The LEED Green Associate V4 Exam Complete Study

Building occupants benefit in general from green buildings. The “LEED Green Associate V4 Exam Complete Study Guide” states “Furthermore people who work in LEED-certified buildings have increased productivity due to the healthier environment of the buildings, which is the result of increased exposure to natural daylight, increased ventilation rates, inside the building, less contaminated indoor air space, more open spaces, increased acoustic performance, and many other aspects.” (Koralturk, 2015) Despite these numerous benefits, only exposure to natural daylight and more open spaces can be linked directly to reduced energy consumption. Perhaps one of the only benefits occupants receive when they conserve energy is the sense of self-gratification

They would no longer have the prestige of working in a certified green building, but amenities such as natural lighting, and open spaces would remain, and the benefits would continue to transfer to workers. If occupants are residents and not workers, then costs such as rent may go down slightly because of the loss of prestige. The GBCI’s decisions effects occupants marginally.
The public benefits from the construction of green buildings in a more indirect manner than either building owners or occupants because they do not interact with the building itself. The bulk of their benefits come in the form of longer term environmental stewardship. These benefits can be received in both a local and global context. In the local context LEED certified buildings utilize native plants and rain gardens which require less water. These plants can also reduce runoff and flooding locally. Since runoff is reduced, water does not

And is one of reasons the GBCI should enforce rules for the good of the public and the planet. Enforcement should consider all stakeholders involved and how each will be affected by the decision to enforce its rules. However, the GBCI cannot enforce its rules effectively without addressing the underlying causes of the problems. The first issue that needs to be addressed is energy modeling. Without accurate modeling, certified buildings will not perform as well as expected. This can lead to a variety of issues including increased energy consumption and increased carbon emissions. Another issue is requiring energy data from buildings. Without data, the GBCI cannot determine if a building is performing as expected. This requires a cultural shift within the company that actively prioritizes pursuing data from certified buildings. This is an internal rather than external fix, making it unique among the issues to solve. Overall, LEED certification helps buildings reduce energy consumption. It could be made more effective by making changes in how it models energy, collects data, and considers stakeholder analysis. Making these changes would allow LEED certification to carry more weight in its name, and truly validate buildings and owners who strive to care for the environment by reducing their energy