US Green Building Council LEED-AP-O+M Exam - Topic 3 Question 18 Discussion

Actual exam question for US Green Building Council's LEED-AP-O+M exam

Question #: 18
Topic #: 3

[All LEED-AP-O+M Questions]

The project team of an existing urban site has 4% total vegetated area and desires to increase the percentage to

equal or be greater than 5%. Which strategy can the team implement to achieve this goal?

AInstall a vegetated roof system

BConvert lawn areas to native plants

CMitigate the vegetated area off-site through a land trust

DConvert the paved areas of the site to pervious pavement

Show Suggested Answer

Suggested Answer: A

To increase the vegetated area of an existing urban site from 4% to equal or be greater than 5%, one effective strategy is to install a vegetated roof system. This approach not only increases the site's vegetated footprint but also provides additional benefits such as improved stormwater management, increased insulation, and reduction of the urban heat island effect. A vegetated roof system can be implemented on flat or slightly sloped roofs, making it a versatile option for urban environments where ground space may be limited. By converting unused roof space into green space, the project team can meet the goal of increasing the total vegetated area of the site. Reference: LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Design and Construction, U.S. Green Building Council.

by Georgene at Jul 31, 2025, 07:06 AM

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Starr

2 months ago

Wait, can we really just mitigate off-site? That seems sketchy.

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Colby

2 months ago

Pervious pavement could help too, but is it really enough?

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Alonso

3 months ago

I think converting lawn areas to native plants is the best option.

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Pearly

3 months ago

Definitely need to increase that vegetated area, 4% is too low!

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Joni

3 months ago

A vegetated roof system sounds like a solid choice!

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Nana

4 months ago

I feel like converting paved areas to pervious pavement might not directly increase the vegetated area, but it could help with water absorption. Not sure if it’s the best choice here.

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Eric

4 months ago

Mitigating off-site through a land trust sounds like a way to increase green space, but I’m not convinced it counts towards the site’s vegetated area.

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Jose

4 months ago

I remember practicing a question like this, and converting lawn areas to native plants seemed like a solid option. It’s definitely a more sustainable choice.

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Marion

4 months ago

I think installing a vegetated roof system could really help increase the vegetated area, but I'm not sure how much space it actually adds.

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Page

4 months ago

I feel pretty confident about this one. Installing a vegetated roof system seems like the most straightforward way to increase the vegetated area. The other options, like converting lawn to native plants or mitigating off-site, might work but could be more complicated to implement.

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Jamika

5 months ago

Okay, let's see. We need to increase the vegetated area from 4% to at least 5%. Converting paved areas to pervious pavement wouldn't directly increase the vegetated area, so that's probably not the best option. I'm leaning towards installing a vegetated roof system, since that would add more vegetation.

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Latonia

5 months ago

Hmm, I'm not sure about this one. I'm trying to think through the different strategies and how they would impact the vegetated area. I might need to re-read the question a few times to make sure I understand it fully.

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King

5 months ago

This seems pretty straightforward. I think the best option is to convert lawn areas to native plants, since that would directly increase the vegetated area.

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Tamar

6 months ago

I'm just here for the vegetable puns. 'Lettuce' see, option B sounds like the root of the solution to me.

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Linn

6 months ago

Ah, the age-old dilemma of increasing vegetation in an urban setting. Option B gets my vote - it's the most straightforward and sustainable approach.

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Fannie

2 months ago

True, but native plants are low maintenance and support local wildlife!

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Elena

2 months ago

But what about installing a vegetated roof? That could add a lot of greenery.

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Brett

3 months ago

I agree, converting to native plants is a great idea!

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Emerson

3 months ago

Pervious pavement could help too, especially for water management.

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Shanda

7 months ago

Mitigating the vegetated area off-site through a land trust? That's just shifting the problem, not solving it. I vote for option D - convert the paved areas to pervious pavement.

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