LEED AP BD+C key terms

A collaborative, cross-discipline approach that starts in pre-design and analyzes how building systems interact-energy, water, site, materials-so teams find synergies and cost-effective solutions before design decisions harden.

An intensive, facilitated workshop held early in a project where owner, designers, engineers and stakeholders jointly explore goals, site options and system interactions, producing consensus direction before schematic design begins.

A written document prepared by the owner stating the building's intended use, occupancy, functional needs, performance targets and budget, forming the benchmark against which commissioning verifies the completed project.

The designer's written record of assumptions, calculations, standards and system selections used to meet the owner's project requirements; it is compared with the OPR during commissioning.

A method that compares design alternatives by totaling initial cost plus operating, maintenance, replacement and utility costs over a defined study period, usually discounted to present value.

A previously developed or infill parcel with existing infrastructure and proximity to transit, housing and services; developing it reduces sprawl, preserves open space and earns location-related credits.

Transit service near a project that meets LEED's thresholds for distance to stops and frequency of service, showing that occupants have a practical alternative to driving alone.

A continuous system of paths, lanes and low-speed streets linking the project to destinations; LEED rewards projects on such networks and those providing secure bicycle storage and shower facilities.

Land previously used for industrial or commercial purposes that may be contaminated with hazardous substances; redeveloping it can earn credits when cleanup is documented and liability is addressed.

Land whose soil and climate suit producing food, feed or fiber; it is generally protected from development and is excluded from many LEED site credits.

The warming of developed areas relative to surrounding countryside, caused by dark heat-absorbing surfaces and sparse vegetation; LEED reduces it with reflective roofing and paving, shade trees and open-grid paving.

Waste light that escapes upward or off-site, disrupting ecosystems and night-sky visibility; LEED limits it through fixture shielding, exterior light-level limits and the BUG (backlight, uplight, glare) rating system.

A pre-design study of a site's topography, hydrology, soils, vegetation, climate, views, transportation and contamination that informs building siting and protection of natural features.

A stormwater strategy that manages rain close to where it falls using infiltration, evapotranspiration, rain gardens, permeable paving and reuse, mimicking natural hydrology and reducing runoff and pollution.

Plant species indigenous to the region or well suited to local climate and soils that thrive without supplemental irrigation or chemicals; using them cuts outdoor water demand and supports habitat.

The percentage decrease in potable water used by fixtures, fittings and appliances compared with a calculated baseline of code or EPA flow rates, achieved with efficient products and nonpotable sources.

Water consumed by evaporative cooling towers for makeup and blowdown. LEED rewards designs that raise cycles of concentration and use treated nonpotable water to cut potable demand.

Installing separate meters for major water or energy end uses-such as irrigation, cooling towers, tenant spaces or process loads-so consumption can be tracked and anomalies detected during operation.

The prerequisite process in which an independent commissioning authority verifies that energy and water systems are installed and perform according to the owner's project requirements and basis of design.

A credit that extends commissioning past the prerequisite with design review, submittal review, a systems manual, training verification and a post-occupancy review within ten months of occupancy.

A building's annual energy consumption per unit of floor area, usually expressed in kBtu per square foot per year; it allows comparison of performance across buildings and against targets.

A free EPA web tool used to track energy and water use, benchmark a building against similar buildings, and generate the score and data that support LEED energy performance documentation.

A plan and process, often following the IPMVP protocol, that tracks actual energy use after occupancy and compares it with predicted savings so operators can correct underperformance.

Tradable instruments representing the environmental attributes of one megawatt-hour of renewable electricity; purchasing certified RECs can offset a project's conventional energy use in LEED accounting.

A measure of how much heat a refrigerant traps in the atmosphere relative to carbon dioxide over a chosen period; LEED favors refrigerants with low GWP and no ozone-depleting potential.

A quantified analysis of environmental impacts-such as embodied carbon, energy and water-associated with materials and processes across a building's entire life, used to compare design options.

A third-party verified report disclosing a product's life-cycle environmental impacts, such as global warming potential, based on standardized rules; it supports informed material selection.

The portion of a material made from pre-consumer or post-consumer recovered waste, measured by weight and cost; using it diverts waste and reduces demand for virgin resources.

Planning and tracking of debris generated during construction and demolition so materials are diverted to recycling or reuse rather than landfill, verified through waste hauler reports.

A third-party forest certification verifying that wood products come from responsibly managed forests; LEED credits it as evidence of sustainable sourcing for building materials.

Carbon-based chemicals that evaporate at room temperature from paints, adhesives, sealants, flooring and furnishings; LEED limits their content and requires source control to protect indoor air quality.

The industry standard for ventilation and acceptable indoor air quality that sets minimum outdoor air rates, exhaust requirements and system design criteria referenced by LEED's indoor air quality prerequisite.

The condition of satisfaction with temperature, humidity, radiant conditions and air speed; LEED requires design to ASHRAE 55 and provides individual control and monitoring to maintain occupant comfort.

The controlled admission of natural light through windows, skylights or light shelves to cut electric lighting and improve occupant satisfaction; LEED credits simulated or measured daylight levels while limiting glare.

A LEED credit awarded for exceptional or pioneering performance beyond existing credit requirements, or for a strategy the rating system does not address, documented with a clear measurable outcome.

A bonus credit available for achieving specific credits identified as environmentally important in the project's zip code, reflecting local priorities such as water scarcity or air quality.

Involving the surrounding community in project decisions through meetings, notice and response to feedback, helping surface concerns early; it reflects LEED's attention to project surroundings and public outreach.