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

Which tool is primarily used for benchmarking building performance in Integrative Design?

1. Energy Star Portfolio Manager

2. EPA's Target Finder

3. LEED Online

4. Green Building Advisor

The correct answer is: EPA's Target Finder

The primary tool used for benchmarking building performance in Integrative Design is EPA's Target Finder. This tool provides a standardized way to evaluate a building's energy performance against similar buildings, helping to identify potential energy savings and performance goals early in the design process. By using Target Finder, project teams can establish energy performance targets that align with their sustainability goals, ensuring the building design is competitive and efficient. Target Finder is particularly valuable for integrative design because it encourages a holistic approach to energy performance by allowing teams to assess their design choices against benchmarking data and determine effective strategies for improvement. This proactive analysis can lead to design decisions that enhance energy efficiency and reduce overall building operational costs. In contrast, other tools like Energy Star Portfolio Manager primarily focus on ongoing performance monitoring post-occupancy rather than during the design phase. LEED Online is used for managing the documentation and certification process for LEED projects, while the Green Building Advisor serves as a resource for advice and best practices but does not function specifically as a benchmarking tool.