1. What does LEED stand for? 

It stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. 

2. What is the name of the organization that established the LEED program? 

The United States Green Building Council established the program. 

3. Please list the six reasons why the LEED program was established. 

• To establish a common standard of measurement for green building 

• To promote integrated whole-building designing practices 

• To validate enviormental leadership in construction 

• Create/increase green competition 

• Share awareness of green building benefits to consumers 

• To Transform the building market  

4. What are the four levels of the LEED certification process? 

The four levels are LEED Certified, Silver Level, Gold Level, and Platinum level. 

5. Please list the six sensitive lands designated by the LEED Certification process. 

• Agricultural 

• Flood Plains 

• Land Containing Endangered Species 

• Land Within 100 Ft of Water 

• Natural Habitats 

• Former Public Parks 

6. What is a brownfield? 

It is abandoned land with contamination. 

7. In your own words – please explain the intent and requirements of Location and Transportation Credit 5 – Access to Quality Transit. 

The intent of access to quality transit is to reduce car emissions by providing more options of transportation. The requirements of this are to scan an area for potential starting points for transportation within ½-¼ of a mile of existing public transit. 

8. In your own words – please explain the intent and requirements of Sustainable Sites Credit 2 - Site Development – Protect and Restore Habitat. 

The intent is to promote the increase of animal ecosystems. The requirements of this are to use roofs to promote animal lives and deal with stormwater runoff. 

9. In your own words – please explain the intent and requirements of Sustainable Sites Credit 5 - Heat Island Reduction. 

Heat Island reduction intends to shrink heat islands to reduce their effects on life and microclimates. The requirements are to either use existing plant life/material to provide more shade areas or create parking spaces with at least 75% of them covered. 

10. In your own words – please explain the intent and requirements of Sustainable Sites Credit 6 - Light Pollution. 

The intent is to reduce artificial light from leaving sites/buildings to get a better look at the night sky and improve nocturnal environments. Their requirements are for interior lighting to always remain inside buildings and for non-emergency lighting to automatically turn off after hours. 

11. According to the first prerequisite in Materials and Resources, please list the five materials that must be recycled in a LEED certified project? 

• Paper 

• Metals 

• Glass 

• Corrugated Cardboard 

• Plastics 

  1. Please list the five ingredients concrete is made of. 

Concrete is made of water, sand, gravel, Portland Cement, and air. 

2. What is Portland Cement? 

Portland Cement is finely pulverized lime, silica, alumina, and iron that resembled stone quarried on the isle of Portland off the British coast. 

3. Please list and describe the five types of Portland Cement. 

Type I (normal): used for general construction and should not be in contact with hot temperatures or high-sulfate soils during hydration. 
Type II (moderate): used in drainage structures, large piers, and Heavy Retaining Walls. This also should not be in contact with hot temperatures or high-sulfate soils during hydration. 
Type III (high early strength): used when high strength is needed early in construction. 
Type IV (low heat): used when heat generated should be kept low in the structure. 
Type V (sulfate resisting): used only in extreme sulfate actions. 

4. What is the difference between fine and coarse aggregate? 

Fine aggregates are ¼ of an inch in diameter and used in materials like plaster and mortar and fill layers in roadway work. Coarse aggregates are anything greater in diameter than fine aggregates (more than ¼ of an inch) and strengthen concrete. 

5. What is concrete reinforcement and why is it important? 

Concrete reinforcement consists of embedding wiring or steel bars into concrete and is important to strengthen concrete in its weak points of tension. 

6. Concrete is strong in  

Its ability to resist compressive loads. 

7. Concrete is weak in  

Dealing with tensile forces 

8. What is a control joint and why are they important?  

Control joints control where cracking occurs and prevent unnecessary stress and uncontrolled cracking. 

9. What are expansion joints and why are they important? 

Expansion joints join a pair of separate pours of concrete and help give structural flexibility. 

10. What is a slump test, what does it measure and why is it important? 

Slump tests find the workability of concrete mixtures and are important to ensure the concrete will give structural longevity. 

