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Chris asks: In Question 31 of the free LEED GA practice test, Regional Priority Credits - Are you sure this question reads correctly?

Is it not TRUE that RPC's are "determined by regional councils, chapters and affiliates", and "are determined by zip code"?

Answer: Chris, thanks for bringing this matter to our attention. You’re correct, the question you reference should, in fact, read as follows:

Which of the following is true about Regional Priority credits (choose 2)?

1. They were determined by regional councils, chapters and affiliates*
2. They are determined by zip code*
3. They are developed by the applicable project
4. They are new credits with more stringent requirements

Answers A and B are correct (true).

The new regional priority credits (RPC’s) were developed through USGBC’s regional councils, chapters and affiliates. The intent of the Regional Priority credits is “to provide an incentive for the achievement of credits that address geographically specific environmental priorities”. Back when these were first announced, I thought these would be new credits specific to regions. But in fact, they’re simply extra points applicable depending on region. Earning up to four of the six credits in a project's location will earn a project one bonus point toward LEED certification under the LEED 2009 rating systems. Projects outside the US are not eligible for RPCs.

To determine what the Regional Priority credits are for your project, download the excel spreadsheet from the USGBC website (link below), select the appropriate rating system worksheet tab from the bottom and enter or select the zip code in which the project is located. You can download the excel spreadsheet for your state from http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1984.

The spreadsheet lists 6 possible credits, but only 4 may be applied towards your RP credits under LEEDv3. Also, some RPCs are multi-threshold credits. In each case, the bonus point is awarded only when a specific threshold is met. For example, WEc3, Water Use Reduction (in LEED for New Construction, Schools, and Core and Shell), includes three thresholds ranging from 30% water savings to 40% water savings. If a spreadsheet indicates WEc3(40%), a project must achieve the 40% threshold in order to earn the associated bonus point.

Then, for any of these credits that your project achieves, you can earn an extra point. Pretty simple, it seems... only time will tell for sure how simple it is. But I for one am excited about the RPC’s, especially the one in our local for IEQc2, Increased Ventilation. For example, as an engineer, we get asked about this credit a lot, but it’s a credit that ultimately increases the building’s energy usage in climates with dramatic seasons or humidity. So to make the credit worth more in climates where this is true makes it that much more worthwhile.

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