USGBC LEED Accredited Professional Homes

The USGBC LEED Accredited Professional Homes designation signifies expertise in designing and building residential structures that meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Professionals with this accreditation have demonstrated proficiency in sustainable building practices, energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor air quality, and other aspects of green home construction. LEED Accredited Professionals play a crucial role in promoting environmentally responsible and resource-efficient housing.

 

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USGBC AP Homes Exam Summary:

Exam Name	USGBC LEED Accredited Professional Homes
Exam Code	AP Homes
Exam Fee	Combined exam: $550 ($400 for USGBC members) Specialty only: $350 ($250 for USGBC members)
Exam Duration	120 Minutes
Number of Questions	100
Passing Score	170 out of 200
Format	Multiple Choice Questions
Sample Questions	USGBC LEED AP Homes Exam Sample Questions and Answers
Practice Exam	Certified LEED Accredited Professional Homes (AP Homes) Practice Test

USGBC LEED Accredited Professional Homes Syllabus Topics:

Topic	Details
LEED Process (9 Questions)	- LEED verification process - Roles and responsibilities of verification team (e.g., green rater; energy rater; quality assurance designee) - Certification submittal requirements (e.g., to GBCI) - Project eligibility (e.g., which rating system to use—Homes, Midrise or New Construction) - In-field verification requirements (e.g., performance test; visual inspection) - Resources for LEED Interpretations and Regional Priority Credits - LEED system synergies (e.g., energy and EQ; waste management) - Project boundary; LEED boundary; property boundary - Prerequisites and/or minimum program requirements for LEED certification - LEED Online - Integrative process (e.g., communication between project team and verification team throughout design and construction; communication of LEED goals and requirements to multidisciplinary team members including trade contractors)
Location and Transportation (9 Questions)	- Floodplain avoidance (e.g., general requirements for new construction and renovation) - LEED ND as a pathway in the Location and Transportation category - Site selection definitions: ◉ Sensitive land ◉ Infill development ◉ Open space ◉ Street network ◉ Bicycle network and storage (e.g., general requirements) - Compact development (e.g., metrics associated with compact development) - Community resources (e.g., distance and measurement): ◉ Define qualifying community resources - Access to transit (e.g., distance to and frequency of trips)
Sustainable Sites (9 Questions)	- Construction activity pollution prevention (e.g., erosion control; storm water management; air pollution prevention) - Invasive plants (e.g., intent and prerequisite status) - Heat island reduction (e.g., shading use; nonabsorptive materials) - Rainwater management (e.g., examples of low impact development techniques) - Nontoxic pest control (e.g., how to achieve credit)
Water Efficiency (10 Questions)	- Types and quality of water (e.g., potable; graywater; blackwater; stormwater) - Indoor and total water use: ◉ Testing for water leaks (e.g., total and indoor water use) ◉ Define shower compartment ◉ Water sense label interior fixture - Outdoor water use (e.g., general requirements: decrease turf grass and increase native plants) - Irrigation demand (e.g., evapotranspiration; landscape coefficient; rainwater harvesting and storage; graywater reuse; municipal recycled water systems)
Energy and Atmosphere (17 Questions)	- Energy performance policies (e.g., ENERGY STAR thermal bypass checklist; HERS Index; building orientation) - Building components (e.g., required systems; building envelope; HVAC; service water heating; power; lighting; lighting power density; receptacle load; insulation; windows, SIP and ICF construction techniques) - On-site renewable energy (e.g., wind; solar; passive solar; geothermal; biomass; low impact hydro; biogas) - Third-party relationships/requirements (e.g., prescriptive and performance paths for energy efficiency; LEED for Homes Green Rater; HERS Rater; energy testing and on-site verification requirements) - Third-party alternate rating systems (e.g., HERS or alternative compliance path) - Energy performance measurement (e.g., ENERGY STAR Thermal Bypass Inspection Checklist; ACCA Manual J; ACCA Manual D) - Energy tradeoffs (e.g., integration and identification of tradeoffs in energy savings between mechanical, electrical, and building components; lighting design that considers energy use reduction and lighting power density relationship with daylighting) - Energy usage (e.g., building