To LEED or not to LEED - 2.0

FOR those of you that were around when USGBC had the original LEED* test, you will remember the day that they decided that we had to re-take the test all over (two of them) and sign up for 30 hours of continuing education from the new ‘educational arm’ of USGBC. Oh, and by the way, we were given six months to get on board or get left behind.  We were labeled ‘heritage’ professionals by the internal workings of USGBC, but because of laws that govern accreditations we were still allowed to use our earned LEED AP appellations.

Many LEED AP’s ** chose not to retake all the tests (you would first have to take a test to be called a ‘green associate’, then IF you were part of an existing LEED project you were allowed to take a Specialty test.) Some, like me, were disillusioned by the very apparent economical purpose of this change in the program and chose not to retake the tests.

So, it was with humor that I received an email last week from the Green Building Certification Institute offering ‘FREE’ six hour training webinar that will earn me (apparently no tests involved) a LEED AP Specialty accreditation.  Though later in the document it states ‘complete all six hour-long webinars in the series by Oct 27, 2013…’ and I was unable to determine on the website which 6 hour webinars applied.  Their classes range from $80 to $550 so determining which classes is important. Oh, and by the way you still will need to take 30 hours of continued education every 2 years. It is apparent that USGBC figured out that most of the 155,270 LEED APs were not going to comply with the new system unless they were offered the ‘upgrade’ for free.J

*LEED : Leadership  in Energy and Environmental design, a green building certification system established in 2000 by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC)

**LEED AP: LEED Accredited Professional, a person who has demonstrated knowledge on the LEED green building certification program by passing a test.

Keeping Green

Christine

The Grid and those trying to loosen the stranglehold of government

The Grid – Those trying to loosen the stranglehold of government and Those who never were on the grid

It is interesting to me that with our struggle with energy, (too expensive, pollutes too much, need to lower our needs, etc) our government laws and codes often prevent us from getting off the grid. 

The Bullitt Center being built on Capitol Hill is being hailed as inspiration as it will provide all its own water, process all is own sewage, balance out a net zero on electricity, etc. But as Denis Hayes commented “This building was illegal to build in Seattle three years ago.” He was still trying to persuade health officials to allow the building’s drinking fountains, sinks and showers to use treated rainwater collect on the roof.  The health department wants a level of chlorine that contradicts the Living Building Challenge’s prohibitions on toxins so the center will currently be built with a hook up to city water.  The city granted several code exceptions for this building, specifically height restrictions that prevented the use of higher ceilings to maximize the use of natural light.

THEN there are the monks in Cambodia.  One hour from Cambodia’s capital is a village with eight monks and 10 orphans who have electricity in the first time in their lives – from solar panels.  The solar panels were donated and installed by a NGO (non government organization.) There is a good chance these monks will never be on the grid, and it is increasingly clear that some societies can jump frog the grid entirely as well as jump frog the accompanying government regulations.

Somehow, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Keep Green,  Christine

To LEED or Not to LEED

Definition -  LEED:  Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a green building certification system established in 2000 by the United State Green Building Council (USGBC)     LEED AP:  LEED Accredited Professional, a person who has demonstrated knowledge on the LEED green building certification program by passing a test.

In 2008 USGBC decided to SIGNIFICANTLY change the accredited professional program.  They decided that the education and accreditation of individuals would need to be done by a separate company, the Green Building Certificate Institute (GBCI).  GBCI set up a new certification program, first you have to take a test to be a ‘Green Associate.’ Those who pass that test can have the appellation ‘Green Associate’ after their name.  Has anyone heard of a green associate? (Do I want to look like Kermit or do I want to look like a professional?)

After passing the Green Associate test you can take a Specialty test IF and only IF you have documented experience on a project registered or certified for LEED.  Meaning your name has to be on the documents turned into USGBC as being part of the team working on a registered project.  In other words, you have to have worked on a LEED project before testing to be a LEED accredited professional.

My dilemma is that I spent thousands of dollars and many hours taking seminars, buying books and studying to pass the original LEED exam and now I am being told that I have to take the tests (and pay for them) all over again.  Plus, I do not have documented experience on a LEED project, so I am not allowed to take the Specialty test. 

Let’s look at some statistics to reflect on:

*As of 2011 there are 155,270 LEED Accredited Professionals

*As of 2011 there are 8,668 certified LEED projects, in other words there are around18 accredited professionals for each one project.  WHY ARE THERE SO FEW LEED PROJECTS?  Could it be that the weight of the documentation and cost of documentation, commissioning and registration make it prohibitive for most businesses?

*In 2008 those of us ‘heritage’ professionals (those who passed the original test) were told we had 6 months to switch over, take the new tests and commit to the new organization requirements. 

*THREE years later, the requirements for compliance have changed, and the current deadline for compliance is October 27, 2011.

*THREE years later 84% of the LEED APs (original test) have not switched over (129,681 LEED Aps with no specialty of a total of 155,270 accredited professionals.)

I believe in green building, I believe in testing and showing qualifications for accreditation.  I believe in the framework of credits that USGBC has established (and continue to change) for evaluating green building projects.  I do not believe in restricting access to the program to a few ‘CHOSEN’ that work at large architectural firms that work with large businesses or municipalities.  If the majority of businesses cannot afford to participate in the program because of the high cost of registration, commissioning and documentation AND the majority of heritage LEED APs do not qualify to take the specialty test because of the exclusivity of opportunities to work on LEED projects, then WHO is this program FOR?  WHO benefits? And WHO loses?