Learn the most effective strategies to reduce energy demand when designing a campus of buildings. Expert insights for the USGBC LEED Green Associate certification exam.
Table of Contents
Question
A project plans to build a campus of buildings. Which of the following strategies should the project team consider to reduce energy demand?
A. Purchase carbon offsets
B. Design buildings to shade each other
C. Enroll in a demand response program
D. Select HVAC equipment without refrigerants
Answer
The best strategy the project team should consider to reduce energy demand when building a campus of buildings is:
B. Design buildings to shade each other
Explanation
Designing buildings to shade each other can help reduce energy demand by decreasing cooling loads. By strategically positioning buildings on a site, it’s possible to use the buildings themselves to block solar heat gain, reducing the need for air conditioning.
Designing the buildings on the campus to provide shading for one another is a passive design strategy that can significantly reduce cooling loads and energy demand, especially in hot climates. Thoughtful building orientation and massing that maximizes shading will decrease the amount of direct sunlight hitting the buildings, lowering solar heat gain and keeping the buildings cooler. This in turn reduces the amount of energy needed for air conditioning.
The other options, while relevant to energy and sustainability, do not directly reduce the buildings’ energy demand:
A. Purchasing carbon offsets can help compensate for emissions but does not actually lower the buildings’ energy consumption.
C. Demand response programs help balance the electricity grid by reducing consumption during peak times, but they don’t necessarily decrease total energy demand.
D. Selecting HVAC equipment without refrigerants addresses the issue of ozone depletion and global warming potential from refrigerant leaks, but does not inherently reduce the amount of energy the HVAC equipment consumes.
Therefore, designing the campus buildings to shade each other is the most direct and effective strategy among the choices given for reducing the development’s overall energy demand. Passive design approaches like this should be a first priority before exploring other energy reduction measures.
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.