schedules; occupancy and off-hours; indoor/outdoor air usage rates and impact on energy performance) - Minimum energy performance (e.g., general requirements to meet ENERGY STAR for Homes; what projects need to be commissioned; processes) - Energy metering (e.g., metering requirements for single and multifamily projects) - Education of homeowner, tenant or building manager (e.g., content and distribution requirements for operations and maintenance manual; walk through requirements) - Annual energy use (e.g., which option includes the home size adjuster; definition of LEED energy budget; minimum energy requirements for midrise; conditioned floor area of ENERGY STAR v3 reference home by number of bedrooms) - Efficient hot water distribution system (e.g., multifamily central circulation system; performance testing; insulation) - Advance utility tracking (e.g., options for tracking and reporting energy and water use) - Active solar-ready design (e.g., photovoltaic-ready design; solar direct hot water-ready design) - Home size adjuster as a prerequisite for EA prescriptive path - Building orientation for passive solar (e.g., basic credit requirements) - Air infiltration (e.g., who performs the test and what is the test) - Envelop insulation (e.g., R-value; 2012 International Energy Conservation Code) - Windows (e.g., view factor; SHGC; window area and stringency) - Space heating and cooling equipment (e.g., required duct leakage rate) - Heating and cooling distribution systems (e.g., ductwork in conditioned space; ductwork in unconditioned space; hydronic systems; who conducts the duct leakage test) - Efficient domestic hot water equipment (e.g., list of qualifying systems) - Lighting (e.g., lighting power density; dark skies) - High-efficiency appliances (e.g., types that qualify for credit) - Renewable energy (e.g., certificate retention; maximum points allowed)
Materials and Resources (10 Questions)	- Building reuse (e.g., gut rehabilitation; material reuse) - Material acquisition (e.g., certified wood; recycled content; detailed framing documents and cut list/lumber order) - Certified tropical wood (e.g., definition) - Durability management (e.g., requirements of ENERGY STAR for Homes v3 check list; indoor moisture control measures) - Durability management verification (e.g., requirements) - Environmentally preferable products (e.g., recycled materials pre-consumer; post- consumer; collection requirements; commingled and locally—regionally—harvested and manufactured materials) - Construction waste management (e.g., accounted by weight or volume; reduction strategies; baseline for LEED reference home) - Material-efficient framing (e.g., applicable strategies; thresholds)
Indoor Environmental Quality (13 Questions)	- Minimum ventilation requirement (e.g., indoor air quality; natural ventilation; mixed mode ventilation) - Combustion venting general requirements (e.g., no unvented combustion appliances; CO monitors; fireplace measures) - Garage pollutant protection (e.g., seal, weather-strip and install carbon monoxide detectors; EPA Indoor AirPLUS Label) - Radon-resistant construction (e.g., EPA radon zone 1; radon resistant construction techniques; requirements for renovation of existing building) - Air-filtering (e.g., where filters are required) - Environmental tobacco smoke (e.g., no smoking option; multifamily - no smoking requirements) - Compartmentalization (e.g., intent; strategies; verification of) - Enhanced ventilation (e.g., strategies that qualify for enhanced ventilation controls; systems that qualify for enhanced whole-house ventilation) - Contaminant control (e.g., strategies including walk off mats; shoe removal and storage; preoccupancy flush or EPA Indoor AirPLUS label and air testing - max contaminant concentrations) - Balancing of heating and cooling distribution systems (e.g., basic requirements of Case 1 - Forced-Air Systems; Options 1-3; Case 2 - Radiative Systems, Options 1 and 2 - Combustion venting (e.g., EPA certified equipment or no fireplaces or woodstoves) - Enhanced garage pollutant protection (e.g., credit awarded for either exhaust fan or no garage/ detached garage) - Low-emitting Materials (e.g., adhesives and sealants; paints; coatings; carpet; composite wood and agrifiber products; VOC’s; urea-formaldehyde, California standard 1350)
Innovation (5 Questions)	- Preliminary rating (e.g., who needs to be at the preliminary rating, prerequisite status in rating system and goals of preliminary rating) - Innovation (e.g., Innovation, Pilot, and Exemplary Performance strategies) - LEED AP (e.g., specialty appropriate for the project)
Regional Priority (3 Questions)	- Regional Priority Credits - What are they and how to find them.