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USGBC LEED Green Associate: LEED Regional Priority Credits Address Geographical Environmental Issues

Learn about the goal of LEED regional priority credits and how they incentivize project teams to achieve credits that address geographically specific environmental issues in different regions.

Table of Contents

Question

The goal of regional priority credits is to incentivize project teams to

A. Use a LEED AP on the design team
B. Achieve credits that address geographical specific environmental issues
C. Prioritize the needs of certain areas in the country that have more environmental impact needs than others
D. Increase environmental education and advocacy

Answer

B. Achieve credits that address geographical specific environmental issues

Explanation

Regional priority credits are bonus points that are awarded to projects that achieve credits that address geographically specific environmental, social equity and public health priorities. These credits are not new LEED credits, but instead are existing credits that USGBC regional councils and chapters have designated as being particularly important for their areas.

The goal of regional priority credits is to incentivize project teams to address the most critical and relevant environmental issues in their regions, such as water scarcity, air quality, habitat loss, or social equity. Regional priority credits are based on the project’s geolocation (latitude and longitude coordinates), which can be entered and confirmed during project registration in LEED Online. Each project can earn up to four regional priority bonus points, one for each regional priority credit achieved.

The goal of LEED regional priority credits is to provide an incentive for project teams to focus on achieving credits that address the environmental issues and priorities that are specific to the project’s geographic location.

Different regions face different environmental challenges. For example, water conservation is a much higher priority in the arid Southwest compared to the rainy Pacific Northwest. Urban areas have different needs than rural areas. Coastal regions may prioritize credits related to rising sea levels and storms.

LEED regional priority credits are worth additional points if achieved. The specific credits are determined by local USGBC chapters and regional councils based on the most pressing environmental issues in their area. The intent is to have LEED buildings focus on mitigating the impacts that matter most for their particular location.

The other options are incorrect:
A) Using a LEED AP is encouraged but not the goal of regional priority credits.
C) It’s about addressing regional issues, not prioritizing certain areas over others.
D) Education and advocacy are important but not the direct aim of these credits.

In summary, LEED regional priority credits aim to make LEED buildings as regionally responsive as possible by incentivizing the achievement of credits that target geographically specific environmental issues and needs. This helps ensure LEED buildings optimally address the most critical priorities of their particular location.

USGBC LEED Green Associate certification exam practice question and answer (Q&A) dump with detail explanation and reference available free, helpful to pass the USGBC LEED Green Associate exam and earn USGBC LEED Green Associate certification.