived contamination

It reclaims contaminated land and protects undeveloped greenfields

Greenfield = undeveloped land (avoid); brownfield = contaminated land (reward reuse)

Building on already-developed land within existing areas, instead of expanding outward

A mix of nearby amenities (shops, services, schools) within walking distance that reduce driving

Bicycle facilities, EV charging, reduced parking, transit access, and carpool support

No, LEED rewards REDUCING parking to discourage driving

Bicycle storage and showers/changing rooms for occupants

It cuts car trips and tailpipe emissions

Lower-emission electric vehicle use by occupants

L&T = where the site is and how people reach it; Sustainable Sites = protecting the site itself

7 scored questions

Reducing single-occupancy vehicle trips and total vehicle miles

Building near high-quality transit to reduce car dependence

Land already altered by paving, construction, or grading; preferred over greenfields

Higher surrounding building/population density that supports walking and transit

A measure of how many daily needs are reachable on foot, favored by LEED

Building fewer parking spaces to discourage driving and limit paved area

A strategy to cut single-occupancy vehicle trips, rewarded by LEED

Choosing previously developed sites instead of farmland, wetlands, or habitat

Protecting and restoring the land itself: ecology, water, and microclimate

Construction-activity pollution prevention (erosion and sedimentation control)

Developed areas with dark, hard surfaces being warmer than surrounding rural areas

High-SRI roofs and paving, shading, and vegetated (green) roofs

Solar Reflectance Index

A cooler surface that reflects more solar heat

Near 0

Near 100

Solar reflectance and thermal emittance into a single value

Controlling the quantity and quality of rainwater runoff from a site

To protect natural water systems from runoff pollution and erosion

Excess or misdirected outdoor lighting spilling into the night sky or neighboring sites

Shielded, downward-directed outdoor lighting to protect dark skies and wildlife

Vegetated or accessible outdoor area preserved or provided for ecology and occupants

They need less water and support local ecology

It leaves more land natural and undeveloped

7 scored questions

A roof covered with plants that reduces heat island, manages stormwater, and adds habitat

Preventing soil loss during construction, required by a Sustainable Sites prerequisite

Use high-SRI (reflective) roofing or a vegetated roof

Using planted areas to capture and filter stormwater runoff

Paving that lets water soak through, reducing runoff and heat island

Returning a site to a natural, vegetated state to support ecology

Minimizing light trespass and sky glow with shielded, downward lighting

Outdoor (irrigation), indoor (fixtures), and process (building systems)

Water for irrigation and landscaping

Water for fixtures: toilets, faucets, showers

Water for building systems like cooling towers, dishwashers, and appliances

Design case versus a calculated baseline

An EPA labeling program for water-efficient fixtures and products that LEED references

Water that meets drinking-water standards and is safe to drink

Gently used, non-potable water from faucets, showers, and laundry; reusable

Wastewater containing human waste; it requires treatment before reuse

Graywater = gently used fixture water (reusable); blackwater = toilet waste (needs treatment)

Use rainwater, graywater, or treated wastewater for irrigation and flushing

Native/adapted landscaping, efficient irrigation, and no potable water for irrigation

Low-flow / WaterSense toilets, faucets, and showers

Data to track and manage building water consumption

A calculated reference case the project's improved design case is compared against

9 scored questions

Capturing rainwater for reuse, supporting water efficiency and stormwater goals

The volume of water a fixture uses, reduced by efficient/WaterSense fixtures

Applying water to landscape; LEED rewards minimizing or eliminating potable irrigation

A fixture offering two flush volumes to reduce indoor water use

Landscaping with drought-tolerant plants to minimize irrigation

A process-water system that LEED requires to be metered and managed efficiently

Standard fixture flow/flush rates set by plumbing codes

Cutting the volume of wastewater generated, e.g., with efficient fixtures

Energy and Atmosphere

A quality-assurance process verifying energy systems are designed, installed, and operating as intended

Fundamental commissioning is a prerequisite (required); enhanced commissioning is a credit (extra points)

Fundamental commissioning and minimum energy performance

A computer simulation of expected energy use compared against a baseline to show savings

An EPA program rating the energy performance of buildings and products

Through energy modeling or ENERGY STAR benchmarking

Reviews design, verifies installation, and confirms systems perform as intended

Energy generated at the project, such as rooftop solar PV

Renewable Energy Certificate

A tradable certificate representing the benefits of one megawatt-hour of renewable electricity

Ozone Depletion Potential

Global Warming Potential

ODP measures harm to the ozone layer; GWP measures contribution to global warming

CFC-based refrigerants

Those with low ODP and low GWP (enhanced refrigerant management)

Reducing or shifting electricity use during peak periods in response to grid signals

Reduce demand (efficiency) first, then add renewable supply

The energy used to extract, manufacture, and transport a material before the building is used

10 scored questions

Baseline = a standard reference building; design case = the actual proposed building

The highest level of electricity use, which demand response aims to reduce

The physical separator (walls, roof, windows) between indoors and outdoors

A better envelope lowers loads, so fewer panels are needed (efficiency before supply)

