LEED AP ID+C key terms

A mandatory requirement that every project must satisfy to earn certification; failing any prerequisite prevents certification regardless of how many optional credits are achieved.

An optional point-earning requirement grouped by topic; projects choose which credits to pursue to reach the certification threshold, with each credit worth one or more points.

The basic eligibility conditions a building must meet before it can register for LEED, covering permanent location, reasonable boundaries, and compliance with environmental laws.

The defined land and building area included in a certification application; it must be reasonable, contiguous, and consistent across all credits so results are comparable and not cherry-picked.

A formal written answer from the certification body explaining how a specific credit requirement applies to a project's unique circumstances; it sets precedent for similar projects.

A collaborative approach that brings owners, designers, contractors, and operators together early to set shared goals, study trade-offs across systems, and make decisions based on whole-building performance rather than isolated components.

A focused, facilitated workshop held early in design where the project team and stakeholders agree on sustainability goals, responsibilities, and performance targets before drawings are fixed.

A location criterion rewarding projects near bus, rail, or ferry stops with frequent service, encouraging occupants to commute without relying on private automobiles.

Secure bicycle parking plus showers and changing rooms provided for occupants, making cycling a practical commuting option and reducing motor vehicle trips.

Limiting the amount of parking supplied relative to building square footage or occupant count, which discourages driving alone and frees land for other uses.

A prerequisite that prohibits developing certain sensitive lands such as wetlands, prime farmland, or habitat for threatened species, protecting ecological and agricultural value.

Designing exterior lighting to limit glare, skyglow, and light trespass onto neighboring property, preserving night sky visibility and reducing ecological disturbance.

The tendency of dark roofs, pavement, and hardscape to absorb solar heat and raise local temperatures; mitigated with reflective surfaces, shade, and vegetation.

Lowering potable water consumed by toilets, urinals, faucets, and showers through efficient fixtures and fittings, measured against a calculated baseline.

A U.S. EPA labeling program identifying plumbing fixtures and appliances that use at least 20 percent less water than standard models while performing as well.

Annual energy consumed per unit of floor area, usually expressed in kBtu per square foot per year, used to compare a building's energy performance against benchmarks.

A free online tool for tracking energy and water use across a portfolio and generating the benchmark score used in LEED energy performance calculations.

The energy standard for buildings that sets minimum requirements for envelopes, lighting, HVAC, and service water heating; LEED uses it as the baseline for energy modeling.

A credit that awards points for reducing predicted energy cost or consumption below the ASHRAE 90.1 baseline, documented through whole-building energy simulation.

A quality assurance process in which systems are inspected, tested, and documented to confirm they operate as designed and meet the owner's requirements.

A more rigorous commissioning scope that adds design review, contractor submittal review, and post-occupancy verification beyond the fundamental prerequisite.

A plan for tracking actual energy use after occupancy against predicted performance, using metering and analysis methods such as IPMVP, so savings can be confirmed.

Tradable certificates representing one megawatt-hour of electricity generated from renewable sources; purchasing them supports renewable generation even when the building buys grid power.

The proportion of a material's mass made from post-consumer or pre-consumer waste, calculated by cost or weight to reward products that divert waste from landfill.

A third-party verified report summarizing a product's life-cycle environmental impacts, such as carbon and water use, allowing comparison between similar products.

A standardized disclosure listing a product's ingredients and associated health hazards, helping design teams choose materials with fewer toxic chemicals.

A method that quantifies environmental impacts of materials across extraction, manufacturing, transport, use, and disposal, used to compare design options.

Planning and tracking diversion of debris from landfill through reuse, recycling, and salvage, with documented weights or volumes for credit achievement.

Products such as paints, adhesives, sealants, flooring, and furniture that meet strict limits on volatile organic compound emissions, protecting indoor air quality.

Content measures how much volatile organic compound is in a product before use; emissions measure what is released into air over time. LEED credits generally regulate emissions.

A document describing how the team will protect ducts, control dust and moisture, and sequence work to keep pollutants out of the building during construction.

Running the ventilation system with fresh air for a defined period before occupancy to remove construction-related gases and particles from the interior.

A prerequisite requiring ventilation and outdoor air monitoring that meet ASHRAE 62.1, ensuring occupants receive adequate fresh air and acceptable indoor air quality.

Conditions of temperature, humidity, and air movement that occupants find acceptable, designed to ASHRAE 55 and verified through occupant surveys.

A post-occupancy questionnaire that asks building users to rate temperature, acoustics, lighting, and air quality, revealing problems that design assumptions missed.

Access to natural light through windows and skylights, evaluated by metrics such as spatial daylight autonomy to ensure useful illumination without excessive glare.

Direct sightlines to the outdoors or to varied interior scenery from regularly occupied spaces, supporting visual comfort and connection to the environment.

A credit awarded for exceptional performance beyond existing requirements or for a creative strategy that advances sustainability in a way the rating system does not already reward.

A proposed credit offered for testing before it becomes part of the rating system; projects can earn points by trying it and providing feedback.

Communication with neighbors, local officials, and community groups about a project's goals and impacts, building support and reducing conflicts during design and construction.