LEED AP Building Design and Construction (BD+C) Practice Exam

What is the anticipated outcome of utilizing EPA’s Target Finder in building design?

1. To create a physical model of the building

2. To evaluate indoor air quality

3. To assess and compare building performance

4. To plan the construction schedule

The correct answer is: To assess and compare building performance

Utilizing EPA’s Target Finder is primarily aimed at assessing and comparing building performance. This tool provides a standardized methodology for evaluating the energy efficiency of a building project relative to similar buildings. By entering specific project data, designers can receive an energy performance score that benchmarks the building against a database of similar buildings, allowing for a clear understanding of how the design performs in terms of energy use. This benchmarking function serves several important purposes. It helps to identify energy efficiency opportunities during the design process, guides decisions that enhance overall performance, and facilitates the pursuit of sustainability goals. By focusing on performance assessment, users can optimize design strategies to achieve better efficiency outcomes, aligning with LEED objectives for reducing environmental impact and improving sustainability metrics. In contrast, creating a physical model pertains more to architectural visualization and construction planning tasks, while evaluating indoor air quality focuses on the health aspects of building environments, neither of which are the primary functions of EPA’s Target Finder. Planning the construction schedule is also not within the scope of this tool, as it revolves around performance metrics rather than time management or project phasing.