Comparing a building's energy use against similar buildings, often via ENERGY STAR

A reference standard (e.g., ASHRAE 90.1) the design is compared against

Electricity purchased from the utility, which renewables aim to offset

Renewable electricity purchased to offset a building's energy use

On-site panels converting sunlight to electricity, an EA renewable strategy

A fluid in HVAC systems; LEED limits ozone- and climate-harming types

Sub-metering energy systems to track and manage consumption (a credit)

What a building is made of and what happens to its waste, across the life cycle

An evaluation of a product's or building's environmental impacts from raw material to disposal

Considering impacts from raw material extraction through end-of-life disposal

Environmental Product Declaration

A third-party-verified report of a product's life-cycle environmental impacts

Health Product Declaration

A disclosure of a product's ingredients and associated health hazards

EPD = environmental impacts ('what are the impacts?'); HPD = ingredients/health ('what's in it?')

Rewarding transparency (disclosure) instead of single attributes alone

The proportion of a material made from pre- or post-consumer recycled materials

Materials extracted, manufactured, and purchased near the project site

To reduce transportation impacts and support the local economy

Forest Stewardship Council

Wood certified as responsibly sourced from well-managed forests

Diverting construction and demolition debris from landfill via recycling, salvage, and reuse

Storage and collection of recyclables

They keep materials in use and avoid new raw-material extraction

Materials made from renewable plant or animal sources, rewarded for sustainable sourcing

9 scored questions

Material recycled from products after consumer use (e.g., recycled bottles)

Manufacturing scrap diverted and reused before reaching a consumer

Incorporating salvaged or refurbished materials instead of new ones

LEED v4 credits rewarding EPDs, HPDs, and responsible sourcing (transparency)

Choosing long-lasting materials to reduce replacement and waste over time

Keeping construction and demolition debris out of landfill

Reclaimed material reused in a new project, avoiding new extraction

Choosing materials with verified sustainable extraction practices

Manufacturers disclosing a product's contents and impacts (EPDs/HPDs)

A narrow material claim (e.g., recycled content) that LCA-based credits go beyond

Occupant health and comfort: clean air, daylight, thermal comfort, and acoustics

Minimum indoor air quality (ventilation) performance and environmental tobacco smoke control

Volatile Organic Compound

Chemicals that off-gas from paints, adhesives, sealants, flooring, and furniture, harming indoor air

Paints, coatings, adhesives, flooring, and composite wood with limited VOC content

To improve indoor air quality and protect occupant health

A plan to protect indoor air quality during construction and before occupancy

Indoor Air Quality

Occupant satisfaction with indoor temperature, humidity, and air movement

Bringing natural light into regularly occupied spaces

It reduces lighting energy (EA) while improving occupant well-being (IEQ)

Connecting occupants to the outdoors through windows and sightlines

Controlling noise for occupant concentration and comfort

Control over lighting and temperature boosts satisfaction and productivity

Prohibiting or containing smoking to protect indoor air

8 scored questions

Supplying fresh outdoor air to maintain indoor air quality

Running ventilation to clear off-gassed contaminants before occupancy

They reduce stress and improve well-being and productivity

Managing excessive brightness from daylight to keep occupants comfortable

Gathering feedback on comfort to improve the indoor environment

Tracking carbon dioxide to confirm ventilation is supplying enough fresh air

An adhesive with limited volatile organic compound content for better air quality

Using operable windows and airflow instead of (or with) mechanical systems

Walk-off mats/grilles that capture dirt and pollutants at building entrances

Comfort surveys used to verify and improve thermal and lighting conditions

Innovation (up to 6) and Regional Priority (up to 4)

Strategies beyond LEED's requirements and exceptional performance

Up to 6

Have a LEED Accredited Professional on the project team

An existing credit flagged as especially important for the project's region, earning a bonus point

Up to 4

No, they are existing credits flagged as locally important

A green-building advocate who explains why sustainability and LEED matter to clients, teams, and the public

They are a major source of energy use, greenhouse gases, water use, and waste

Indoor environments directly affect occupant health and productivity

Educating clients, team members, and the public about green building benefits

Achieving a credit far beyond its required threshold, which can earn an Innovation point

11 scored questions (second-largest domain)

It carries 11 questions yet tests 'why it matters' framing rather than technical credits

The checklist a team uses to track which prerequisites and credits a project pursues

GA is foundational knowledge; AP shows specialty expertise in a rating system

Green education programs or a strategy not addressed by existing LEED credits

Aligning stakeholders, including the public/community, on project goals early

To build support, justify investment, and spread green-building adoption

Balancing environmental, social, and economic outcomes (people, planet, profit)

Promoting sustainable design and educating others on its benefits

Exceeding a credit's requirement enough to earn an extra Innovation point

Healthier, more resilient buildings that benefit occupants and neighborhoods

An Innovation point earned by having a LEED Accredited Professional on the team

Energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, and waste generation