Xeriscaping is a landscaping practice that uses drought-tolerant native and adaptive plants to reduce water use and maintenance. Xeriscaping also incorporates other strategies such as mulching, efficient irrigation, soil improvement, and appropriate design and zoning. By using xeriscaping, projects can conserve water, protect natural habitats, reduce stormwater runoffand pollution, and enhance the aesthetic and ecological value of the site. References: LEED v4 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction, p. 123 1; [Xeriscape Colorado website]

A life-cycle assessment (LCA) is a strategy that can help an owner of newly acquired land design a building that uses materials that have minimal impact on the environment. An LCA is a method that evaluates the environmental impacts of a product or material over its entire life cycle, from extraction to disposal. An LCA can measure the impacts on various categories, such as energy use, water use, greenhouse gas emissions, resource depletion, and waste generation. An LCA can help compare different products or materials based on theirenvironmental performance and select the ones that have the lowest impact13. References: LEED v4 Green Associate Candidate Handbook1, EPA's Life CycleAssessment3

A wind turbine is a source of green power, which is electricity generated from renewable sources that have low or zero greenhouse gas emissions. A wind turbine converts the kinetic energy of the wind into mechanical power, which can then be used to generate electricity. Wind power is a clean, abundant, and sustainable form of energy that does not produce air pollution or contribute to climate change. According to the U.S.
Department of Energy, wind power accounted for about 8.4% of the total U.S. electricity generation in 2020.
The other options are not sources of green power, as they either rely on fossil fuels or nuclear energy, which have significant environmental and social impacts. Clean coal is a term used to describe technologies that aim to reduce the emissions and waste from burning coal, but it is still a carbon-intensive and polluting source of energy. Nuclear fission is a process that splits atoms to release energy, but it also produces radioactive waste that poses long-term health and safety risks. Natural gas captured by hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a process that injects water, chemicals, and sand into underground rock formations to release natural gas, but it also causes water contamination, air pollution, and seismic activity. References: LEED v4 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction, p. 347 1; [U.S. Department of Energy website]

Low cubicle partitions enhance the spread of daylight deeper into office spaces, improving natural lighting and reducing dependence on artificial lighting. This supports LEED credits under Indoor Environmental Quality, which aim to optimize daylight for better occupant health, productivity, and energy savings.

According to a study completed by the Heschong Mahone Group, providing increased daylighting in schools can improve student test scores by 7%-18%. Daylighting is the practice of placing windows, skylights, other openings, and reflective surfaces so that sunlight (direct or indirect) can provideeffective internal lighting.
Particular attention is given to daylighting while designing a building when the aim is to maximize visual comfort or to reduce energy use. References: LEED Green Associate Candidate Handbook, U.S. Green Building Council resources