TheLEED for Homes Rating System (v4)addresses acoustic comfort in theIndoor Environmental Quality (EQ) Credit: Enhanced Ventilation, which includes requirements for bathroom exhaust fans to ensure they are quiet to encourage use and maintain indoor air quality.
According to theLEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction (v4):
EQ Credit: Enhanced Ventilation (1-3 points)
For bathroom exhaust fans, select equipment with a maximum noise level of 1.0 sone to support acoustic comfort and encourage regular use. Low-noise fans reduce disturbance while providing adequate ventilation.
Source: LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, Indoor Environmental Quality Credit: Enhanced Ventilation, p. 146.
TheLEED v4.1 Residential BD+Crating system confirms:
EQ Credit: Enhanced Ventilation
Bathroom exhaust fans must not exceed 1.0 sone to meet acoustic comfort requirements, ensuring quiet operation for occupant satisfaction.
Source: LEED v4.1 Residential BD+C, Credit Library, accessed via USGBC LEED Online.
The maximum sone level for bathroom exhaust fans is1.0 sone(Option B), as this balances effective ventilation with minimal noise to support occupant comfort.
Why not the other options?
Reference: LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, EQ Credit: Enhanced Ventilation, p. 146.
C). 2: A 2-sone fan is too loud and does not meet the credit's requirement for acoustic comfort.Reference:
LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, EQ Credit: Enhanced Ventilation, p. 146.
D). 3: A 3-sone fan is significantly louder and unacceptable for the credit's acoustic standards.Reference:
LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, EQ Credit: Enhanced Ventilation, p. 146.
TheLEED AP Homes Candidate Handbookemphasizes EQ credits, including ventilation and acoustic comfort, and references theLEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Constructionas a key resource.
The exam is based onLEED v4, ensuring the relevance of the 1.0 sone limit.
References:
LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, USGBC, Indoor Environmental Quality Credit: Enhanced Ventilation, p. 146.
LEED v4.1 Residential BD+C, USGBC LEED Credit Library, accessed via LEED Online (https://www.
usgbc.org/credits).
LEED AP Homes Candidate Handbook, GBCI, October 2024, p. 12 (references study resources and exam scope based on LEED v4).
USGBC LEED for Homes Rating System (v4), available via USGBC website (https://www.usgbc.org
/resources/leed-homes-design-and-construction-v4).
LEED v4.1 for Homes, USGBC, accessed via LEED Online, confirming sone level requirements.

TheLEED for Homes Rating System (v4)awards points for theMaterials and Resources (MR) Credit:
Environmentally Preferable Productswhen using certified lumber, specificallyForest Stewardship Council (FSC)certified wood, which ensures sustainable forestry practices. Documentation is critical to verify compliance.
According to theLEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction (v4):
MR Credit: Environmentally Preferable Products (1-4 points)
Use products that meet one or more of the following criteria for at least 25%, 50%, or 90% (by cost) of the total materials:
* FSC-certified wood: Wood products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.Projects must provide chain of custody (COC) certificates from vendors to document that the wood is FSC-certified, verifying sustainable sourcing.Source: LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, Materials and Resources Credit: Environmentally Preferable Products, p. 160-161.
TheLEED v4.1 Residential BD+Crating system confirms:
MR Credit: Environmentally Preferable Products
To earn points for FSC-certified wood, projects must collect chain of custody (COC) certificates from suppliers to document that the lumber meets FSC standards.
Source: LEED v4.1 Residential BD+C, Credit Library, accessed via USGBC LEED Online.
To achieve points, the builder mustcollect all vendor chain of custody (COC) certificates to document the use of FSC certified materials(Option D). COC certificates trace the wood from FSC-certified forests to the project, ensuring compliance with the credit's requirements.
Why not the other options?
Reference: LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, MR Credit: Environmentally Preferable Products, p. 160.
B). Include Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certified lumber in all plans and specifications: SFI is not acceptable for this credit, and plans alone do not verify actual use; COC documentation is required.
Reference: LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, MR Credit: Environmentally Preferable Products, p. 160.
C). Notify all suppliers of project requirement for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified lumber:
Notification is a good practice but insufficient without COC certificates to document compliance.Reference:
LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, MR Credit: Environmentally Preferable Products, p. 161.
TheLEED AP Homes Candidate Handbookemphasizes MR credits, including Environmentally Preferable Products, and references theLEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Constructionas a key resource.
The exam is based onLEED v4, ensuring the relevance of FSC COC documentation.
References:
LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, USGBC, Materials and Resources Credit: Environmentally Preferable Products, p. 160-161.
LEED v4.1 Residential BD+C, USGBC LEED Credit Library, accessed via LEED Online (https://www.
usgbc.org/credits).
LEED AP Homes Candidate Handbook, GBCI, October 2024, p. 12 (references study resources and exam scope based on LEED v4).
USGBC LEED for Homes Rating System (v4), available via USGBC website (https://www.usgbc.org
/resources/leed-homes-design-and-construction-v4).
LEED v4.1 for Homes, USGBC, accessed via LEED Online, confirming FSC documentation requirements.