11. What are the eight finishing steps to concrete and explain each? 

Bleeding: When water in the concrete mixture bleeds out to stop the surface on the concrete slab. 
Screeding: When the top surface of fresh concrete is struck off by moving a straight-edge back and forth. 
Leveling: When the concrete slabs are leveled by filling in empty spaces in the slab to give it its true grade 
Edging: When the concrete slabs are rounded off at formed edges to prevent chipping or damage.  
Jointing: When inserting control joints in concrete slabs. 
Floating: removing slight imperfections, humps, and voids to create a plane surface. 
Troweling: using a trowel to help compact the concrete and prepare it for thin finishes like carpet or paint. 
Broom Finish: Involves sweeping a concrete surface with a broom for a nonslip surface. 

12. Please explain concrete cure time and why is it important? 

The cure time for concrete is 28 days and is important to find out when it reaches its full strength 

13. What are the advantages and disadvantages of Pre Cast Concrete? 

The advantages of precast concrete include being manufactured in a controlled environment, efficient quality control and management, does not require a large land area, and how weather conditions are not a factor. Its disadvantages are how it may not always be delivered on time for construction time, delivery costs, and it needs a small error margin to perfectly fit the entire design. 

14. What are the advantages and disadvantages of Cast in Place Concrete? 

The advantages of casting in place concrete include no delivery needed, versatility with computer modeling, and allowing builders leeway to design precise and customizable forms for the structure. Its disadvantages though are its lengthy time set-up, space usage, and uncertainty of quality, and the use of intense labor. 

1. Please list the reasons why Concrete Masonry Units (CMU) are used in the built environment. 

CMUs are useful because they are easy to use, cheap, light weight, durable, and work well against fire. 

2. Please list the reasons why Clay Masonry Units (Bricks) are used in the built environment. 

Bricks are useful for the same reasons as CMUs including being easy to use, cheap, light weight, durable, and working well against fire. 

3. Frogged and Cored Brick are primarily used for  

Building construction 

4. Solid Bricks are called 

Pavers 

5. Please explain CMU and Brick Modular Dimensions.  Why is this important? 

CMUs and Bricks are made at specific industrial sizes. CMUs are made at an 8”x 8” x 16” size and bricks are made at a 7 5/8” x 2 ¼" x 3 5/8” sizes. 

6. Please draw a Modular Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU) with the appropriate dimensions. 

7. What are the simple rules that will help an architect design per CMU Course dimensions?  

The simplest rules are the even and odd rules. If you have an even measure on the design, you could add either 8” or 0” to the design. If you have an odd measure, you will add 4”. 

8. How many vertical bricks = 1 CMU? 

1 CMU is equal to 3 vertical bricks. 

9. Is 235’ – 4” a CMU course dimension? 

Yes 

10. Is 24’- 6” a CMU course dimension? 

No 

11. Is 213’ - 5” a CMU course dimension? 

No 

12. Is 5’ – 4” a CMU course dimension? 

Yes 

13. Please draw the CMU and Brick Cavity Wall sectionally and label the location of the CMU and Brick. 

14. What are weep holes? 

They are small openings on the facade of buildings that drain water and prevent moisture buildup. 

15. What is the difference between mortar and grout? 

Mortar is different than grout with it being used to fill gaps in masonry while grout is used in ceramics and tiles. Also, mortar is a binder and is prepared on site while grout is a filler that is readily available and uses more water than mortar. 

16. What are the four types of mortar and when should they be used? 

The types of mortar include types M, S, N, and O. M should be used for reinforced masonry or anything else that requires high strength. S is used for reinforced/nonreinforced masonry or anywhere where flexible strength is needed. N is used in most general situations and anytime high/lateral strengths aren’t needed. O is used in low strength situations with it being used mostly in interior settings. 

17. What are the three most common brick positioning patterns?  Please draw each one. 

18. What are the five brick bonding patterns?  Please draw each one. 

 19. What is the name of the simplest brick bonding pattern to construct? 

A running bond 

20. What is the name of the only acceptable mortar joint? 

The Concave Mortar joint. 

21. What is efflorescence? 

Efflorescence is white, powder on the masonry surface that are caused by unproper joints that let salt leach out.