The demand for sustainable building is pushing architects, commercial developers, contractors, designers and others in the industry to look for ways to gain or increase their knowledge in green building.

The competitive arena in the green building market is rapidly expanding and in order to keep up you need to achieve accreditation under Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and become LEED certified.

Finding the time to take classes isn’t always easy. And, if you want your employees to become LEED certified, it can cause job delays and travel expense. So, what can you do?

The most convenient way for you and your employees to become LEED certified is via online classes. There are several LEED educational classes available online, including the LEED AP test prep class. Both the Green Building Council and The Association of Interior Designers offer classes or webinars and LEED AP study guides online.

Earning a LEED AP designation or getting your feet wet with the LEED Green Associate accreditation? You can do it all online.

• As a LEED AP your clients automatically earn an Innovation in Design point when working with them on a LEED Certification project – automatic point. As a General Contractor with a LEED AP designation, you’re able to handle the entire LEED Certification process for your client. This designation also enables you to gain recognition as a LEED AP on the USGBC web site. Their online accredited professional directory is where consumers will go to identify and contact qualified service providers.
• The LEED Green Associate accreditation is a great place to start and provides an excellent platform in which to grow.

For professionals new to green or seeking to go beyond LEED to enrich their knowledge in green techniques and business trends, the USGBC offers The Education Provider Program. Classes range from free to hundreds of dollars:

Brief summary of program:
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1654

Actual courses available:
http://www.greenbuild365.org/coursecatalog.aspx

Online courses and webinars for continuing education:
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1449

Along with study material offered by the USGBC, you can also find an intensive one-day technical overview of LEED (not online) at a variety of cities across the states. Check out their calendar of upcoming LEED Training Workshops: www.usgbc.org

There’s also the LEED Intermediate Workshop that’s a full-day of benefits and strategies of green building design. Here you’ll learn how to use and apply the LEED-NC Green Building Rating System. You’ll find green building resources that you can use in your projects and tools for leveraging green design and LEED into your practice. The workshop gives you knowledge you’ll need to prepare for the LEED Accreditation exam.

The cost of the intermediate workshop ranges from $325 to $475, depending on when you register and whether or not you’re a member. Cost includes online access to the LEED-NC Version 2.0 and 2.1 reference guides, the LEED-NC Version 2.1 reference package at a discount price, a one-year access to the LEED Credit Interpretation rulings on the LEED website, breakfast, lunch and break snacks.

Some Insight into the Exam

There are no prerequisites for registering for the LEED AP Exam. You are expected to know your stuff, however. It’s recommended that you have tenure in the building trade, whether it’s design, construction, facilities staff, or building business professional. It’s also recommended that you attend a LEED training workshop, read the Exam Study Guide, which includes sample test questions and exam details, and review the LEED Reference Guide.

The USGBC website has a list showing areas of expertise and knowledge that’s tested on the exam.

Prometric is a third party administer that offers the exam electronically. The exam ranges from the mid $200’s to mid $300’s (member vs. non-member pricing.) The exam can be taken six days a week year round.

Resources:
http://hvacreducationtechtips.blogspot.com/2009/05/going-green-with-online-education.html
http://www.greencontractors.us/how/

Tags: going green, green certification, green remodeling, leed, online classes, study guides, sustainable building, test prep, webinars

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