TheLEED for Homes Rating System (v4)allows certain credits to award exemplary performance points under theInnovation (IN) Credit: Innovationfor exceeding standard credit thresholds, promoting exceptional sustainability achievements.
According to theLEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction (v4):
IN Credit: Innovation (1-5 points)
Exemplary performance points are awarded for achieving significantly higher thresholds than required for specific credits. ForLocation and Transportation Credit: Compact Development, exemplary performance is awarded for exceeding the maximum density or proximity requirements (e.g., higher dwelling units per acre or closer proximity to services).
Source: LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, Innovation Credit: Innovation, p.
190; Location and Transportation Credit: Compact Development, p. 57.
TheLEED v4.1 Residential BD+Crating system confirms:
IN Credit: Innovation
Exemplary performance is available for credits likeLT Credit: Compact Developmentwhen projects achieve significantly higher densities or connectivity than the standard credit requirements.
Source: LEED v4.1 Residential BD+C, Credit Library, accessed via USGBC LEED Online.
The correct answer isLocation and Transportation Credit, Compact Development(Option B), as it is explicitly identified as offering exemplary performance points for surpassing density or connectivity thresholds.
Why not the other options?
Reference: LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, MR Credit: Durability Management Verification, p. 162.
C). Sustainable Sites Credit, Heat Island Reduction: This credit does not list exemplary performance in LEED v4 for Homes.Reference: LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, SS Credit:
Heat Island Reduction, p. 80.
D). Energy and Atmosphere Credit, Envelope Insulation: This credit focuses on insulation quality, not exemplary performance thresholds.Reference: LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, EA Credit: Envelope Insulation, p. 120.
TheLEED AP Homes Candidate Handbookemphasizes IN credits, including exemplary performance, and references theLEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Constructionas a key resource. The exam is based onLEED v4, ensuring the relevance of compact development.
References:
LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, USGBC, Innovation Credit: Innovation, p. 190; Location and Transportation Credit: Compact Development, p. 57.
LEED v4.1 Residential BD+C, USGBC LEED Credit Library, accessed via LEED Online (https://www.
usgbc.org/credits).
LEED AP Homes Candidate Handbook, GBCI, October 2024, p. 12 (references study resources and exam scope based on LEED v4).
USGBC LEED for Homes Rating System (v4), available via USGBC website (https://www.usgbc.org
/resources/leed-homes-design-and-construction-v4).
LEED v4.1 for Homes, USGBC, accessed via LEED Online, confirming exemplary performance credits.

TheLEED for Homes Rating System (v4)addresses landscape water use in theWater Efficiency (WE) Credit: Outdoor Water Use, which requires calculating the design landscape water requirements to optimize irrigation efficiency. Key factors influence the water needs of a landscape, guiding the design and irrigation strategy.
According to theLEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction (v4):
WE Credit: Outdoor Water Use (1-4 points)
Calculate the landscape water requirement based on the following factors:
* Vegetation selection: Choose plants with low water needs (e.g., native or drought-tolerant species).
* Microclimate: Consider site-specific conditions like sun exposure, shade, and wind that affect evapotranspiration rates.
* Irrigation type: Select efficient systems (e.g., drip irrigation) to minimize water waste.These factors are used to estimate the water demand and design an efficient irrigation system.Source: LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, Water Efficiency Credit: Outdoor Water Use, p. 98.
TheLEED v4.1 Residential BD+Crating system confirms:
WE Credit: Outdoor Water Use
The design landscape water requirement is determined by vegetation selection, microclimate factors (e.g., sun
/shade), and irrigation system efficiency (e.g., drip vs. spray).
Source: LEED v4.1 Residential BD+C, Credit Library, accessed via USGBC LEED Online.
The correct answer isvegetation selection, microclimate, and irrigation type(Option B), as these are the primary factors for calculating water requirements per LEED guidelines.
Why not the other options?
Reference: LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, WE Credit: Outdoor Water Use, p. 99 (discusses implementation, not calculation factors).
C). Soil slope, "no-disturbance" zones, and runoff velocity: These relate toSustainable Sitescredits (e.g., Rainwater Management) for managing runoff, not calculating landscape water needs.Reference: LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, Sustainable Sites Credit: Rainwater Management, p. 76.
D). Soil pH, soil compaction, and impervious surfaces: While soil conditions affect plant health, they are secondary to vegetation, microclimate, and irrigation for water requirement calculations. Impervious surfaces are relevant to heat island or runoff credits.Reference: LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, WE Credit: Outdoor Water Use, p. 98.
TheLEED AP Homes Candidate Handbookemphasizes WE credits, including outdoor water use, and references theLEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Constructionas a key resource. The exam is based onLEED v4, ensuring the relevance of these factors.
References:
LEED Reference Guide for Homes Design and Construction, v4, USGBC, Water Efficiency Credit:
Outdoor Water Use, p. 98-99.
LEED v4.1 Residential BD+C, USGBC LEED Credit Library, accessed via LEED Online (https://www.
usgbc.org/credits).
LEED AP Homes Candidate Handbook, GBCI, October 2024, p. 12 (references study resources and exam scope based on LEED v4).
USGBC LEED for Homes Rating System (v4), available via USGBC website (https://www.usgbc.org
/resources/leed-homes-design-and-construction-v4).
LEED v4.1 for Homes, USGBC, accessed via LEED Online, confirming landscape water factors.