Ten questions, one for most of the eight knowledge domains, pitched at the easier end of what the exam asks. If you are trying to work out what LEED AP BD+C questions actually look like — or whether you are anywhere near ready to book — this is the right place to start.
They are deliberately not exam-hard. Eight of the ten are the sort of thing a candidate who has read the material once should get right; the last two are there so you can feel where the ceiling is.
Read that honestly: getting nine of these does not mean you are ready. It means you are ready to start working on the real thing.
Attempt all ten before checking your results. Write your answers down or commit to an answer before moving on. Deciding in your head and then immediately reading an explanation makes it very easy to convince yourself you knew something you did not.
10 free LEED AP BD+C sample questions
Take the quiz — get your scored results by email
What these questions test
| Topic | What you are being tested on |
|---|---|
| LEED Process | Minimum Program Requirements and the permanent-location requirement |
| Integrative Process | The three LEED v5 impact areas and how they relate to project goals |
| Indoor Environmental Quality | Thermal comfort and the correct ASHRAE standard |
| Energy & Atmosphere | Fundamental Refrigerant Management and the no-refrigerants pathway |
| Indoor Environmental Quality | Resilient Spaces and episodic outdoor conditions |
| Water Efficiency | Outdoor water use and temporary irrigation during landscape establishment |
| Sustainable Sites | Rainwater Management and what LEED considers retained runoff |
| Materials & Resources | Environmental product declarations and third-party verification |
| Energy & Atmosphere | Ventilation energy recovery and the difference between sensible and enthalpy recovery thresholds |
| Location & Transportation | Sensitive Land Protection and the distinction between previously developed and undeveloped sites |
What your score here actually means
Nothing definitive about your chances, and something useful about your next step. Ten relatively easy questions cannot predict your performance across a two-hour exam.
What they can do is give you a rough indication of where your preparation currently stands.
| If you scored | What that suggests | Where to go |
|---|---|---|
| 8 to 10 | You have the vocabulary and basic structure. The exam's greater difficulty comes from applying multiple rules together and handling calculations. | Move to the eight domain practice sets, which are written closer to exam level. |
| 5 to 7 | The foundations are in place, but some of the detail is still missing. That is a normal position partway through preparation. | Work through the domain sets one at a time and read the explanations even where you answered correctly. |
| Under 5 | The foundations are still being built. More difficult practice questions are unlikely to be the most efficient next step yet. | Start with the credential structure and syllabus, then return to practice questions. |
One thing worth knowing whatever you scored: the passing score is reported as 170, and GBCI does not publish the underlying scoring scale. A scaled score therefore should not be treated as a simple count of correct answers, and a practice-test percentage cannot be converted directly into a guaranteed exam result.
Where these questions came from
Every question here was written for this page. None is taken from a real GBCI exam, from 3FOLD's paid mock exams, from our module quizzes, or from a competitor.
Reproducing a real exam question would breach the candidate agreement that every candidate signs, and we are not going to ask you to read one. Be careful of any site that claims its questions are the real thing — either they are not, in which case you are being misled, or they are, in which case using them could put your own result at risk.
What they are built from: published LEED v5 BD+C requirements and thresholds, and 3FOLD's own teaching handouts. Facts, thresholds and credit names are usable; USGBC's wording is not, so every stem, option and explanation is in our own words. Where our own material and a published source disagree, we left the point out rather than pick a side.
Where to go next
- The eight domain practice sets — 85 questions at exam level, one for every scored question on the real paper.
- Ten questions candidates get wrong — the traps that catch prepared candidates, dissected in detail.
- The full timed mock — 100 questions in two hours. Save it until the other practice sets stop catching you.
- What the exam actually is — useful if you are still deciding whether to sit it.
Frequently asked questions
Are these free LEED AP BD+C sample questions real exam questions?
No. Every question was written for this page. Reproducing a real GBCI question would breach the candidate agreement every candidate signs.
How hard are these compared with the real exam?
Easier, deliberately. Eight of the ten are foundational and two are closer to exam level. The domain practice sets and full mock are designed to provide more demanding practice; this page is a starting point.
How many questions are on the LEED AP BD+C exam?
The exam delivers 100 questions in a two-hour appointment, with 85 scored questions. Because candidates are not told which questions are unscored, every question should be approached the same way.
Do I need a course to pass the LEED AP BD+C exam?
No. No course is required to sit or pass the exam, ours included. Project experience is strongly recommended but is not a prerequisite for sitting the exam.
If it would help to talk it through
3FOLD TRAINING has prepared professionals for certification exams since 2008, across more than 100 countries. If you have worked through these questions and want a read on whether you are ready, describe where you are through the course enquiry form.
Our LEED AP BD+C training covers the full syllabus. No course is required to sit or pass the exam, ours included — and if these questions are going well, the honest answer may be that you do not need one.
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