Which of the following is a focus area of the Sustainable Sites category in LEED?

Habitat protection and restoration is a primary focus area of the Sustainable Sites category in LEED. This category emphasizes the importance of minimizing the impact of the building on the natural environment, preserving and restoring habitats, and promoting biodiversity. Strategies that contribute to this focus area might involve protecting existing native vegetation, designing landscapes that support local flora and fauna, and implementing measures to prevent soil erosion.

While energy consumption reduction, indoor environmental quality improvement, and water use optimization are essential aspects of sustainable building practices, they fall under different categories within the LEED framework. Energy consumption reduction is primarily addressed in the Energy and Atmosphere category, indoor environmental quality improvement relates to the Indoor Environmental Quality category, and water use optimization pertains to the Water Efficiency category. Each of these areas focuses on distinct aspects of sustainability, but habitat protection and restoration directly aligns with the goals of the Sustainable Sites category, making it the correct choice.