Prepare to Pass the LEED Green Associate Test!

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Advice provided by: Claire Moloney, LEED Green Associate, Cornell University

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Green building has grown despite the recession, and is predicted to continue to thrive in 2012.

According to McGraw-Hill Construction's "Green Outlook 2011: Trends Driving Growth", the green building market grew 50% between 2008 and 2010, despite the state of the economy.

This trend is projected to continue in 2012. Jerry Yudelson, LEED fellow and founder of Yudelson Associates, predicts that green building will grow despite economic difficulties. In a Sustainable Industries article, he says:

"Green building in North America will rebound in 2012, using new LEED project registrations as a proxy for this growth...The focus of the green building industry will continue its switch from new building design and construction to greening existing buildings. One fast-growing LEED rating system during the past two years has been LEED for Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance (LEED-EBOM), with cumulative floor area in certified projects now greater than in new construction, and I expect this trend to pick up even more in 2012."

In short, green building is a staying trend. This means that professionals in industries related to building, such as construction and real estate, may have much to gain by educating themselves in green building concepts and strategies.

In a recent article in the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce, Barbara Travers pointed out that real estate agents have a great deal to gain by pursuing green building education.

Travers, who owns BT Marketing and specializes in marketing for commercial real estate, says that tenants are demanding green buildings – and that real estate agents should be well-versed in green vernacular and sustainable building. Travers says:

“As frontline practitioners, commercial real estate brokers must catch up with relevant sustainability knowledge for buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants. How can you relay to an acquisition analyst the cost benefits of a mechanical retrofit or explain the energy savings of daylight cleaning to a tenant if you aren’t even equipped with the baseline terminology?”

LEED for Real Estate Agents

LEED credentials can help professionals in the real estate industry to understand green building principles and the LEED green building rating system. In turn, this knowledge could help real estate brokers to better market green properties.

The LEED Green Associate credential is appropriate for real estate professionals who want to demonstrate their general understanding of green building concepts and LEED. This is considered the Tier I LEED credential, because it is more conceptual (rather than technical) and does not require experience on a LEED project.

To learn more about the LEED Green Associate exam, eligibility requirements and exam preparation, see the green-buildings.com LEED Green Associate topic page.

The LEED AP credential may be advantageous to real estate professionals who want a deeper understanding of specific types of LEED and green building projects. In fact, LEED AP candidates must choose a specialty, which will designate their expertise in a particular LEED rating system. The specialties include:

- LEED AP Building Design + Construction (BD+C)

- LEED AP Operations + Maintenance (O+M)

- LEED AP Interior Design + Construction (ID+C)

- LEED AP Homes

- LEED AP Neighborhood Development (ND)

LEED AP is the Tier II credential, so you must earn your LEED Green Associate credential before you can take the LEED AP exam. Also, you must have worked on a LEED-registered project in order to qualify for the exam.

For more information about the LEED AP exam, eligibility requirements, specialties and exam preparation, see the green-buildings.com LEED AP topic page.

Green Brokers: LEED Continuing Education

While real estate brokers can gain an understanding of green building principles by earning LEED credentials, the Certified Green Broker designation is geared specifically toward professionals in the real estate industry.

Tricia Deering is the president of the Commercial Brokers Association, an organization that developed and currently administers the Certified Green Broker designation. In a 2010 Oregon Daily Journal of Commerce article, Deering said:

“I could find people that went through the LEED Accredited Professional program, but every time I talked to them they expressed their concern that the program was intended for builders, not brokers,” she said. “I figured this was a growing issue, so I decided to call the U.S. Green Building Council and get one started.”

The Commercial Brokers Association awards the Certified Green Broker designation to licensed real estate brokers. The designation is designed to educate brokers on the benefits and methods of buying, leasing, managing and building green.

According to Travers, becoming a Certified Green Broker is a great way for brokers to prepare themselves for the green building market, which is more than just a trend. She says:

“Certified Green Brokers come armed with green knowledge. Recommending green strategies to clients and staying current with the national and global green real estate market will prepare today’s broker for what is undeniably becoming mainstream.”

In order to earn this designation, candidates must successfully complete required online courses administered by the Commercial Brokers Association. Following this, the candidate must pass the Certified Green Broker exam with a score of at least 75%.

As an added benefit, the Green Broker courses also count as 30 hours of continuing education for the LEED Credential Maintenance Program. In fact, LEED accredited professionals can choose to take the courses without earning the Certified Green Broker designation for LEED continuing education credit.

Each course is $350, and they are offered exclusively online. Courses cover topics such as indoor environmental quality, energy, site and water, and green building materials.

Related Advice:

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